Suitable backstop for .22lr

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woof

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Even though I have a few acres I really don't have a place where I can shoot in a direction that doesn't have some potential problems. The best would actually be to shoot toward the house as this would dampen the noise as well. But of course I want to make sure the backstop is good. It would be .22lr only, 75 ft, and experience shooters who, even with a pistol, are not going to get anything outside a 6 inch circle. There is a conveniently located brick chimney. I was thinking of putting a 3/4 in piece of plywood behind a couple bales of straw in front of the chimney. Is that enough or does it need some metal behind it?
 
Bales of straw, as long as it is ONLY .22lr since you're shooting toward your house, will suffice. If it were me, however, I wouldn't ever fire toward an occupied structure, backstop or not.
 
NEVER shoot towards ANYTHING you don't want to hit or kill, EVER!

I know you expect to keep all your shots in the X-ring, but sooner or later, one may get away from you and plug the house, and whoever is in it.

Straw bales will stop the bullets, for a while. Eventually you will shoot holes through them where the targets are placed.

A few 5 gallon buckets of sand in front of three or four 3/4 exterior plywood sheets will stop anything you are likely to shoot at them, .22 wise.

Holes in the buckets will self-seal for a while, then can be taped over with duct tape. When they get shoot up too bad for tape, turn them 45 degrees and shoot at another place on the bucket.

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rcmodel
 
experience shooters who, even with a pistol, are not going to get anything outside a 6 inch circle
Click to expand...
Don't believe it! Within days you will have someone shoot well outside that 6" circle -- Murphy loves a challenge!

I'd make the backstop of earth (18", minimum) and position it that even if someone shot over it, there would be no danger.
 
I generally use 4x lumber mill ends for 22 cal. Even three in the same hole don't fully penetrate. It'll even stop 38 special but not for as long. I move the bull around until the there isn't much solid left... then I shoot the other side ;)

6x is better. Just inspect it every few groups and it'll catch all the bullets. I'll second the advice about a having a secondary backstop.
 
Yikes, that makes me nervous...and I don't even live there. I'd say shoot from your house in the opposite direction. Assume the worst case scenario. I'd never assume someone else (or myself) would never screw up.
 
catalogues

I used to save the Wards, Sears, and Pennys big book catalogues to shoot at in the basement. They pulp pretty quickly.So I would drive nails into the corners to hold them together a bit longer. Problem is that in the area you hit the backstop deteriorates quickly. The buckets of sand are a pretty good suggestion. Old tires, big, thick ones are also good. Slowed by this sort of thing, even the straw and the 3/4 or 1 inch CDX plywood should catch the rest. .22 rimfire, long rifle or less.

At the same time, I agree, if there is anyone in the house... Mr. Murphy will be out to get you--with a vengence! and you will have made it awful easy. God forbid a stranger wanders into the situation. Runs out, into the line of fire, to see what is going on... I don't think your insurance would touch the case.... So unless you are the only one living there... Then shoot when the house is EMPTY...

The "silencer" is really just baffles that delay and redirect the blast energy. If you want quick lessons, pick up at the junk yard car and truck mufflers and cut them up. If you were to shoot through several tires, muzzle blast caught in the tires... You might be amazed at the sound reduction, whatever direction you are shooting.

And, I was amazed the first time I fired regular velocity Long Rifle out of a target rifle with a full length barrel. 22"? 24"? I didn't think it was as loud as my pellet gun (pump up). I didn't feel a need for any hearing protection indoors. You might go looking for this sort of ammo. Target shooters use it alone. Probably not at Kmart. Less energy for your backstop to deal with too. luck.
 
When I was an adolescent, my father and I made backstops from tree trunks that had been cut into manageable segments. These backstops withstood shotguns blasts, .45acp rounds and anything we could shoot. In addition, logs will also absorb untold numbers of .22lr rounds before they need replacement. Since you reside in the country, look around and be creative.

I would caution you against shooting toward any residential structures since "Murphy's Law" can come into play. Use a good backstop and reinforce it with common sense. Enjoy your target practice.


Timthinker
 
I was sighting in my .270 with a light trigger at the range, finger lightly on the trigger as I dropped point of aim toward target. Slowly lowering the barrel, BANG, shot about 18 inches above the board the target was mounted on. Glad there was a berm behind the target.

Don't do it.
 
Guy I worked with rented a backhoe and dug a 6' berm on his 5 acres.

And I agree, don't aim toward your house or anybody elses. The LR can travel over a mile. Your best bet would be to shoot DOWN into a ravine if you have one.
 
A box full of books. The 22 book will barely make it through one two inch book.
 
If noise is all you're concerned about you can shoot CB Longs or Aquila Colibris out back without a lot of noise. A low powered pellet gun would also work. If your house is the only suitable backstop, you'll have to suck it up and shoot somewhere else.

In addition to all the safety issues inherent in using a domicile as a backstop, consider this: If your mother caught you doing that with her house, she would skin your backside hard enough to fry bacon and eggs for a week, right? A WWMD is a good question to ask when you are about to push the boundaries of common sense.
 
"In addition to all the safety issues inherent in using a domicile as a backstop, consider this: If your mother caught you doing that with her house, she would skin your backside hard enough to fry bacon and eggs for a week, right? A WWMD is a good question to ask when you are about to push the boundaries of common sense."

You have given me a good idea. I'll invite my mother in law to visit and then I won't have to waste a perfectly good piece of plywood.
 
Oh my. I would not shoot at my house as a general rule. Ever seen a dartboard on a wall? If I only had a couple acres to shoot on, I would make a great big 8ft mound and limit it to 50yrd. Maybe even have a 7yd pit dug in for pistols... That'd keep the noise down.
 
Try Using Cb Ammo, Low Velocity, Low Noise, Lowered Penetration.
I Had A Bow Target In A Bag That Stopped 38's And 22, Placed Against A Large Tree, Or My Woodpile. 38's Are Too Loud, The 22 Cbs Attract No Attention And Allow Some Practice.
 
Never shoot at a home! get a 22 shooters box and build a sand bag backstop. Come on use some common sense.
 
i gotta agree NEVER shoot at any house!.. ever heard of a bullet trap? buy one and put it out where there are no houses behind it... always be sure of your backstop! i designed a had my brother build me a steel bullet trap and had to beef it up TWICE so don't be fooled into thinking you might know how much a .22 bullet might penitrate.. i'm thinkin hay ain't gonna stop em!!
 
i gotta agree NEVER shoot at any house!.. ever heard of a bullet trap? buy one and put it out where there are no houses behind it... always be sure of your backstop! i designed a had my brother build me a steel bullet trap and had to beef it up TWICE so don't be fooled into thinking you might know how much a .22 bullet might penitrate.. i'm thinkin hay ain't gonna stop em!!
 
B Stop Solution

Go to a junkyard and get a sheet of steel 1/4 thick, about 4 x 3 feet. Incline it at a 45 degree angle so the rounds deflect DOWN into a 4 inch thick layer of sand. This will eat 22lr all year and not wear out. And you do not have to worry about lead in the area or the ground.

Back that up with the hay and 2 pcs of ply so you get a 8 x 8 backstop for the inevitable 'oops' THAT WILL OCCUR.

I got a 22 pistol, and tried it out on a 2x4: Right through the 2 inch. Then a 4x4 pressure treated: first round 3/4 way through the wood. Pile up several dozen 22s on wood or hay and IT WILL FAIL.

Shoot to the house? I hate to say this, but if you are even considering it you might think about a safety course before you shoot again. The thought alone breaks about a zillion safety rules.
 
I didn't ask for opinions about shooting toward the house. But thanks for the ideas on backstops.
 
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