Cast boolit target trap

[8mmFan]

Have any of you designed a trap to catch your cast bullets? It always pains me to see my Boolits and the hard-won lead there in deposited irretrievably into the dirt bank behind the targets at the range.

I'd love to find a design that will catch my cast boolits, along with my kids' .22 bullets, so that I can melt them down and re-use them again.

Any ideas?

8mmFan

[Bait O' Eggs]

I welded up one from 1/4 inch plate and it works well, We have shot it with 22lr, 9mm, 357 mag, 45 with no signs of damage, I think it could take a lot more punishment than I throw at it.

Pretty sure it wouldnt like 5.56/223 rifle ammo due to speed of bullet

[mdi]

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS776US776&q=homemade+bullet+traps&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE6Yflo6DfAhWsqIMKHSGnB5gQBQgrKAA&biw=994&bih=430 A bunch of ideas here...

[MyFlatline]

Yep works great..

232073
232074
232075
232076

[30calflash]

I think there's a post here on building one from wood and filed with rubber mulch used in gardening. Worked well, easy to sift out the lead and use it over again.

There it is! Too slow on the keyboard!

[MyFlatline]

lol Took me a minner to find the pictures..It stops the super fast bullets quicker than the heavy slow ones. 308 MX only goes 1/3, 45 colt almost hits the back. Thus I added a piece of steel just to be safe.

[rmatchell]

Keep an eye out on Craigslist. I got my trap for 50 bucks. Its good up to 1500 fps according to the label.

If you have access to a welder then you will be able to put one together without to much trouble.

[8mmFan]

Super! Thanks everyone. This is on my to-do list now. Very much appreciated.

8mmFan

[Leadmad]

8mm fan, I use a plastic 55 gallon drum, cut the top out & fill with crushed pumice from the garden centre, use the cut out plastic top for a baffle 1/3rd from the bottom of the drum then just put a piece of old carpet and plywood top in place of the cut out and lay drum over on its side, after the centre starts to get a bit shot out I lift the drum up and retrieve my lead, all sorts of high velocity calibres have never made it out the other side of the drum

Cheers

[GregLaROCHE]

I built one a year ago and it seems to work well. However, almost all the boolits seem to end up pulverized. Do others have the same results? Maybe I need to change the angles of the plates?

[JBinMN]

I have posted up pics of the ones I use elsewhere on this forum. I use several different kinds & sizes.

From screwed together 4x4 & 6x6s, to box traps filled with shredded tire mulch like shown above, as well as buckets filled with mulch.

I recover whole boolits like what was shown above as well. I like that better than the fragmented parts to recover from when someone uses the steel types, although I understand that some of the steel ones with the deceleration cylinder on the back recover the projectiles better than just hitting a plate.

I like the small ones I make for the portability. Even the box ones are portable, but start to get kind of awkward & heavy at 18x18x18 or larger. and I am no weakling. You would not want to carry one around by yourself too much. I am sure My Flatline would likely agree on that, seeing the size of the box trap in the pic.

G'luck! to those who make them. They are worth the effort, IMO.
:)

[MyFlatline]

JB, you are correct. I would not carry mine at all, maybe put in the UTV or empty it out. I am fortunate that it can stay there for as long as I want. Now that I know that they work, if I built another, it won't be as large.

[OS OK]

The story...

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/07/15/new-pistol-target-backstop-_-it-works-part-2/

How it looks...after a few rattle cans of red paint...

https://i.imgur.com/LOhnqCX.jpg?1

Had to get help to mount it into the backstop...

https://i.imgur.com/rcBWBH9.jpg?1

Here's the business end where you get the lead back, it's in the bucket...

https://i.imgur.com/flWBvRh.jpg?1

No problem stopping pistol cast but it has it's limits though, 170g. 'Jacketed' SP .30-30W rounds dug into the soft 3/8's plate steel...

https://i.imgur.com/dis0G0J.jpg?1

It does catch the cast rounds from the .30-30W without any damage but I'll just stick with my 'Barrel-O-Rubber Mulch' for stopping anything from a rifle...

https://i.imgur.com/7KQEVZo.jpg?1

This catcher has a plug in the bottom so I only filled it 2/3'rds with rubber mulch, it's dang heavy and a pain in the tail to empty and retrieve the lead, takes a couple hours working alone...

https://i.imgur.com/egseNJu.jpg?1

I cut the top of the lid out to put a round 1/4" plywood face on it, you have to replace the plywood when you empty & reclaim lead...you need to stuff all the plastic bags the mulch came in behind the plywood to stop the mulch from migrating through the face after it starts to deteriorate. That gives it some longevity, a couple thousand rounds or roughly 60 lbs. of lead on each cleanout...

https://i.imgur.com/BgB6kU9.jpg?1

Final assembly, the mulch on the tarp behind the barrel, 8 bags I think...then the rubber floor mat is cut to fit on the plywood and stapled well, then your targets stapled after that and your in business...

https://i.imgur.com/PKLSzjT.jpg?1

Here's the pain with this backstop...the clean-out...You have to dump the mulch and let the cast rounds settle to the tarp as your scooping the mulch in small 3~5 gal. bucks and putting it back into the barrel and tamping it as you go...it's a pain, no doubt but this barrel will catch anything short of a 50 cal. ...

https://i.imgur.com/KR8smpk.jpg?1

But, it's worth it to get all that lead back...especially the tin rich stuff...

https://i.imgur.com/8wHOmei.jpg?1

Show us some pictures of whatever you build...OK?

[RU shooter]

The one I made up was simple and pretty cheap to make. Was nothing more than a 2' x 2' by 3' deep wood box made outa scrap 2x6 or whatever you have on hand . Cut a 12"square out of the front ,screw a piece of heavy rubber conveyor belt or old mud flaps to the inside of the box covering that 12"hole , fill with dirt ! Done

[Rich/WIS]

8mmFan, where are you located? Have a commercial trap rated to IIRC 1400fps. Never did get it into service and it is in my shed in WI. Yours if you want it.

[Mr_Sheesh]

If you used AR500 steel as the deflector behind the trap, and had the bullets hit a glancing blow against the steel, it should be able to handle harder impacts, longer? Have to be really solid thick meal if you were firing a 50 BMG or the like at it, of course.

[John Boy]

Pick one and other stuff ... https://www.pinterest.com/pin/364862007283533539/

[8mmFan]

8mmFan, where are you located? Have a commercial trap rated to IIRC 1400fps. Never did get it into service and it is in my shed in WI. Yours if you want it.

Rich/WIS... I DO just happen to be a Cheesehead! THANK YOU for offering that!! Private message sent!

Sincere thanks,

8mmFan

[8mmFan]

The story...

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/07/15/new-pistol-target-backstop-_-it-works-part-2/

How it looks...after a few rattle cans of red paint...

https://i.imgur.com/LOhnqCX.jpg?1

Had to get help to mount it into the backstop...

https://i.imgur.com/rcBWBH9.jpg?1

Here's the business end where you get the lead back, it's in the bucket...

https://i.imgur.com/flWBvRh.jpg?1

No problem stopping pistol cast but it has it's limits though, 170g. 'Jacketed' SP .30-30W rounds dug into the soft 3/8's plate steel...

https://i.imgur.com/dis0G0J.jpg?1

It does catch the cast rounds from the .30-30W without any damage but I'll just stick with my 'Barrel-O-Rubber Mulch' for stopping anything from a rifle...

https://i.imgur.com/7KQEVZo.jpg?1

This catcher has a plug in the bottom so I only filled it 2/3'rds with rubber mulch, it's dang heavy and a pain in the tail to empty and retrieve the lead, takes a couple hours working alone...

https://i.imgur.com/egseNJu.jpg?1

I cut the top of the lid out to put a round 1/4" plywood face on it, you have to replace the plywood when you empty & reclaim lead...you need to stuff all the plastic bags the mulch came in behind the plywood to stop the mulch from migrating through the face after it starts to deteriorate. That gives it some longevity, a couple thousand rounds or roughly 60 lbs. of lead on each cleanout...

https://i.imgur.com/BgB6kU9.jpg?1

Final assembly, the mulch on the tarp behind the barrel, 8 bags I think...then the rubber floor mat is cut to fit on the plywood and stapled well, then your targets stapled after that and your in business...

https://i.imgur.com/PKLSzjT.jpg?1

Here's the pain with this backstop...the clean-out...You have to dump the mulch and let the cast rounds settle to the tarp as your scooping the mulch in small 3~5 gal. bucks and putting it back into the barrel and tamping it as you go...it's a pain, no doubt but this barrel will catch anything short of a 50 cal. ...

https://i.imgur.com/KR8smpk.jpg?1

But, it's worth it to get all that lead back...especially the tin rich stuff...

https://i.imgur.com/8wHOmei.jpg?1

Show us some pictures of whatever you build...OK?

Now that's some serious bullet-trapping. The wife and I keep talking about moving to a place with more space. If and when that happens, I'll be coming back to this post. Thanks for posting the pics.

8mmFan

[crankycalico]

well its interesting what you guys have done, considering that a Crossman 760 at 10 pumps at 20 yards has the ability to put a .177 bb through MOST cookie sheets sold these days.

How much effort would be needed for tiny little roundball?

[GregLaROCHE]

Has anyone seen anything suggesting the best angles for the plates?

[lightman]

Has anyone seen anything suggesting the best angles for the plates?

Not really. The only one that I've shot into had the back plate at about 45º.

I like the looks of that big red trap! Hum, the wheels are turning.........

[Orchard6]

I have one very similar to that red one only a bit smaller (16”square) and my pipe at the back runs horizontal instead of vertical. My great, great uncle built it back in the 50’s for muzzle loader and pistol use. I found it a few years ago when we were tearing down an old barn and have since put it to good use!

[OS OK]

Has anyone seen anything suggesting the best angles for the plates?

I had the same question and couldn't answer it until I did some experimenting with the angles and plate thicknesses...I was wondering about boolit splatter & how it would or wouldn't damage a thinner plate. I considered using a cheaper thinner plate than the 3/8's that I ended up with...

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/06/27/building-a-new-lead-catcher-w-no-plans-on-the-internet-little-information-hmmmm-part-1/

It's been decades since my Geometry lessons & the angles are a bit confusing, I'm not so sure I have them figured correctly...from the shooters perspective & if shooting from the center of the front of the target I believe the rounds are hitting the side plates at a 30º angle. That would ricochet the rounds into the pipe at a 60º to the rear without much fragmenting, but when hit from the 45º to the side plate they just scattered. The nice part is that they all end up in the bucket in the rear.

[GregLaROCHE]

It seems like the plate will take less abuse at 30* than 45*. Does anyone agree with me?

[Mr_Sheesh]

GregLaROCHE, yes, agreed. Also the bullets will tend to hug the metal sheet and end up in the back, where if you have it at 45 degrees (like a radar reflector) you could potentially get a double ricochet that came back to visit you - Which isn't sounding fun to me...

[Petander]

GregLaROCHE, yes, agreed. Also the bullets will tend to hug the metal sheet and end up in the back, where if you have it at 45 degrees (like a radar reflector) you could potentially get a double ricochet that came back to visit you - Which isn't sounding fun to me...

Yes it can happen.

We have range here that banned fmj:s because of ricochets. The trap angle is about 45° ... Then someone came up with the idea of hanging rubber carpets in front of the traps. No more ricochets and they even look better.

[OS OK]

It seems like the plate will take less abuse at 30* than 45*. Does anyone agree with me?

That's what I got out of the testing at the two angles...cast will slide along the face of the metal pretty much in a partially flattened lump @ 30º where @ 45º they just spatter.
I think the conveyor belt or mud flap idea is a good one...I have had small shards come back and hit me in the shins shooting double hung targets where one of the targets gets the trajectory going at more than the 30º to one side plate, didn't break the skin but the fact that something can come back concerns me...I think I'll get on the hunt for some material to modify the front end.

Prolly the best design would be longer from front to back where the angles would be even steeper and less than 30º to trajectory but there's always a trade-off. Plate metal is expensive bought new & the more you use the heavier it is...but on the other hand if you can improve on a design as you make yours then you win.

All I could think about during this build was the fact that I'm going to have my Pb waiting for me in a 5 gal. bucket...then there's no more clean-outs and repairs to the mulch barrel and the Pb goes straight to the smelting pot. Using the mulch type catcher, FMJ's generally stay in very good shape unless they hit another projectile, that means you need to break those jackets before the smelting or maybe have an explosion in the pot. That's not an issue anymore...they're shredded.

https://i.imgur.com/vLqzq97.jpg

It got tedious cutting the jackets with a ball-peen and chisel...in the end I just started smashing the rounds with the hammer so at least one edge would have a crack and called it good enough...but this is a pain and time consuming & I'm still finding ricochets in the shop that came from this process.
Another observation is that the thin 'plated' so called jackets don't have the thickness that a real full-jacketed round has...I'm not so sure that you'd need to smash the plated ones but I didn't take any chances and smashed them all.

[ioon44]

I found the I had to smash the plated also or cut into them with side cutters to break the plating. I use 5 gal buckets full of rubber mulch for bullet traps and use a disk of conveyor belt under the lid makes it last longer, I get around 50 lbs of bullets each time I clean out the bucket bullet traps.

[OS OK]

This was the take on my 'last clean out' of the mulch barrel, used to do it at least two times each summer...what a pain, my brother and I would spend no less than two hours to get to this point with the target stop repaired and back in service...no more!


https://i.imgur.com/37Npjqt.jpg?1

Now I just keep check on the bucket behind the metal back stop and when It feels like 40 lbs. or so...I'll pull the ingot pot out and melt it back to useable lead, mark it, stack it and smile each time I go to the casting pot...'easy peezy, convienient'.

[crankycalico]

Anyone ever just thought of doing what our fore fathers would have done in a situation like this oh, 30-50 years ago?

"hey little johnny, I gots here 700 pounds of jacketed bullets that need to be snipped so they can get melted. When your done I got a cold sick pack in the fridge"