Target shooting in my apartment.

[esheato]

I picked up 200 of the Aguila Super Colibris this afternoon from Miwall Corp.

Later in the afternoon I got the chance to test them out of my Ruger 22/45. The ammo wouldn't cycle the gun, but I didn't really expect them to as they are .22 LR ammo without powder...priming compound only.

I fired one round and then took my ears off as they didn't sound loud at all. They sound like a cap gun going off. Anyway, one idea led to another and I ended up at a buddies house. We started shooting some sheet metal he had sitting around and that's when the gears started turning...With the low report and only barely denting the metal it was only a matter of time before we put together a small indoor target.



We took a piece of large diameter PVC pipe and cut a circular piece of particle board and sheet metal. A little glue and a couple screws fastened them together. We fit the bottom to the interior of the PVC and again, screwed it all together.

A slot was cut in the top front of the PVC to allow a piece of cardboard to slide down into the pipe. Then you can affix any sticky type target you want.

I just popped off 50 rounds from the prone position at about 7 yards. Of course, the distance is dependent on the longest hallway you have. The metal is dented, but it should last for quite a while.





Let it rain, let it snow for all I care; I can always stay home and brush up on breathing and trigger control. If I could only live on pizza, I'd never have to leave the house.

esheato...

 

[PrudentGT]

BWAAAHAAHAA! I have been sorely tempted to fire colibris in the house at times, but never worked up the courage to do it. Don't miss the target!!

 

[c_yeager]

It sounds like a lot of fun. Just be careful with that kind of backstop. Its possible that you could get a slug sent back your way. It probably would barely leave a bruise but, you never know. Ive seen some pretty impressive penetration from .22 rounds. Oh, and dont miss But, really all nagging aside it looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Hal]

Stuff some styrofoam into the pot - - makes it easier to collect the spent bullets/deadens the impact noise/prevents ricochets.

Open a window too since the primers have nasty stuff you don't want to breath in.

 

[Mad Man]

I fired one round and then took my ears off as they didn't sound loud at all. They sound like a cap gun going off.

Hearing loss is cumulative!!!! Every little bit of damage you do to your ears is going to add up over the course of your life. Even though the noise of an individual round might be slight, continue to wear your hearing protection.

That being said, might I suggest getting something like this:

Available at http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/744831 , http://www.wholesalehunter.net/Outers40801.html , and probably a whole bunch of other places for around $50.

I am not a lawyer, but if your home-made bullet trap ever fails for any reason, I think you would be much more liable than if a commercial trap actually rated for .22 failed. Of course, there could still be a whole bunch of other legal problems to contend with. If you're going to shoot inside your apartment, you can't eliminate the risk of liability, but I'd do everything I could to reduce it.

Make a larger version of your trap, and put the smaller one inside of it.

Also, hang a thick blanket or cheap sleaping bag from the door -- to lessen the chance of richochets and/or penetration if you miss the target trap.

 

[Archer]

Any concern about the lead generated by the primer ignition ?

 

[esheato]

The loudest sound is the bullet impacting the steel plate in the back of the tube. Some styrofoam (as mentioned) would probably help. Either that or some carpet.

I'm not to overly concerned with the lead in the primer ignition. I shot off about 15 into 5 shot groups today.

Of course a friend stopped by and I had to show it off. I'm sure the girlfriend isn't going to be to happy when she gets back into town.

esheato...

 

[JohnKSa]

1. If you ever plan to have children in that apartment, you need to quit spraying lead all over the place in the form of smoke particles from primer residue, lead vapor from the base of the bullet when firing and lead dust from the impact in the trap.

2. If, for some strange reason, your landlord decides to test for lead before you leave (very unlikely, I agree) I think that the lead abatement costs to restore the apartment to the condition it was when you took residence could be VERY expensive.

3. Given that the recoil and report are very different from full power ammo, and that the gun won't cycle except manually, I recommend that you get a good quality pellet pistol and a ballistic putty style trap. There is no appreciable lead blown into the air by a pellet gun, the lead exposure to you is only in the handling of the ammunition, and the ballistic putty trap will prevent lead dust from being an issue. The pellet gun will also virtually eliminate the danger of overpenetration in case the trap fails.

 

[roo_ster]

Pellet vs .22 Gallery Loads

JohnKSa has a really good point or three. Only problem is finding a pellet pistol with a decent trigger. Most range from atrocious to impossible.

Investing in a target air pistol from Webley or Walther helps in the trigger dept. Oh, a cheap rug hung up behind the trap is a good idea, as is some sort of wadding in the trap itself.

 

[Cal4D4]

You can easily solve the trigger problem by switching to Glock as your primary weapon. Gamo makes a cheap (~$65) imitation of a G30 with a very similar trigger.

 

[4v50 Gary]

John/Ksa's point is well taken. Airborne lead gets on the carpet, walls and is unhealthy for you & kids. Get a BB gun instead. Principles of marksmanship is the same.

 

[Dave R]

Another alternative for indoor shooting, for larger pistols, is Speer's plastic bullets for .38 (and .380 and 9mm), .44 and .45. Same idea--they use primer only.

I shoot my 9mm in my garage using them. With lots of ventilation and frequent lead abatement (sweeping.)

Here's a thread about it.

Shooting in the Garage

 

[45R]

That looks like a liability problem if a round happened to miss the tiny backstop. How thick is that door?

 

[esheato]

It's a solid core door. I usually vacuum up afterward so there's no lead laying around. I've only shot about 50 rounds in the house so far.

My girlfriend is out of town right now, and I don't really expect to make it a regular thing to shoot in the house, at least once she's back anyway. The day I came up with the idea was a rainy nasty day and I had planned to hit the range that day, so this idea was somewhat born out of necessity.

Thanks for all the improvements and concern, but it's not like I'm planning on making an indoor Steel Challenge. lol

esheato...

 

[Justin]

Agree with JohnKSa. Lead accumulation and hearing damage are both cumulative and dangerous.

It's unlikely that your vaccuum cleaner is picking up all the lead particles. I shoot at an indoor range at the Olympic Training Center and they use a massive 3-motor industrial vaccuum on the floor after every range session. And that's on a concrete floor.

You're much better off both safety wise and liability wise to pick up an air pistol and practice with that.

Air Gun Express has Baikal IZH 46M's for $260. For that price you're getting a competition grade airgun with a trigger that is adjustable six ways from Sunday, and completely cutting out nearly all danger from airborne lead particles.

 

[RustyHammer]

Next think you know, you'll be telling us it's "Mouse Season" ... and baiting them with cheese!

 

[M2HMGHB]

The Plastic bullets still use a primer, the primer contains lead styphnate(sp?) so every time you ignite a primer it puts an amount of lead in the air. PMC is coming out with Green primers that use potassium instead of lead to ignite it.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Hey now...I graduated to Colibris out of my scoped Walther Sportmodell to hunt rats in the shop building from formerly using my scoped RWS 45 .177 air rifle. Not easy to hit at 60 feet in low light.

Be careful with that solid door and ricochets. Your landlord may have a lot of impertinent questions for you when you 'ask for your deposit back'. Like anyone really gets it back, anyway.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[spacemanspiff]

i got my $900 deposit back. actually, i got $1400 back when i put in $900. had to go to small claims court because my former landlord withheld $505 of my deposit saying i had left damage and the place was unclean. when in fact, i left the place spotlessly clean and did no damage whatsoever.

according to state law, since the landlord 1. couldnt prove his claims, and 2. didnt botehr to even show up in court, we were able to get a settlement DOUBLE what he owed us.

anyways, back on topic.....

what about shooting into a phone book? would that be adequate? what velocity does those primeronly charged 22's have? could a shot from one puncture the skin?

and most of all, where do i buy them???!!

 

[son of a gun]

I shoot my airsoft 1911 in the apartment and even at the tv.

 

[Kcustom45]

I had a friend who shot Colibris in his room and he used a ream of paper that he duct taped together. Not one of the bullets went further than about half way into the paper, so I think a phone book would work for you.