Who's built their own indoor bullet trap?

Nothing quite as elaborate as the link you provided, but not nearly as expensive either. This one was made from scrap steel. Dumps the expended rounds into a bucket of sand.

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Interesting. I know nothing about these, nor the engineering principals behind the design. I have read that many use a "deceleration chamber" such as the one linked which is basically steel plates welded up in a circular pattern.

Something about not being able to place the muzzle end of a high-powered rifle "into" something with flaps surrounding it for bullet splash makes me nervous as hell.

You don't get any of that?
 
That's not a bad design, as others that I have seen are nothing but a 90 degree piece of heavy pipe, or elbow, with a tank of water at the bottom. The gunsmith version at the link, looks well enough for pistol tests. On yours, I would like it if it was totally enclosed with steel sheet, similar to the linked one.
 
tobnpr,
Yea, I saw that, but do I believe it? However, it is according to the steel they used, since a high power cartridge carries a lot of wallop. If they make the curve out of something like T-1 wear plate (A514), and have a deep enough reservoir, it might work, but that doesn't look to be real deep, to not hold much liquid. It makes one wonder how many shots they made, using that large a round, into it. A man might fill it with molasses.
 
Fill the fireplace with firewood. Set up a target in front of it. Shoot CB shorts. Take out the wood and sweep up the bullets. I have done this.
 
What's your intended purpose? Are you only looking for feed and function testing or just general shooting?
It probably depends on a lot the rounds you are going to be using...
 
They used to sell an indoor shooting range for CB caps and shorts. Of course, that was probably back in the 50s or 60s, when their magazine ads ran. If you have a good target and backstop, one can easily get by with that in either round today. Just don't shoot the cat, dog, kids, or heaven forbid, the wife.:D
 
Rembrandt, that's a pretty neat bullet trap, however it looks like it could have been a little bigger.:)

I've seen one built with a vertical pipe and a funnel system, however it was fairly large so I don't believe it would have been portable.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
The one used on the tv show Wild West Alaska is just a large barrel filled with sand or dirt.
Simple and effective.
Even more simple is a large box filled with big city phone books, magazines, and such.
It takes a lot, a foot thick or more, but it works for handguns especially well.
Cheap, too.
Surprisingly, .22rf will penetrate as much as anything else.
And good ventilation is, indeed, a must.
Or just wait until the neighbor fires up a lawn mower and shoot in your garden.:)
 
Why not just start shooting a air rifle or pistol?

You won't need a heavy bullet trap and .177 pellets are much less expensive than centerfire ammo.

No smoke or lead dust to deal with.
 
I'd agree with that.

I shoot a .177 air pistol at home. The backstop is three glued pieces of cardboard with a few dozen A4 sheet papers glued on top. I place post-it stickers on it with little black dots and shoot them from 7 yards. Very little noise, virtually no cost, little time to set up, and I get to practice shooting daily. Airgun (gas piston powered) recoil is a bit strange so you need to care more about good follow through.
 
Why not just start shooting a air rifle or pistol?
Click to expand...

As for handguns you could do the wax bullet trick, be advised I shot a wax bullet through both sides of an empty metal 3 lb coffee can at 30 feet.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
I used to use those plastic practice rounds, the ones powered by just a primer.
But the airguns are just as good and sometimes better.
Especially the ones with realistic recoil.
And a lot cleaner to shoot indoors, too.
I'm sold on home practice with airguns.
I have nine of them so far.
How did that happen? :confused:
 
Some of you guys completely missed the point of my post.

I'm a gunsmith- this is for test/function firing, primarily for rifles- INDOORS- along the lines of the example I linked in my first post.

I'm not interested in indoor target practice or a "range".
 
I would think a piece or two of AR550 steel at an angle with some sand at the bottom would do the trick.
 
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