kennedy
Member
looking for idea on how to build a back stop to be installed in my garage to handle 40 s&w, how thick should be the back stop? figure on mounting at a 45 degree angle into saw dust, or any better ideas?
indoor shooting back stop
- Thread starter kennedy
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Safetychain
Member
What immediately comes to mind is some sort of angled sides also. And being from SC where termites are prevalent, how about using water instead of sawdust. You're probably not worried about termites, consider the fact that sawdust would have to be periodically replaced as it decays and the fact that water is so much easier to sift out projectiles.
g.willikers
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The thicker the better, of course, but also of the necessary material to prevent denting, cratering and ricochets.
The thickness will depend on that as much as on the caliber and amount of use.
A curtain of rubber in front of the backstop helps a lot with bounce back, too.
If you use the recommended kind of steel, 3/8" should do for most handguns.
Check with the commercial steel target and range manufacturers to see what they use.
The thickness will depend on that as much as on the caliber and amount of use.
A curtain of rubber in front of the backstop helps a lot with bounce back, too.
If you use the recommended kind of steel, 3/8" should do for most handguns.
Check with the commercial steel target and range manufacturers to see what they use.
Yeah, this stuff. It's just ground up old tires.
I wouldn't consider sawdust as any sort of ballistic baffle. Fire hazard perhaps.
Also don't skimp on the ventilation.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Saw dust won't do it.
Use at least 6" of sand. Or more.
And have you stopped to consider how unbleavably loud a .40 S&W will be inside a garage?
You better have very understanding neighbors.
And they better live at least several hundred yards away!
rc
Use at least 6" of sand. Or more.
And have you stopped to consider how unbleavably loud a .40 S&W will be inside a garage?
You better have very understanding neighbors.
And they better live at least several hundred yards away!
rc
vaupet
Member
+ 1 on the rubber thing.
You won't believe the rubbish caused by your solution.
There is also a great danger of ricochet, because, after a while, the steel plates get deformed a bit and bullets fly alover the place.
Further there is always the risk of bullets fragmenting and of fragments flying your way, after all, your just some feet away.
here is a nice bullet catcher: http://www.reflexshooting.nl/images/foto/Kogelvangerwand2 GBT.jpg
it is a box with a rubber front plate, filled with rubber shreddings (mostly old car tyre rubber): no sparks, no dust, no ricochets, no fragments
You won't believe the rubbish caused by your solution.
There is also a great danger of ricochet, because, after a while, the steel plates get deformed a bit and bullets fly alover the place.
Further there is always the risk of bullets fragmenting and of fragments flying your way, after all, your just some feet away.
here is a nice bullet catcher: http://www.reflexshooting.nl/images/foto/Kogelvangerwand2 GBT.jpg
it is a box with a rubber front plate, filled with rubber shreddings (mostly old car tyre rubber): no sparks, no dust, no ricochets, no fragments
JRH6856
Member
And if you are going to shoot inside a garage, make sure you have adequate ventilation or you will be breathing lead and powder fumes. And adequate ventilation requires more than opening the doors or putting a box fan in a window.
g.willikers
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A local indoor range uses ground up rubber for their backstop.
It seems to work really well and is much less noisy than conventional backstops.
No need for ricochet worry, either.
It seems to work really well and is much less noisy than conventional backstops.
No need for ricochet worry, either.
ApacheCoTodd
member
No sawdust.
To keep it from becoming overly airborne you'll need to keep it damp and then it matts.
Dry it displaces too easily and offers too little resistance. I've tried it outdoors as dust, shreds and chips. Wood is just too damn worthless.
Two things in this:
Deflect
Absorb
Deflection material needs to stand up to denting and thus weakening which leads to altered geometry and ultimately, failure.
To keep it from becoming overly airborne you'll need to keep it damp and then it matts.
Dry it displaces too easily and offers too little resistance. I've tried it outdoors as dust, shreds and chips. Wood is just too damn worthless.
Two things in this:
Deflect
Absorb
Deflection material needs to stand up to denting and thus weakening which leads to altered geometry and ultimately, failure.
Let's go beyond the backstop question and ask how you will make 100% sure that a round that misses your backstop does not pass through a wall?
JRH6856
Member
I would suggest something like this (scaled down as needed for a garage):
In 1962, Popular Mechanics published plans for a portable venetian blind tap for .22 which could probably be upgraded to handle larger calibers.
And here is a link to NSSF recommendations for ventilation.
In 1962, Popular Mechanics published plans for a portable venetian blind tap for .22 which could probably be upgraded to handle larger calibers.
And here is a link to NSSF recommendations for ventilation.
Verify if fumes from all sources are lighter or heavier than air. Gas fumes are heavier than air, as are super glue fumes, for example. This influences how you ventilate, updraft or downdraft.
Sunray
Member
"...how about using water..." Ever heard of Rick O'Shea?
Like rcmodel says, you better look into the legalities first. And think in terms of not being allowed to vent the air in your garage directly to the outside regardless of how far you are from your neighbours. Air scrubbers are extremely expensive.
Like rcmodel says, you better look into the legalities first. And think in terms of not being allowed to vent the air in your garage directly to the outside regardless of how far you are from your neighbours. Air scrubbers are extremely expensive.
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