Gibbs44
10-13-2013, 04:23 PM
Hey folks, I know there's been a thread dealing with backstops, but I had an idea yesterday for one for my air rifle.
The items needed are 1 empty huge coffee container, with the cardboard sides plastic top and metal bottom, though I imagine any of the large coffee containers will work. By large I mean the ones most normal people walk by and go, "Who drinks that much coffee?" Well I do, so I have them on hand, and like to keep several in stock. Next, you need enough old socks, shirts, and yes underwear to fill it up. We have an old bin full of that stuff waiting to be used for rags and such.
Stuff 'em in the old coffee container until it's full, but doesn't quite want to push the lid back off. That's pretty much it. I have a RWS of some sort that shoots a .22 caliber pellet at something like 800 to 1000 fps, I don't really know, I just know squirrels don't like it. I just pumped something like 30 or so pellets through the lid. The plastic lid the Maxwell House coffee container has with the cardboard sides kind of acts like a self healing target and keeps the pellet and fabric in.
I know what your thinking, why? Let's look at the numbers, I just shot 30 .22 caliber 14.3 grain lead pellets into a coffee can full of underwear and socks. What did I accomplish? I had fun and reclaimed enough lead for a single lead boolit at 429 grains assuming that the pellets retained all of their weight. If you're one of those people that shoots 1500 pellets a year you end up with 21,450 grains of what should be pure lead. That's enough lead for 61.28 350 grain muzzleloader boolits. That's a lot of target practice and you get enough lead that you would otherwise not get that you could turn it into something else. That's not saying that you wouldn't have to change old rags and coffee containers/lids several times a year.
This got me to thinking though. If you use, or know a way to get a bunch of old fabric; what about target practice after you are confident in your load, say 3" at 25 yards with a 300 grain .431 or so boolit travelling at approximately 1200 fps. I know the candy set up for pellets isn't going to stop that kind of force, but what about a 18" diameter steel pipe that is about 24" to 36" in length packed with fabric? It should have a thick base welded on for just in case. I'm betting that all but the biggest boolits wouldn't even hit the end, and should be fully recoverable, and no dirt to take care of out of the mix when smelting. Probably should only use cotton, I'm not sure how nylon or spandex would react in the mix.
Like I said, small scale works pretty well for pellets, I might have to find something for the .44 mag just to see. Anyone else ever had this idea, if so how did it work?
Thanks folks,
Sully
The items needed are 1 empty huge coffee container, with the cardboard sides plastic top and metal bottom, though I imagine any of the large coffee containers will work. By large I mean the ones most normal people walk by and go, "Who drinks that much coffee?" Well I do, so I have them on hand, and like to keep several in stock. Next, you need enough old socks, shirts, and yes underwear to fill it up. We have an old bin full of that stuff waiting to be used for rags and such.
Stuff 'em in the old coffee container until it's full, but doesn't quite want to push the lid back off. That's pretty much it. I have a RWS of some sort that shoots a .22 caliber pellet at something like 800 to 1000 fps, I don't really know, I just know squirrels don't like it. I just pumped something like 30 or so pellets through the lid. The plastic lid the Maxwell House coffee container has with the cardboard sides kind of acts like a self healing target and keeps the pellet and fabric in.
I know what your thinking, why? Let's look at the numbers, I just shot 30 .22 caliber 14.3 grain lead pellets into a coffee can full of underwear and socks. What did I accomplish? I had fun and reclaimed enough lead for a single lead boolit at 429 grains assuming that the pellets retained all of their weight. If you're one of those people that shoots 1500 pellets a year you end up with 21,450 grains of what should be pure lead. That's enough lead for 61.28 350 grain muzzleloader boolits. That's a lot of target practice and you get enough lead that you would otherwise not get that you could turn it into something else. That's not saying that you wouldn't have to change old rags and coffee containers/lids several times a year.
This got me to thinking though. If you use, or know a way to get a bunch of old fabric; what about target practice after you are confident in your load, say 3" at 25 yards with a 300 grain .431 or so boolit travelling at approximately 1200 fps. I know the candy set up for pellets isn't going to stop that kind of force, but what about a 18" diameter steel pipe that is about 24" to 36" in length packed with fabric? It should have a thick base welded on for just in case. I'm betting that all but the biggest boolits wouldn't even hit the end, and should be fully recoverable, and no dirt to take care of out of the mix when smelting. Probably should only use cotton, I'm not sure how nylon or spandex would react in the mix.
Like I said, small scale works pretty well for pellets, I might have to find something for the .44 mag just to see. Anyone else ever had this idea, if so how did it work?
Thanks folks,
Sully