Dryfire Bullet Traps in the Home

[Skunkabilly]

What'll be a good bullet trap that can stop up to a .308 in the home? Refrigerator? Gun safe? If not .308, then 12ga shot or .45 down to 9mm?

I don't really have a 'trap' set up and don't feel as comfortable dryfiring as I was taught to have something.

Where do I get sandbags, isn't going to the beach and taking sand 'stealing'?

[Hkmp5sd]

Make a backstop out of newspapers or old telephone books. A few feet of either should stop an accidental .308 from hurting anything. If you use a gun safe, refrigerator or similar, the ricochet will be more of a hazard than blowing a hole through the wall.

[benEzra]

Actually, a .308 might penetrate MANY feet of paper . . . packed sand might be better, but a .30-06 can still penetrate several feet of packed earth under the right conditions, and a .308 is not much different. A gun safe MIGHT stop a .308 (unless it was AP); but a Guns & Ammo Annual some years ago ran a high-speed photo of a softpoint .30-06 penetrating a 1/2" plate of mild steel clamped in a vise, which is far thicker than most gunsafes. A few inches of firebrick in front of a heavy gun safe might be sufficient, though; ricochets wouldn't be a problem if you avoid glancing angles, but backspatter (and brick fragments) could be an eye hazard.

A few thick steel disk weights from a weight set, standing on end, would probably work nicely, too, as long as you didn't aim at the center hole.

If you have a basement, the earth on the other side of the basement wall will suffice as a "just in case" backstop.

Someone at our local range brought out a 2" thick steel lid from chemical reactor pressure vessel (I think) and placed them in the berm, and it easily stopped 7.62x54 200-gr FMJ, which is stouter than most .308 loads.

Non-rifle rounds are MUCH easier to stop; a gun safe should do nicely. I've seen tests showing that a 9mm FMJ will not penetrate most household exterior walls, although this may have referred to brick or cinder block homes. Be aware that shot from a shotgun penetrates like a slug at close ranges, since the shot acts like a solid mass until it is spread out significantly, and may penetrate some types of exterior wall.

You could test some theories out at the range--this could be fun--just don't shoot up your safe.)

bE

[Daniel Flory]

I live on the bottom floor so about 1/3 of my apartment is underground. So I just dryfire at the underground portion. In your case I would probably get a really nice Kevlar vest. Then you'd have a really nice Kevlar vest plus a dryfire backstop :)

[HS/LD]

Just do what I do.

Take the bullets out of the gun.
Stick you finger in the chamber.
No bullet?

Start dry firing.


:)
HS/LD

[Double Naught Spy]

A dry fire backstop is a good sort of parachute safety consideration just for those times when the brain doesn't function right and you don't manage to do the finger in the chamber check.

I have a target mounted on a the drywall of a wall in the garage that is backed by a brick wall. That is my designated (non)impact zone. The brick is between the outside world (so not an interior wall) and me. Should a really rare shot occur and maybe just cruise through the mortar, it really should not have much hope of going too far as even mortar between bricks would still pose a significant obstruction.

My designated (non)impact target backstop came as a result of reading too many stories of folks killing TVs, light switches, and pictures on the wall with "unloaded" guns. So, my goal is to minimize risk to me, the outside world, and valuables like TVs by having one designated spot.

Along similar lines, I think more gun shows should have high mounted targets on walls as designated sighting locations so as to keep idiots browsing guns from scanning other customers or taking a bead on said customers as every so often, somebody managed to discharge a firearm at a gunshow and sometimes people do get hit.

[Citadel99]

Along similar lines, I think more gun shows should have high mounted targets on walls as designated sighting locations so as to keep idiots browsing guns from scanning other customers or taking a bead on said customers as every so often, somebody managed to discharge a firearm at a gunshow and sometimes people do get hit.

AMEN brother DNS!!! Amen to that.

Mark

[M1911]

I use either my concrete basement wall or a particular exterior wall in my office, behind which is a hill.

Lacking those, I'd suggest you get a couple square kitty litter buckets and fill them up with sand. Put them on a strong shelf, one behind the other. Should be enough for most pistol rounds.

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

My bathroom walls are made of Wonderboard, which is 1/2 inch thick cement board. So I dry-fire at the bathroom. Anything that gets loose has to go through an inch of concrete.

If you're Cheap (tm), you can pick up some Wonderboard at your Home Despot and build a dry-fire backstop from it. Saw it into one-foot squares,laminate it together with construction adhesive, and apply your choice of finish. Attach a hanging wire on the back and hang it up on a stud. (It'll be heavy.)

- pdmoderator

[SRYnidan]

A five gallon pail (square better than round) filled with sand will make a good cheap start. I keep one in the garage as a clearing barrel. I you are going to use it as a dry fire safety for the full size battle rifle calibers I would advise putting something solid in the back (brick, firebrick or a steel plate) before filling. You can buy sand at toys-r-us (for filling sand boxes) if a natural source is a problem.