Looking for information on range backstops.

[Meta]

The private range I am a member of is considering its options with respect to replacing its backstop. Currently there is a 30 year old steel plate system that is not only becoming more prone to bullet splashback, but is also contributing to lead levels that a more modern backstop would theoretically be better at managing. The few that I have researched a bit so far are:
http://www.snailtraps.com/index.htm
and
http://www.supertrap.com/Main.htm

I know there have to be many on the market and would like to know if anyone here has experience with regard to the pros and cons of the systems out there. Cost, lead reduction, maintenance, etc. Much appreciated!

 

[Deanimator]

I highly recommend that you look into captive rubber pellets as a backstop. It's what our club uses and it really cut lead levels.

We hang sheets of conveyor belt material from frames in the backstop area. Behind the frames is a metal backstop. The area between the conveyor belts and the metal (about 3" separation) is filled with rubber pellets about the size of your little fingernail. Not only will this stop any normal pistol round, it'll stop .30-06. Since there is no highspeed impact with a deflector plate of any kind, there's no instant vaporization of lead.

When large holes [inevitably] develop in the sheeting, we just use drywall screws to attach rubber patches.

Depending upon usage, every year or so, we use a large propane powered vacuum cleaner to suck the rubber (and a lot of the .22 bullets) out over the top of the sheets. We then take down the sheets and replace them. The rubber pellets are then shoveled onto sieves and the bullets removed to be melted down and recast. After the bullets are separated from the pellets, the pellets are then blown back over the sheets using the propane vacuum.

I think this is an excellent system that keeps lead levels down to a very manageable degree.

 

[Meta]

Any idea which company you used for this system? It sounds similar to the Supertrap system.

 

[Deanimator]

I send all my stuff to CCG for action jobs, etc. But S&W has that lifetime warranty, and why should you have to pay for the forcing cone to be fixed if they will fix it at no charge? Hopefully we are the minority, and S&W is not doing this on a regular basis.

I think the club built all of the hardware. We have a local source for the conveyor belts and pellets.

The SuperTrap system is somewhat different, in that the rubber isn't captive. Our system takes up MUCH less space.

 

[1 old 0311]

The NRA has a publication dealing with this. Ck. their site.

 

['Card]

My favorite indoor range uses shredded tires packed into bins about 5 feet deep and 8 feet high as a backstop.

Seems to work really well, but of course you can't shoot tracers into it.

 

[Can'thavenuthingood]

http://www.snailtraps.com/news.htm

I like these best.

Vick

 

[hso]

http://www.rangeinfo.org/

http://stores.ballistictec.com/Detail.bok?no=3

No one's tried this yet, but the panel material from the folks at Just Shoot Me could probably be combined to reduce the bullet velocity low enough to prevent splatter in your existing system. Rig the panels so that 3 layers with minimal spacing between is used for hanging targets on and I'd bet your lead problem would be reduced significantly.