lead recovery target backstop

[blind ear]

You guys probably have better but on a hunting show they used stacked tires filled with sand as a target stand. When they shot the sand popped up similar to water  . Use post to keep the tires stacked up in line and it would be easy to disasimble and collect the lead or replace tires. Might have to have one stack backed up by another but used tires and sand are about as cheap a thing as I can think of to be that durable. ear

[Frank2]

Bfrshooter said to make a big box full of rubber mulch.  But it is heavy.  You won't be able to take it with you. 

[blind ear]

I was thinking at a permanant site. Wouldn't be too hard to move though.
 
 Pitch the tire over, rake sand, pitch, rake, until you get below the bullett path, then restack and shovel the sand back in. ear

[.22-5-40]

Hello, blind ear.  Are you refering to a lead-catcher..to recover for re-melting?  How about a heavy steel plate at angle, with sand filled box underneath?  Or the Fouling Shot..magazine of the Cast Bullet Association, had photos & drawings of a centrifical bullet catcher..no sand required..bullets caught in removable box.  This one was heavy though..would stop rifle bullets.

[Gun Runner]

Guy here took a bunch of palets and stapled cardboard on both sides cut the tops cross board out and filled them with sand. Think he used 3 palets and was only shooting hand guns.

Gun Runner

[blind ear]

Thanks guys,
I am thinking about lead recovery and going about it the "cheap to death" way. ear

[bilmac]

I think you're on to something ear. Should work fine for pistols. From what I've seen, the weaker calibers seem just barely able to pierce the driving surface of a heavy steel belted radial. Only problem I see is that it may be a little boring, putting round after round into the same target.

[blind ear]

I think you're on to something ear. Should work fine for pistols. From what I've seen, the weaker calibers seem just barely able to pierce the driving surface of a heavy steel belted radial. Only problem I see is that it may be a little boring, putting round after round into the same target.

Not if you had rather shoot than hunt. Sighting in anything, finding which load or bullit works, finding the best hole in your revolver, what slug your shotgun likes, friends siteing in guns, lots of things. thanks, ear

[Czech_too]

For a portable bullet trap, I use a deep plastic bucket w/lid filled with rubber mulch packed firmly.  I haven't had any handgun round penetrate deeply enough yet.  At the most they seem to stop at the 12 inch mark.  If you're thinking of using it for rifle also I would put a steel plate, maybe 3/8 - 1/4 inch in the bottom.
Those buckets that kitty litter comes in would probably work, you always see those being throw out in the trash, or check with your local grocery store, those with an in-store bakery.  I know you can get them there and replacement lids.
 

[blind ear]

What is rubber mulch? ear

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Rubber mulch is available at Lowes, Home Depot etc, for use as a flower bed  mulch or for playground type areas.
It shredded tires in a bag / bale and reasonably priced

[bilmac]

If the mulch were cheap enough it would probably be a lot lighter and easier to load even the tires. An advantage of using tires is that they would take lots and lots of hits before they started leaking, and when they did you could just turn them an 1/8 of a turn when you were salvaging your lead, and they would be good as new. 

Ah I think of another advantage of the rubber mulch, Your bullets pick up a lot of sand when they impact it. It has to be removed when you melt the bullets. Maybe the bullets would be easier to clean if they hit nothing but rubber.

[azvaquero]

The steel plate at an angle won't work.  The bullets turn to powder, even out of a revolver.  I've also tried a centrifugal bullet trap.  Same thing -- I collected lead but it was dust, and probably not very good on the health.  Rubber mulch would be the way to go, if you could contain it.  Tires would probably work.

[Land_Owner]

I started using spent disc's from the 20-blade discing plow as a backstop and gong.  I don't know how well lead recovery is going to be in this but hitting the disc sure makes a satisfying ring and reinforces shooter confidence.

[Duckdog]

I use a platic tote filled with rubber mulch with a rubber pave in the front and two in the back.  The tote s maybe a 15 gallon size thats 24" x 18" x 16" and weighs about 60 or 70 pounds when full.  I have shot everythng from 32 acp to 45/40 and 30/06 @ 2200 FPS at it and nothng has shot through it yet.  The lead bullets, and even plated come out perfect unless they hit another bullet,  Then they'll have a dent only.  When I get a bunch of lead in it, I remove the bullets from the mulch and walla, more lead to re-use!
 
 

[Ranch13]

A 3ft cotton wood log about 3ft long stops most bullets, when the target area gets wore out, just stack some stub railroad ties in front of it. Eventually you'll recover most of your bullets intact.

[Nobade]

I started using spent disc's from the 20-blade discing plow as a backstop and gong.  I don't know how well lead recovery is going to be in this but hitting the disc sure makes a satisfying ring and reinforces shooter confidence.

I recently saw targets made from plow discs and other round steel, hung inside big tractor tires with the bead cut out of the side facing the shooter. That worked great, all the lead splatter ended up inside the tire where it could just be picked up. A wonderful idea, I think. 

[Lost Oki]

Rubber mulch ...gives me an idea.  I have a 55 gallon poly drum that I could fill with rubber mulch and then shoot into it.....I like that idea....I can get used drums for free or no more than 5 bucks each.  Maybe three - two in front, one in back middle...nice back drop....thanks guys...heck of an idea.