Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work.

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Mike Patterson
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."
  #2   Report Post  
Ernie Leimkuhler
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

In article , Mike Patterson
wrote:

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?


Move up to 3/8" and buy T-1 not mild steel.
T-1 is also called A514 and is used for dumptruck beds and bulldozer
rams.
It welds easily and is extremely tough.
You could also go for a piece of AR plate.
AR plate means Abrasion resistant and is pretty much identical to World
War 2 armour plate.



I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.


Sounds fine


I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.


Good.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."

  #3   Report Post  
jay s
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

we have on at work that we shoot .223 and m203 test fire rounds into.
this is a helix shaped outside with a cone bottom. when you shoot into the
trap the projectile goes around the helix until slowing down enough to fall
into the cone and land in the drum of water below. the drum has a small pump
in it to pump water into multiple nozzles welded into the top of the helix.
at one time we shot thru a box that had sound absorbing material glued to
the inside to cut down on the noise and also a fan to ventilate the gases
from the box. the distance from the firing position to the trap was less
that 25 feet.

"Mike Patterson" wrote in message
...
I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."



  #4   Report Post  
Mike Patterson
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Yeah, those "snail" traps are too #$%$# expensive for me.

I looked at those first, but the prices drove me to plan building my
own.



On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 22:34:42 GMT, "jay s" wrote:

we have on at work that we shoot .223 and m203 test fire rounds into.
this is a helix shaped outside with a cone bottom. when you shoot into the
trap the projectile goes around the helix until slowing down enough to fall
into the cone and land in the drum of water below. the drum has a small pump
in it to pump water into multiple nozzles welded into the top of the helix.
at one time we shot thru a box that had sound absorbing material glued to
the inside to cut down on the noise and also a fan to ventilate the gases
from the box. the distance from the firing position to the trap was less
that 25 feet.

"Mike Patterson" wrote in message
.. .
I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."



Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."
  #5   Report Post  
Gunner
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:08:33 -0400, Mike Patterson
wrote:

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike, it should work well, but Id increase the thickness to 3/8 and
put side plates on it, with a front and side lips on top edge at a
backwards 15' angle. Even with a good steep angle you may get some
lead splatter back wards along the line of flight on the rare
occasion. I have a tiny chunk in my leg from just such a back splatter
at 25 feet.

1/4" plate will eventually get pretty well beat up, even with 22lr and
the magnums will dimple it pretty quickly. Go to something thicker
and never have to worry about it again.

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"


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ATP
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?


"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:08:33 -0400, Mike Patterson
wrote:

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike, it should work well, but Id increase the thickness to 3/8 and
put side plates on it, with a front and side lips on top edge at a
backwards 15' angle. Even with a good steep angle you may get some
lead splatter back wards along the line of flight on the rare
occasion. I have a tiny chunk in my leg from just such a back splatter
at 25 feet.

1/4" plate will eventually get pretty well beat up, even with 22lr and
the magnums will dimple it pretty quickly. Go to something thicker
and never have to worry about it again.

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...

Gunner

There have been some difficult lead clean-ups in school basement rifle
ranges.


  #7   Report Post  
jim rozen
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

In article , Gunner says...

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...


A friend of mine suggested getting a heavy-walled pipe
elbow, well-casing sized or larger.

Jim

--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
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  #8   Report Post  
Gunner
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 01:42:01 GMT, "ATP"
wrote:


"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:08:33 -0400, Mike Patterson
wrote:

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike, it should work well, but Id increase the thickness to 3/8 and
put side plates on it, with a front and side lips on top edge at a
backwards 15' angle. Even with a good steep angle you may get some
lead splatter back wards along the line of flight on the rare
occasion. I have a tiny chunk in my leg from just such a back splatter
at 25 feet.

1/4" plate will eventually get pretty well beat up, even with 22lr and
the magnums will dimple it pretty quickly. Go to something thicker
and never have to worry about it again.

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...

Gunner

There have been some difficult lead clean-ups in school basement rifle
ranges.


Yup..most of them didnt have very good ventilation. Been there, shot
there.

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"
  #9   Report Post  
Gunner
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

On 2 Aug 2004 18:53:10 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:

In article , Gunner says...

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...


A friend of mine suggested getting a heavy-walled pipe
elbow, well-casing sized or larger.

Jim


Heavy as hell and a bitch to balance

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"
  #10   Report Post  
SimonShabtai Evan
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Hi,
I can't say if the metal is thick enough, but here's something I can say.
In High school I was on varsity rifle team. Our 50 foot range used
angled steel plate and it worked great. We did have a half inch thick
plywork board in front of the plate. The wood prevented lead that
somehow bounced back from traveling back to us. When the wood got
sizeable holes I did get hit with pieces of lead. So put in the wood!

Also "WEAR EYE PROTECTION".

Shabtai Evan


Mike Patterson wrote:
I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."




  #11   Report Post  
Mike Patterson
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Good idea, thanks.
I always eye & ear protection.

Mike

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 02:54:47 GMT, SimonShabtai Evan
wrote:

Hi,
I can't say if the metal is thick enough, but here's something I can say.
In High school I was on varsity rifle team. Our 50 foot range used
angled steel plate and it worked great. We did have a half inch thick
plywork board in front of the plate. The wood prevented lead that
somehow bounced back from traveling back to us. When the wood got
sizeable holes I did get hit with pieces of lead. So put in the wood!

Also "WEAR EYE PROTECTION".

Shabtai Evan


Mike Patterson wrote:
I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."


Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."
  #12   Report Post  
Mike Patterson
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 01:34:25 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:08:33 -0400, Mike Patterson
wrote:

I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up
to .22 magnum.

I'd like to know if anyone thinks a 24" x 24"x 1/4" piece of steel
plate set at a 45 degree angle wouldn't be adequate?

I'd build it into a open frame of 4x4s with a 36"x36" box built around
the bottom containing oh... say 12 inches of sand with a 4" thick
pine base underneath.

I already have ventilation since the basement doubles as my shop.

TIA folks

Mike

Mike, it should work well, but Id increase the thickness to 3/8 and
put side plates on it, with a front and side lips on top edge at a
backwards 15' angle. Even with a good steep angle you may get some
lead splatter back wards along the line of flight on the rare
occasion. I have a tiny chunk in my leg from just such a back splatter
at 25 feet.

1/4" plate will eventually get pretty well beat up, even with 22lr and
the magnums will dimple it pretty quickly. Go to something thicker
and never have to worry about it again.

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the
highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like
every highschool had a half dozen or so...

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"


OK, 3/8" it is, with 1/8" sideplates.

I'd planned to mount the main plate in a groove routed in the 4x4s,
and rout the groove a bit oversize so the plate would move back a bit
on impact so as to lessen the shock to the plate and stand. Hopefully
it'll also descrease splashing a bit as well since the bullet will
have a small amount of deceleration time as it's changing directions.

Thanks
Mike
Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."
  #13   Report Post  
geoff m
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

I made one the same as this - 6mm plate butt welded together. Works
fine for 22LR, but don't try it with 0.223 (ahem)Thicker would be
better
Geoff

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Gunner
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 01:50:32 -0400, Mike Patterson
wrote:

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"


OK, 3/8" it is, with 1/8" sideplates.

I'd planned to mount the main plate in a groove routed in the 4x4s,
and rout the groove a bit oversize so the plate would move back a bit
on impact so as to lessen the shock to the plate and stand. Hopefully
it'll also descrease splashing a bit as well since the bullet will
have a small amount of deceleration time as it's changing directions.


Mike..something else you may consider. Mudflaps from semi trucks.

They are tough as hell and if you hang a pair of them from the top of
the shell, they may well stop the bullets from a .22. Ive seen them
used to stop .38 Special bullets in home made ranges. They have to
hang and flap freely though. Ive also seen some thick canvas type
conveyor belts being used for this as well.
The bullet hits, the energy is used to swing the flap and the bullet
simply falls straight down, oddly enough. YMMV of course

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except
in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism
proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is
merely the difference between murder and suicide."
- Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main
Weapons"
  #15   Report Post  
John Manders
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

I used to fire on an indoor 22 range much the same as you describe. ISTR
that the 45deg plate was backed with sand to deaden the noise. Also, we shot
through small openings in a wooden wall. This served three purposes. It
deadened the noise to the shooters. It stopped splinters flying back at us
and NO ONE was allowed through the door in the wall while there were loaded
guns on the range.

John




  #16   Report Post  
6e70
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Just use the butt end of a section of log. A couple feet long. We
shot, for years, into the firewood at the end of our basement.
Paul
  #17   Report Post  
John Manders
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Mike..something else you may consider. Mudflaps from semi trucks.

They are tough as hell and if you hang a pair of them from the top of
the shell, they may well stop the bullets from a .22. Ive seen them
used to stop .38 Special bullets in home made ranges. They have to
hang and flap freely though. Ive also seen some thick canvas type
conveyor belts being used for this as well.
The bullet hits, the energy is used to swing the flap and the bullet
simply falls straight down, oddly enough. YMMV of course

Gunner


I tried a similar thing once and shot at tyres. Nearly killed myself. The
dam things just came back at me.
If you want to go the floppy rubber route, get hold of some old conveyor
belting. It comes in various grades and is free. Ask at any
factory/quarry/mine that uses it for some old stuff.

John


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steamer
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

--I just had this vision of Leslie Nielsen from the TV show
"Police Squad" when he's practicing with his .45 in his apartment, heh.

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : If you tune a crow
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : do you get a duck?
http://www.nmpproducts.com/intro.htm
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---
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Ivor Clegg
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

steamer wrote:
--I just had this vision of Leslie Nielsen from the TV show
"Police Squad" when he's practicing with his .45 in his apartment, heh.


Having just gotten the DVD box-set of Sledge Hammer Season 1, are you
sure it's not Sledge you're thinking of?
He does EXACTLY this in the first (pilot) episode- 'Under The Gun'.


Trust me, I know what I'm doing,
Ivor.



  #21   Report Post  
Tim Auton
 
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Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Ivor Clegg wrote:
[snip]
Having just gotten the DVD box-set of Sledge Hammer Season 1, are you
sure it's not Sledge you're thinking of?
He does EXACTLY this in the first (pilot) episode- 'Under The Gun'.


Is that the episode where he, uh, "takes out" the sniper?

It's years since I've seen Sledge Hammer. Sledge was cool. You can't
get the DVD box set in the UK though, so I'd need a region-free
player. Thanks for that, MPAA.


Tim
--
Google is not the only search engine.
  #22   Report Post  
Ivor Clegg
 
Posts: n/a
Default Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Tim Auton wrote:

Ivor Clegg wrote:
[snip]

Having just gotten the DVD box-set of Sledge Hammer Season 1, are you
sure it's not Sledge you're thinking of?
He does EXACTLY this in the first (pilot) episode- 'Under The Gun'.



Is that the episode where he, uh, "takes out" the sniper?


That's the one :-)


You can't
get the DVD box set in the UK though, so I'd need a region-free
player.


At 32.98 Canadian Dollars (less than 14 quid Sterling) for the box-set
from dvdsoon.com, you OWE it to yourself to get a region free player :-)
At that price (and with their free shipping!), is should get past H.M.
Customs and Excise without attracting too much attention either.

DVD players are getting ridiculously cheap too. Lidl for example (big
German supermarket chain that's spreading it's tentacles into Britain
and Ireland, for our buddies on the far side of the pond), were doing
one a few weeks ago for 29.99 Sterling that plays EVERYTHING, and could
care less about Region coding and Macrovision.
It's gone from their shops by now of course, but something similar will
no doubt be along shortly.

Here's the official Sledge Hammer site-
http://www.sledgehammeronline.com/

And one by a fan-
http://www.phrank.com/sh/

Some dialog-
Reporter: We're here at the scene of a liquor store robbery that was
thwarted by the man beside me, Inspector Sledge Hammer. Inspector
Hammer, tell us what happened.
Hammer: Well, Miss, I was in this store when two thugs entered and
threatened the owner with shotguns. At that time, I drew my Magnum and
killed them both. Then I bought some eggs, and some milk, and some of
those little cocktail weanies.
Reporter: Inspector Hammer, was what you did in that store absolutely
necessary?
Hammer: Oh, yes, I had no groceries at all.


Classic stuff :-)


Ivor.

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