Need something to catch lead
- Thread starter Busyhands94
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BCRider
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But rendering them down to remove the lead for re-use can get a bit messy...
kBob
Member
I am currently using a six gallon plastic bucket filled with small gravel set into a stack of old tires. As long as I hit the center third it seems to stop .22LR, and .44 round ball. As the front of the bucket gets to heavily holed I turn the bucket. The tires were used on this first attempt to help defend against any splash, which I have yet to see so they may be moved to the rear.
Behind all this I have a double layer of old fenceposts infront of a stacked cinder block wall that is the back of my compost pile. Behind that is the former tack room with corigated metal siding.
Back when Isreal was being founded some of the kibutzs had walls made of board. Actually two walls about a foot and a half apart. Loose small rock was poured in between the two fences and this supposedly stopped 8mm Mauser and .303 I suppose multiple shots on a board might lead to it failing, but I am using plastic buckets that are some what self sealing with small caliber stuff.
I eventually plan to have five buckets in two rows two on the front and three on the back to make for a wider area of full depth. I would then like to build something to hold five more so they stand behind the first five but high enough to nearly double my stop area.
I have not tried to recover any lead yet and it may be thoughly broken up and dusted for all I know, but it IS in that bucket.
-kBob
Behind all this I have a double layer of old fenceposts infront of a stacked cinder block wall that is the back of my compost pile. Behind that is the former tack room with corigated metal siding.
Back when Isreal was being founded some of the kibutzs had walls made of board. Actually two walls about a foot and a half apart. Loose small rock was poured in between the two fences and this supposedly stopped 8mm Mauser and .303 I suppose multiple shots on a board might lead to it failing, but I am using plastic buckets that are some what self sealing with small caliber stuff.
I eventually plan to have five buckets in two rows two on the front and three on the back to make for a wider area of full depth. I would then like to build something to hold five more so they stand behind the first five but high enough to nearly double my stop area.
I have not tried to recover any lead yet and it may be thoughly broken up and dusted for all I know, but it IS in that bucket.
-kBob
wittzo
Member
You could back the box with a plate of AR500 steel. You can get them in 3/8" or 1/2" thicknesses at several places online. The 1/2" is designed to work with .50 BMG at 100 yards. At a sharp angle you're working with, you could lay a piece on the bottom and lean a piece forward and use regular steel on the sides to catch all the spatter. Angled steel acts like a much thicker piece of steel, that's why tanks have angled shapes. It should stop any handgun or blackpowder gun you put up against it, especially if you use rubber mulch or something as a filler in front of it.
Shadow 7D
Member
That would work, use a 1.5" crush with sand, might be a pain to retrieve but I'd say it would be a good backstop to whatever you are using to catch the rounds.
BCRider
Member
I think some of you missed the part where he said it should be portable..... 
Pulp
Member
I seen several magicians that can catch bullets in their teeth. Hire one of them!spyder1911
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A bucket of sand would make it really easy to separate the lead too. Just use a sieve over another bucket of the same size. Might need to experiment with the size but it should let all the fine sand go through but trap most of the lead.
Even a 55 gallon drum could be done in a reasonable time
Now that I think about it, if the rubber mulch floats on water that would be a great way to separate the lead out too.
Even a 55 gallon drum could be done in a reasonable time
Now that I think about it, if the rubber mulch floats on water that would be a great way to separate the lead out too.
Rollis R. Karvellis
Member
The advantage of the mulch is that it is much more course than sand, so you don't lose much over the time spent shooting.
Busyhands94
Member
Well I tested my bullet trap today, it worked beautifully! I shot it with my .22 rifle, .22 Magnum revolver, that .45 tower pistol I built, and it stopped the shots just fine! I'm going to strain the kitty litter tomorrow when I'm not so tired. It worked so well! Sadly I forgot my Remington at home, so I wasn't able to test it with that. But it did stop the .45 Tower pistol, that was pretty cool! It was the first time I fired that thing, it didn't blow up so I'd consider it to be a successful test firing. For having literally no sights that thing was pretty darn accurate!
Speaking of targets and bullet catchers and such, I got the opportunity to test that rimfire spinner I bought at Cabelas. This was kind of a torture test, I bought it for $10 and figured I could see what it could take. But it handled bullets from a .22 LR, .22 Magnum, shots from that CVA Tower pistol, it handled 50 grains of FFFG under a .50 roundball like a champ. I decided to try 75 grains, it did get a little dented. So I think this spinner target gets the "Levi seal of approval" for being so dang tough. That thing was a ton of fun to shoot! You guys have gotta try one, they are awesome!
~Levi
Speaking of targets and bullet catchers and such, I got the opportunity to test that rimfire spinner I bought at Cabelas. This was kind of a torture test, I bought it for $10 and figured I could see what it could take. But it handled bullets from a .22 LR, .22 Magnum, shots from that CVA Tower pistol, it handled 50 grains of FFFG under a .50 roundball like a champ. I decided to try 75 grains, it did get a little dented. So I think this spinner target gets the "Levi seal of approval" for being so dang tough. That thing was a ton of fun to shoot! You guys have gotta try one, they are awesome!
~Levi
[email protected]
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Well Levi, Do you feel lucky today, Well do ya?
Busyhands94
Member
Hehehe! I like that Clint Eastwood smiley, well even though I forgot my ammo box of .22s (I had to go to Wally World) and my Remington NMA at home I had a great day at the range! I also feel good that the Tower pistol didn't blow up, I don't see any proof marks but then again I only loaded 20 grains. I flinched bigtime on the first shot I took with it. I did shoot until it was dusk! That .50 rifle looks real cool when it goes off in dim lighting, especially with Pyrodex!
I also feel good that the Tower pistol didn't blow up, I don't see any proof marks but then again I only loaded 20 grains. I flinched bigtime on the first shot I took with it. I did shoot until it was dusk! That .50 rifle looks real cool when it goes off in dim lighting, especially with Pyrodex! Busyhands94
Member
New bullet trap!
I went to the salvage yard today. I sold a bunch of unusable brass cartridge casings, some copper pipe, and bought a 1/2" thick steel plate with the money. It cost $22 bucks for a plate of steel this big to my surprise. Well I got home, and then built this bullet stopper. I am completely sure this will stop just about anything I can throw at it in my gun collection. I even found a pink clip, it may be a girly color but it holds my target just fine. Well that was easy, 1/2 hour of work with a drill and a saw to make a bullet trap. I will add a piece of pipe at the bottom at a later date, but for now this should stop my bullets just fine. In fact I think I could probably stop a .44 Magnum with this thing.
Altogether it weighs about 60 pounds, despite being as skinny as I am I can lift it just fine.
And a closeup of the 1/2" steel:
I figure this should last a lifetime given I don't shoot the wood supports! It's plenty big and should be just fine for my dad (He's still learning how to shoot) with all that room it has. Yet it's still portable enough to take to the range with me! I think I might even mount a swinging target if all goes well. Of course it has to be removable so I can shoot paper and my .50 rifle, but I think I did well on this one!
~Levi
I went to the salvage yard today. I sold a bunch of unusable brass cartridge casings, some copper pipe, and bought a 1/2" thick steel plate with the money. It cost $22 bucks for a plate of steel this big to my surprise. Well I got home, and then built this bullet stopper. I am completely sure this will stop just about anything I can throw at it in my gun collection. I even found a pink clip, it may be a girly color but it holds my target just fine. Well that was easy, 1/2 hour of work with a drill and a saw to make a bullet trap. I will add a piece of pipe at the bottom at a later date, but for now this should stop my bullets just fine. In fact I think I could probably stop a .44 Magnum with this thing.
Altogether it weighs about 60 pounds, despite being as skinny as I am I can lift it just fine.
And a closeup of the 1/2" steel:
I figure this should last a lifetime given I don't shoot the wood supports! It's plenty big and should be just fine for my dad (He's still learning how to shoot) with all that room it has. Yet it's still portable enough to take to the range with me! I think I might even mount a swinging target if all goes well. Of course it has to be removable so I can shoot paper and my .50 rifle, but I think I did well on this one!
~Levi
Acorn Mush
Member
Levi, good looking bullet stop you have there. As long as you don't start shooting any FMJ rifle cartridges at it, it will last you a lifetime.
And yes, it will stop a .44 Magnum!
And yes, it will stop a .44 Magnum!
Busyhands94
Member
Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I did have an brilliant idea while I was building it. I could invite my friends who shoot their centerfire handguns to come shoot with me, then collect all their lead to make my ammo with! the lead in jacketed bullets is pretty soft anyways, it would even give me some scrap copper to sell after I melt the lead out!
~Levi
~Levi
Acorn Mush
Member
Now yer talkin' lad!
Busyhands94
Member
I figure after I sell those copper jackets I could get some steel to make a nice 12" gong with, maybe get some chains and some kind of frame to hang it on. Kinda like those .22 swinging targets except it will be much bigger! haha! I sure do love shooting steel!
arcticap
Member
After the plate gets covered with lead dust and if lead shards become embedded in some of the wood surfaces, you may want to wrap the unit up in a plastic sheet or bag before putting it in the car for transport.
The lead can fall off and contaminate carpeting or the air in the interior of the vehicle depending on where it's placed.
That's one of the differences with a mulch filled box that's designed in part to eliminate spatter and to contain lead projectiles pretty much in their original form.
Otherwise that looks to be a handsome, effective and portable backstop.
The lead can fall off and contaminate carpeting or the air in the interior of the vehicle depending on where it's placed.
That's one of the differences with a mulch filled box that's designed in part to eliminate spatter and to contain lead projectiles pretty much in their original form.
Otherwise that looks to be a handsome, effective and portable backstop.
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Busyhands94
Member
Thanks for the advice Steve! I'm actually planning to get some garbage bags or maybe a tarp, I will probably just stick this in the trunk as well. I'm pretty careful with my lead. I watched a friend Peter die from throat cancer that he most likely got from leaded gasoline. It wasn't pretty, it was very disturbing. So I've made sure to be extremely careful when handling lead bullets, targets, primers, ammunition, and stuff like that, lead is nasty stuff when it gets in your system.
greywolf444
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I've been using a bucket of dry sand for years. Shoot thru the lid and patch any leakers with duct tape. It is easy to sift out the bullets if the sand is dry. I mounted mine on an old pushmower frame so I can wheel it around easily. I have almost nothing invested in it and the lead recovered everytime would pay for a new one.
The bucket works good. I did the same thing for years. But about 5 years ago my son in law gave me his old metal dumpster, about 5 wide and 4 high. I filled it with sand and haven't eptied it yet, but when I do it will have a couple hundred pounds of lead at minimum.
Busyhands94
Member
I like the sand bucket idea, although I don't want to have to tote that thing to the range and back. Besides, this bullet trap is super cool, and I have always liked bullet traps! This thing kinda reminds me of this pellet trap I had when I was younger, but way bigger.
arcticap
Member
I'm not sure at what angle the bullet would travel or impact the ground at after striking the steel plate and how much energy it will still have.
I wonder if there is enough daylight underneath the angled plate at ground level that would allow the bullet to escape out the back?
If test firing shows that happening, then maybe a small trough can be dug into the ground to place the bottom of the angled plate in to keep any of the bullets and lead from escaping the containment.
Placing a sheet of paper behind any opening at the rear of the plate would indicate whether any lead is capable of passing under it.
I wonder if there is enough daylight underneath the angled plate at ground level that would allow the bullet to escape out the back?
If test firing shows that happening, then maybe a small trough can be dug into the ground to place the bottom of the angled plate in to keep any of the bullets and lead from escaping the containment.
Placing a sheet of paper behind any opening at the rear of the plate would indicate whether any lead is capable of passing under it.
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Busyhands94
Member
Good thinking, I'll be sure to test that out. They say 45 degrees is the right angle for bullet traps, I cut those wood supports in a miter saw set at 45 degrees so it should be right where I need it to be. I am going to see if I can scrounge up some steel pipe or something to make a trough that attaches to the bottom and collects the lead, in fact that would be most preferable.
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