Built A Bullet Trap

[jonp]

After reading the threads I decided to cast the buckets of sand aside for a trap. I used 5/8 OSB for the sides, 2x2's for the frame and in the back I cut a slot in the 2x2's for a 1sq ft piece of 1/4in Hot Rolled Steel. The front I left open to attach a piece of cardboard with staples for easy replacement and the top I had a piece of OSB sitting but not attached. I attached everything together with sheetrock screws ( except the top ) and the box I filled with rubber mulch from Lowes and one bag filled it. Weight wise it was easy to handle and with the mulch dumped into a bucket and the steel pulled out easy to pick up.

Total cost:
$10 for the steel (I bought a piece 1ftx4ft and it was $40. More expensive than I thought)
Scrap 2x4 for the frame
5/8 OSB for the sides. Scrap piece I had in the garage
$10 for a bag of rubber mulch

Total out of pocket: $20

The box is 12x12in and I have to admit I was a little sceptical. I was only planning for cast handgun with this one so thought it would work but I was kinda iffy on that. I loaded my SW Masterpiece with some 140gr SWC COWW over 3gr ETR7(titegroup) for about 750-800fps.

From 21ft none of the boolits exited the box. I only heard one hit the steel. The rest I recovered fully intact, the one that hit was in half lengthwise. I could clearly see the barrel grooves on each one and they look good enough to load up again although I'm going to melt them down. So for target 38sp, success. Now I'm going to try some target 45LC and see what happens although I bet they are all going to hit the steel.

[Traffer]

Pictures would be nice. Tell us more about "rubber mulch". I think that many of the bullet catchers people use are more for safety. I think that 12" is a bit small for that.

[jonp]

Love to have pictures but a week after I bought my new Galaxy 7 I dropped it breaking the camera. The box is just that. A simple 1sq ft OSB box. The mulch is the standard rubber landscaping stuff. Not the chunky stuff that is supposed to look like rocks but the shredded stuff that mimics shredded bark. I settled it into the box and lightly packed it down and into the corners. The backstop I shoot against will catch anything that passes through so I'm not worried about that and I seriously doubt anything will penetrate the 1/4in steel anyways. I don't plan on using J-words so ricochets shouldn't be a problem. I think any cast that hits the back hard enough for that will explode with the pieces not having enough velocity to make it back through the mulch and out.

[deltaenterprizes]

Pictures would be nice. Tell us more about "rubber mulch". I think that many of the bullet catchers people use are more for safety. I think that 12" is a bit small for that.

I agree , 3’x3’ would be better! I understand the cost factor but what happens if you shoot and miss? How much will that cost?

[JBinMN]

I have 2 that are 18x18x18, I used a 2x2 frame, OSB on the sides & bottom, 1/2 plywood for the front with a rubber "tile"/"paver" to help keep the mulch in when the plywood center starts to go, and 2x6's and 4's for the backside, and with the rubber mulch in them, they are getting pretty heavy. Even without any plate in them. Add the plate you add the pounds a bit.

Lifting them up into/down from the back of the truck or on the hitch carryall on the back of the Jeep is not a chore for a little person, at the size mine are. I am gonna guess mine weigh about 75+ pounds at least without the plates inside. It really is not so much the weight, but they are somewhat awkward to move around & lift, and I have rope handles on the top. I use a 2 wheel cart when I am moving them around at home simply as a backsaver. Any bigger and you are not likely to want to move them much.

I back the vehicle up to where I am going to put them to shoot at them, & then again to load them back up. Moving them by hand alone & in the field would be a bummer. For me at least, and I am not a weak fella. I do have a pretty wore out body though & I want to keep what I have & not be any more crippled up than I already am right now.

3'x3'x3' would be a beast to move, particularly for one guy without some sort of a backsaving device or wheels, etc..

I built mine for the portability & I use other types like 3- 6x6 blocks 16 inches long stacked & screwed together on the ends with 3 inch screws & a rope handle on the top & they do fine for a lot of pistol shooting. Lightweight, and do the job right well...

I will be making one about 12x12 box one myself in the Spring to see how that size works for me.

I have posted pics of mine somewhere here on CB.GL forum, but not sure where now. Been a while. If anyone wants to go look to get a rough idea of what they look like since jonps & mine are similar, but for the size difference. I tried posting up an old pic earlier here & it kept giving me the pic sideways so I just got ticked & gave up on it.

G'Luck to those that build one, & if you build one bigger, then you may want to go lift the bags of mulch that it will take to fill it first & then lift the frame materials & sheathing first just to get an idea of what it will all weigh when it is finished. Not forgetting the weight of any plate you might add. There is a reason why I made mine the size I did, and why I did not go bigger so I could move it alone when needed...
Hint hint...


Do as ya like.

[jonp]

I agree , 3’x3’ would be better! I understand the cost factor but what happens if you shoot and miss? How much will that cost?

shoot and miss from 20ft?

[jonp]

I saw a 1sq ft box here in the box thread and thought I'd try it. To tell the truth, I think I'm going to build a 24in long box as I'll be more comfortable with it.

If anyone wants to go look to get a rough idea of what they look like since jonps & mine are similar, but for the size difference.

Pretty sure yours is what I copied to get the idea. The whole project took less than 1hr.

[Duckdog]

Mine is 24 x 24 x 24 as well. I shoot everything from a 45/70 to a 30/06 @ 2150 FPS into it and have never had one shoot through. I empty the mulch into buckets before lifting it. I've had mine for about 10 years and have caught thousand of bullets. I have had to replace a couple of the pavers.

[Baltimoreed]

Attachment 232881The organic phosphate fertilizer company that I worked for for 40 years moved a lot of liquid from different plants to the tank farm where I worked. The storage tanks were about 50 ft tall and a variety of diameters. Some open topped and some closed top. There was miles of 6 in fibercast and s/s piping with multiple pipelines going from the plants and tank bottoms to the tops of these tanks. [Over 28 miles of track when I retired.] They used large rectangular funnels called splitterboxes to get the different acids into the tanks. In one of my scrap yard visits I found a smaller scrap one that was about 6 ft x 3 ft and only weighed 680 lbs. I bought it for 68.00 and brought it home in my Jeep CJ8. Dropped it off at the welding shop to have a 90 degree elbow welded to the bottom. I turned it so the rectangular opening was sideways and built a backstop of RR ties. Nothing can get through it and it eventually funnels the bullets into a steel box behind it. I use it when I sight in my high power rifles. The original ties rotted out so last year I rebuilt it. It’s the dark rectangular shape to the left with the white targets hanging in front of it. I use the closer targets for my lead cas loads. I’ll have to get a better pix tomorrow.

[Traffer]

Can I come over and play?

[Baltimoreed]

Wisconsin is a bit of a drive to eastern NC but come on by.

[uscra112]

Rather than build something, I just filled a 55 gallon drum with rubber mulch. About 18" in I have a sheet of heavy rubber conveyor belting. Cut out a hole in the lid. Attach targets with magnets. Lies on its' side on a mound of dirt in front of the backstop. So far nothing has ever penetrated the belting. Obviously it's not portable, but a 35 gallon drum would be.

[Traffer]

My brother gave me a chunk of lead that he melted in an old cast iron frying pan. About 2" thick and 11" round. When I first started developing loads for the 22 I used it for a bullet catcher in the garage. Typical factory load would go in about 1 inch and become one with the chunk of lead. I guess if you had a thick enough chunk you could shoot it with just about anything. Never lose a grain of lead. When it got all pock marked just melt it back to flat again.