BPCR bullet trap

[montana_charlie]

I am toying with an idea, and I need some input from others...expecially those who have shot at 'gongs'.

I have a disc from a heavy duty disc plow. It's 26 inches in diameter, and very hard. Naturally, it is also shaped like a shallow bowl.
I want to hang it out to use as a gong target, but I'd also like to do something to catch lead as it splatters away from the impact point.

Not being flat, I guess the lead will be moving at a predictable(?) angle...and I am guessing if I shoot into the concave side the lead will get slowed down more than if I hit the convex surface.

Any agreement on this point?

Next, I have this old swather tire that fits a 15 inch rim. If I cut away half of the sidewall (on one side) I could hang my gong inside this 14-inch-deep 'rubber cave' and the sidewall cutout would be big enough to see the whole disc from the front.

I'm thinking that, as the lead spatters away, it will be trapped inside the tire...and will collect in the bottom for easy recovery.

Any agreement on this point?

What I'm wondering is...
When a soft BPCR bullet impacts on steel at (say) 300 yards or more, does it splatter sideways hard enough to penetrate a real thick tire...or will the ragged pieces just bounce around inside?

I've never been around a gong shoot, and have no idea how much velocity lead looses when it hits steel...and makes that sharp ninety degree turn.

Any guesses?
CM

[The Double D]

I think you need to build this gong contraption and report back us. I also think you are going to get some stick in the inner walls and even more accumulation in the bottom. I don't think the lead that sticks will be that deep and probably could be scraped of with a paint scraper. You can prove me wrong, I don't mind

You also will need to build several of these gong lead catchers and designate them...30-1 gong, 20-1 gong, WW Gong. Get my drift?

[Dale53]

I have had a couple of friends who took a tractor tire and bolted a heavy steel plate to the center opening. The plate is on the BACK of the tire from the shooter. They have shot lots of .44 magnums in their basement with no problem. The steel shatters the lead and the tire collects it. It works well with target loads (.38 special WC's) thru .45 autos and .44 magnum. Have no idea how it would work with anything bigger.

Dale53

[Boz330]

We shoot hanging targets were I shoot BPCRS and it mows the grass to the dirt under the swingers. I would think that the tire would catch the splatter pretty well. The biggest thing left is a piece of lead about the size of a dime and maybe 50 or 60 gr. The rest is pretty small splatter, ought to be easy to melt back down. As DD said what sticks ought to be easy to get out.

Bob

[KCSO]

Spatter angle will run approximatly 17 degrees. The tire should collect a lot if not most of the lead, if the plate is not too hard as sometimes they shatter. Your biggest problem will be A$$holes who shoot at the thing with FMJ's and ap's, we cant leave a target up at the range as people driving by have to take a poke with their AR's and SKS'. As to lead stick the next shot will shake it loose and it will drop to the bottom.

[montana_charlie]

Thanks everybody, but especially Dale.
That description gives me confidence for this reason...
.44 Mag velocities should be very similar to a BP propelled 550 grainer, and the terminal velocity of the splatter should be about the same.
If the tire catches one, it should catch the other just as well.

No worries, DD. I have pretty well settled the alloy question with the bullets I shoot. Looks like 20-1 will be a constant.
Since I'm out at the end of the road, anybody else shooting into this trap will probably be using my gun and ammo.

KCSO, please explain that 17 degrees a little more graphically...and keep in mind my gong is not flat.

Do you mean to say the fragments will be coming back toward me at an angle of 17 degrees to the steel?

If true, I might want to hit on the 'high' side...to make it more certain the lead doesn't bounce out through the front of the tire.

The thing about using a plow disc which bothers me is that one-inch square hole in the middle.
I'm such a good shot, I'm worried I may never hear that gong ring, and I'll be digging lead out of the bank behind the trap...but it should be in a compact little clump, I guess...
CM

[shooter575]

MC,I have seen that tire/steel backing before.A wide tire or two or more bolted togther might catch more of the splatter.By all meens give us back a report

[fourarmed]

I would shoot at the convex side. I think it will keep more of the lead in the tire. Eventually, those big boolits will start breaking out chunks around the central hole. You can hang another piece of heavier steel behind the hole in its own tire, though. Then you can tell by the different sound when your boolit goes through the hole.

[montana_charlie]

You can hang another piece of heavier steel behind the hole in its own tire, though. Then you can tell by the different sound when your boolit goes through the hole.

There ya go, Son!
I'm thinking of a little iron skillet hanging inside a golf cart tire...!!?
CM

[KCSO]

Best way to show you is to set a steel plate on the ground and shoot at it. The lead splatters will be below the plate about 2-3" from the plate and the 17 degrees is measured from the plate out. I'm not sure if this is clear so I will try and post a pic if I can find one. What this means in all actuality is that if you use a tire around a plate the tire will scarf up say 90% of the lead. Two tires would be even better and the ideal of shooting at the convex side will help even more. We limit our plate shooting to 7 yards and have yet to have a shooter hit by primary spatter. Where you get problems is when you hit a chunk of bullet stuck to the plate and get a bounce back. These will reddedn the skin but for the most part a l/s shirt and galsses and you are good to go. What really plays He!! with the works is bullet holes. A hole in the plate can zoom a bullet 180 degres and put it back with almost no loss of energy. A 30-06 will blow a hole in a low velocity plate that makes them too dangerous to use. I spen 90 to 120 dollarsa year welding grinding flush and straightening the plates from our range and the bin is lableled LEAD ONLY ! If we accidentally leave one up where it can be seen from the road witin 2 days it is full of holes.

[montana_charlie]

The lead splatters will be below the plate about 2-3" from the plate and the 17 degrees is measured from the plate out. I'm not sure if this is clear so I will try and post a pic if I can find one.

No need for that, KCSO, I have the picture. Thanks.
CM

[Gussy]

Very interesting idea with the tires. I will have to give that one a try also.
Gus

[omgb]

We had an interesting trap made up at a range I shot at in Lewistown back in the early 80s. It was a 2' x 3' section of steel door suspended at all frour corners in a wooden frame. The door was angled 45* down so that bullets that struck it were deflected into the dirt at the base of the plate. '06 rounds would dent it slightly but not pierce it at that angle. I forget exactly how thick this door was but I do remember where we got it. I tore it off of a hatch cover up at the old radar site at the top of Maiden Canyon. I seem to recall that it was about 3/8" thick. The hatch it came from gave acess to underground cables that ran from the main radome to the scope room.

[MT Gianni]

We had an interesting trap made up at a range I shot at in Lewistown back in the early 80s. It was a 2' x 3' section of steel door suspended at all frour corners in a wooden frame. The door was angled 45* down so that bullets that struck it were deflected into the dirt at the base of the plate. '06 rounds would dent it slightly but not pierce it at that angle. I forget exactly how thick this door was but I do remember where we got it. I tore it off of a hatch cover up at the old radar site at the top of Maiden Canyon. I seem to recall that it was about 3/8" thick. The hatch it came from gave acess to underground cables that ran from the main radome to the scope room.

It is a lot funner to read this post from the Yogo inn. I may take an evening drive. gianni

[powderburnerr]

Charlie , the only problem with your idea is the heavy 45 bullets tend to crack and twist up a plow disk .. I only got about 6 rounds into one before it was badly damaged .
I been contemplating a heavy plate with a i beam frame around it and opening at the bottom at an angle to drop debris intoa bucket ..with the 17 degree angle coming back the 10 or 12 inch I beam may work pretty good .. .........Dean

[GSM]

See if this link works for a sample of splattering

http://www.steelchickens.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=973

[montana_charlie]

Charlie , the only problem with your idea is the heavy 45 bullets tend to crack and twist up a plow disk .. I only got about 6 rounds into one before it was badly damaged .

Now, that's discouraging. Guess I should take a few shots at this one before going to all the trouble of building the 'trap'.

My neighbor will be real disappointed if the disc he gave me can't stand up to the task.
CM

EDIT...
powderburner (if you are still there),
About that disc you tore up...was it sitting against something solid, or free to swing?
It may not make a difference, but I had to ask...
CM

[fourarmed]

Those disk blades are extremely hard. I have several of them on my range, and most of them have chunks broken out. I think when I replace them, if I use more disk blades, I will try building a big campfire on top of one and see if I can anneal some of that hardness.

[powderburnerr]

Charlie , It was hung by a chain .. my 110 with a 575 gn bullet pushed by 110 gns of 1F put a divot in it at 300 that would hold a golf ball and the next shot within 4 inches produced a long crack . an edge shot rolled about 3 inches of the disk under and cracked the thing almost to the middle . Fourarmed might have a good idea there , take some of the temper out of the thing before whacking it . .. these big bullets seem to do a lot more damage to stuff than smaler dia rounds from what I have seen . once they get moving they dont want to stop.....Dean