Best bullet trap?????

[field989]

I would like to know what is the best substance for clooecting spent bullets for analyzing(seeing how much they mushroom, penetration, if they loose their jackets.
i am planning on using sand but I would use ballistics gel if it wern't so darn expensive.

any suggestions welcome.

[Don Fischer]

Years ago I used newspaper. Tried both wet and dry. Recommend dry. Not a real good subsistute for flesh or even jell but the same medium for all is at least equal. Really good deal by JJHack in the Africa part about "bullet failure".

[Questor]

I've lost all faith in the ability of ballistic media to predict performance on game.  All of the bullet companies and magazine testers do their testing on gelatin or something similar, but the truth really comes out when a bullet hits an animal.

My process is to research proven bullets for a particular application and velocity, then use it.

[Don Fischer]

I just happen to think. I read in here somewhere that someone was using a 5 gal plastic bucket with a hole cut un the side. Then he put a heavy piece of leather over the hole to hold in the sand in the bucket. Haven't tried it but will someday. Probally won't prove a damn thing but it's fun to do and give's you something to think about. I found in my first attempts years ago that: 1) Hornady's retain 86% of theur bullet weight with disgusting regularity, 2) Speers do the same thing but do not shoot loose in the jacket' 3) Hollow point type bullets with the small opening fail to expand more often than not but rather close up and bend.