my bullet trap

[Lloyd Smale]

been shooting into this for a couple years works pretty slick

[dubber123]

My brother came up with a smaller version somewhere, only 1/4" plate, and we gave it to a friend who uses it in his body shop with .22's when the job gets too stressful. Works great.

[Cayoot]

What kind and how thick is that Plate Lloyd?

I'm wondering if I can get one made at the local welding shop!

What calibers do you use on it? I know that you are a big bore shooter.

Do you tame them down alot for this?

Thank

Bary

[Lloyd Smale]

3/8s boiler plate. It will take a hit from about anything. Ive shoot thousands of full power linebaughs into it and centerfire rifles. Even ball 308s dont even put a dent in it. Only problem i had with it is i put two peices of angle iron on the front to slide a board into to staple targets through and made it out of hardened steel too and the bullets bent it up so bad that target boards wont slide in anymore and its so dammed hard that i cant pound it back into shape with a 2 lb hammer. Im going to have to cut it off and figure a differnt way to hold the plywood target board.

What kind and how thick is that Plate Lloyd?

I'm wondering if I can get one made at the local welding shop!

What calibers do you use on it? I know that you are a big bore shooter.

Do you tame them down alot for this?

Thank

Bary

[45 2.1]

Only problem i had with it is i put two peices of angle iron on the front to slide a board into to staple targets through and made it out of hardened steel too and the bullets bent it up so bad that target boards wont slide in anymore and its so dammed hard that i cant pound it back into shape with a 2 lb hammer. Im going to have to cut it off and figure a differnt way to hold the plywood target board.

If you weld a couple of flat plates, top and bottom, then drill some holes (to match the nail size you will use) in each corner, you can put a piece of plywood on it and use a 30 common nail. Drive the nail thru the plywood into the hole and bend the nail on the backside of the plate. Easy to unbend the nail when you change out the plywood. Works great.

[Lloyd Smale]

great idea. thanks pal!

If you weld a couple of flat plates, top and bottom, then drill some holes (to match the nail size you will use) in each corner, you can put a piece of plywood on it and use a 30 common nail. Drive the nail thru the plywood into the hole and bend the nail on the backside of the plate. Easy to unbend the nail when you change out the plywood. Works great.

[testhop]

these guys missed one of the best points lead recovery it looks like all you have to do is
grab the bucket

[Lloyd Smale]

that bucket is made from 1/4 inch steal pipe with a 3/8s stee plate welded on the bottom when its filled with lead you dont just pick it up and walk away. I have to get my neighbors tractor and pick it up with the bucket to haul it home. I probably weights in the neiborhood of 4oo lbs when about 3/4s full.

[Gussy]

3/8s boiler plate. Only problem i had with it is i put two peices of angle iron on the front to slide a board into to staple targets through and made it out of hardened steel too and the bullets bent it up so bad that target boards wont slide in anymore and its so dammed hard that i cant pound it back into shape with a 2 lb hammer. Im going to have to cut it off and figure a differnt way to hold the plywood target board.

Either you need a bigger target or need to learn to shoot in middle of it not around the edges. Couldn't resist a lead in like that!!!

Actually, weld an angle on top, lip up. Put a couple of hooks on the target board and just hang it in place.
Gus

[scrapcan]

Lloyd,

What happens if you use something other than you super container to catch the slugs? Do they retain enough energy that you have to have the wonder basket to catch them? I have been trying to put together a trap like this but have been trying to scrounge a turbocharger housing from a diesel engine to help slow the velocity. More snail trap like. Your method looks more straigh forward as it uses a common 90 degree weld elbow. That elbow should be available in most places where pipeline or oil fileds are present!

Thanks for sharing.

[targetshootr]

I need something like that to carry to the range but it would have to be lighter. Maybe a light gauge with two pieces of plywood to slow down my puny loads and a couple of wheels on it. Although picking up range lead is pretty good exercise for the ol' back bone.

[fivegunner]

that looks like a nice setup Lloyd.

[Lloyd Smale]

gussy my only excuse is that it holds 6 targets made out of standard sheets of paper on the printer and im to lazy to put only one in the middle and change it every time. and each of my targets has 5 spots to shoot a group on so sometimes im aful close to the edge. THAT AND I CANT SHOOT!

Either you need a bigger target or need to learn to shoot in middle of it not around the edges. Couldn't resist a lead in like that!!!

Actually, weld an angle on top, lip up. Put a couple of hooks on the target board and just hang it in place.
Gus

[Lloyd Smale]

[first tried a plastic bucket that was a joke. Then went to a galvanized steel pail and the lead fragments blew through that to. The bullets comming out of the elbow are usually about dust and small pieces and there still going at a real good clip so you need something pretty strong to contain them. Couple other heads up on some headaches with this design. When you go to smelt your lead you are going to have wood from the front board mixed in. It is not a big problem but does slow melting. What really gave me the problem on the first year using it is that i was putting new targets up by just stapling them over the old and at times there were a 1/2-1 inch of paper on the target board. I got alot of paper in the lead container and smelting was a crappy job. What might work great with a design like this is a roll of targets that a guy could mount on it. I havent been shooting much this year because of my back but i think next year im at least going to try swithching from a wood target board to a thin cardboard one made out of cardboard boxes and change it more often and dont allow the build up of old targets to get so carried away.QUOTE=manleyjt;239678]Lloyd,

What happens if you use something other than you super container to catch the slugs? Do they retain enough energy that you have to have the wonder basket to catch them? I have been trying to put together a trap like this but have been trying to scrounge a turbocharger housing from a diesel engine to help slow the velocity. More snail trap like. Your method looks more straigh forward as it uses a common 90 degree weld elbow. That elbow should be available in most places where pipeline or oil fileds are present!

Thanks for sharing.[/QUOTE]

[Lloyd Smale]

I may not be pictureing your tubo housing right but all the ones ive ever seen feed from the side and discharge out the pipe. What wont work is anything that is going to cause the lead to hit it directly. My buddy once made one with a squared discharge pipe and it would plug solid with lead. I think you about have to live with the bullets comming out at a pretty good clip because if you slow them to much your going to have lead building up.

[Newtire]

That is a great idea for a recycler. Maybe if you could rig a door on the front side a bit above the bottom of the catcher container you might be able to open it and pull out the lead a cake-pan at a time instead of having to wait until it gets full?

[scrapcan]

Lloyd,

The turbine house has the exhaust coming in on the tangent to the curve (the side as you have said). The are then cirles in the housing (and turns the turbine fins) and exits out the cenet of the housing. The good this is the side where the turbine mounts in the housing is generall larger hole than the exit.

My idea is to find one and weld or bolt a piece of plate over the exit side and leave the larger side open. When the bullet is fired into the trap (turbine housing) it will spin down and should roll out the bottom opening. It would be very similar to one posted some time back under the following thread. Look at the one that Waksupi posted also. It looks like his has a flat SNAIL made of of plate. I bet he would share info if we ask.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ht=bullet+trap

I think it would work, I just need to get things lined out and find a bit of free time.

[crowbuster]

i think you could take a piece of thick walled pipe, cut appropriate size hole in top, cap off end, 4 or 5 inches from hole, angle it down to unload in your bucket, low end being open, and that would work as a decelerator of sorts, looks good on paper anyway, and cheap. downward angle would dictate deceleration rate and you may need to monkey with that before final weld.

[tommag]

Lloyd, what about a plastic bucket filled with water to catch the lead? Maybe the water would slow it down enogh to protect the pail and the wood and paper would float to the top? If that would work, you could empty the pail without the aid of a tractor.

[Reacher]

Instead of wood you could use coroplast [like corrugated cardboard except it's made of plastic). People campaigning for office use it for their yard signs. Use the little thumbtacks with the plastic ends instead of staples. When you get really good, or think you are, you can shoot at the thumbtack thingies.
Reacher