Author Topic: Handgun backstop (Read 3194 times)

dickttx · « **on:** September 18, 2010, 09:19:37 AM »

I am needing a backstop for handgun targets.
Has anyone tried round bales of grass hay?

southernutah · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2010, 09:38:43 AM »

I personally would not use bales. Bowhunters with 300 fps arrows maybe. Prefer dirt or better yet a mountain.

dickttx · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2010, 10:37:28 AM »

Don't have dirt or a mountain.
My two pond dams have houses/livestock behind them if I would go over.
Could have a dozer come in and build me a berm but that would leave a hole and remove topsoil.
Trying to think of other ways.

Lon371 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2010, 12:18:13 PM »

I have seen rail road ties in a u shape, Then a small mound of dirt packed up against it.

curteric · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2010, 12:24:53 PM »

I can tell you from experience that I can shoot some loads through round bales, end for end. You need something better. We use them to hold a target stand up, with a berm behind. Over the years we have sifted the gravel, behind the bale, just to see what we find. About the only thing that won't go through, is varmint bullets.

bobg · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2010, 01:28:09 PM »

I used telephone poles stacked like Ron371 said. It did help that a friend of mine worked for the phone company.

Lon371 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2010, 02:05:40 PM »

You could build a wall from 2x lumber stack them lfat side out. Make 2 walls and fill middle with dirt or sand.
Lonny

SteveHawaii · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2010, 02:19:38 PM »

I'd say build a bullet trap made out of plate steel like the one described in this link:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5534198_make-bullet-trap.html

You should be able to get some plate steel at a scrap yard. That's what shooting ranges use.

Steve

Lon371 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2010, 02:23:02 AM »

SteveHawaii, That would be a goodin. If you can find a buy on the steel.

Lonny

dickttx · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2010, 03:50:17 AM »

That is the info I needed.
I will forget the round bales.
Thanks.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2010, 02:03:11 PM »

How about truck tires stacked on top of each other filled with dirt/gravel? Decades ago I had a 5 gallon round metal bucket filled with scrap metal that stopped everything: rifle or pistol, even FMJ military stuff. Maybe a 55 gallon barrel filled with scrap?

bobg · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2010, 05:43:54 AM »

I don't know if it is true or not but i was told light hand gun loans will bounce off a tire.

Curtis · « **Reply #12 on:** September 20, 2010, 05:52:49 PM »

Quote from: bobg on September 20, 2010, 05:43:54 AM

I don't know if it is true or not but i was told light hand gun loans will bounce off a tire.

I've had bird shot come back at me off a tire .........won't be doing that again!

Curtis

odoh · « **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2010, 02:36:40 PM »

Quote from: Curtis on September 20, 2010, 05:52:49 PM

Quote from: bobg on September 20, 2010, 05:43:54 AM
I don't know if it is true or not but i was told light hand gun loans will bounce off a tire.

I've had bird shot come back at me off a tire .........won't be doing that again!

Curtis

There was a video clip of a guy shooting a 50 BMG rifle at steel plate looking about 100m. At the shot, there was a bumble bee on steroids sound and a puff of dust in front of the shooting position followed by a hit on on his right ear muff. He jumped up hopped around swearing and said the same thing ........... won't be doing that again ! Sounded like he really meant it.

Curtis · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2010, 04:09:18 PM »

odoh, I've seen that one. The sounds are the best part. POW, ding!, whizzzzzzz, clunk-pop! *%&^$@!!!!!

Curtis

DANNY-L · « **Reply #15 on:** October 02, 2010, 07:02:37 AM »

I use a wooden pallet to staple my target to and behind it I have a stack of 4 standard ply car tires filled with sand and I fire everything from 22 rimfire to 7mag and muzzle loader and it works good. 25yds.-100yds.

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 03, 2010, 04:10:35 AM »

Lloyd Smale has built my idea of the perfect backstop/bullet catcher. You might consider giving him a pm.

Basicguy · « **Reply #17 on:** October 03, 2010, 06:10:41 AM »

I made a berm from 4 wooden pallets nailed together to form a square. I filled them with paper, mostly paper that was from my business and would have been shredded anyway. 3' of wet paper stops most any rounds. I should add that I have thrown some used motorcycle tires into it to bulk it up.

Last year I took it apart and recovered many of the bullets shot into it.

I would be a bit afraid of shooting at wood in the winter because of the potential of ricochets off of frozen wood.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #18 on:** October 03, 2010, 07:18:11 AM »

Sand bags work well when stacked.

Larry

wyohandi · « **Reply #19 on:** October 11, 2010, 03:36:15 PM »

Heres the redneck solution.
I found handgun rounds and some other stuff would bounce off about anything once in awhile, the neighbors hate that!
So I took an old pickup box flipped it over propped it up a little bit and buried it. Set the targets back inside a couple feet
no way a bullet gets loose to fly around the neighborhood. Not real fancy, but it keeps everyone happy, and gave the wife
a cute little mound to plant flowers and stuff on.

Oh yeah sometimes a hay bale will catch on fire if you shoot into them.

dickttx · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2010, 04:33:37 AM »

Being an accountant, I tend to think in a straight line.
After reading the posts here and going back out and surveying my pond dam, I found that by shooting into it at an angle, rather than straight on, I would be shooting in a direction that would not be dangerous if i completely overshot. Set up target on a Caudwell portable target stand and have been firing away.
Thanks for all the responses. They may come in handy at another time.

myronman3 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 12, 2010, 08:02:18 PM »

sand or dirt is the best bullet stopper. like was said, sandbags or a berm of sand.

painted horse · « **Reply #22 on:** October 19, 2010, 07:32:26 AM »

My bullet "pit" is railroad ties in a square "W" about 5 ft high, one side filled with sand about 4 feet high and 4 feet deep. About once a year I take my tractor out, place a sheet of expanded metal across the top of the empty side, scoop the sand from the side I've been shooting into and dump it on the expanded metal. Sand goes through and the bullets stay on top. Mining at it's easiest..however my nearest neighbor is in the exact opposite direction from my shooting and over six hundred yards away, nothing in the direction I shoot except forest for many miles..