Bullet Traps & Target Stand

How do you plan to recover the lead and how frequently? I've been meaning to build a woods walk course myself and your range has me fired up!

Wirehair said:

How do you plan to recover the lead and how frequently? I've been meaning to build a woods walk course myself and your range has me fired up!

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These traps will be for longer term recovery. I used the deadfall pine logs because they’ve already started the decay process but are still fairly solid. Judging from how long I’ve seen these logs decay to pulp I’m expecting these to last a couple of seasons since they’re raised, I used the cedar logs at the base which should slow the decay from the bottom. Also it will depend on how much I shoot. When one log gets chewed up enough I’ll pull it out and replace it. Depending on the level of decay at that time I’ll either break it up, just set it aside to rot all the way, or it could be burned on a piece of sheet steel or concrete. But my main goal was to at least trap the lead so it could be recovered at some point in time. I’ve got a pretty good idea where most of my shots over the years have ended up and I thought one day I’d take my metal detector and try to recover some, but I’ve never done it. An ideal bullet trap with instant access to the lead is to take a 4’x6’ or 4”x8’ sheet of 3/8” or 1/4” steel angled from the ground to the top of a very sturdy target stand. Steel at that angle will stop most anything, but I don’t have the steel or the strength to move that much weight around.

Check out this bullet trap and target stand where you can recover almost 100% of your lead !!
Mounts on a standard T Post. The target plate is reactive with good sound when hit.
Lead is deposited inside the tire and can be easily scooped up and remelted.

hangfast said:

Check out this bullet trap and target stand where you can recover almost 100% of your lead !!
Mounts on a standard T Post. The target plate is reactive with good sound when hit.
Lead is deposited inside the tire and can be easily scooped up and remelted.

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I like this idea! Hangfast, happen to have any more detail on these "hangers", did you make them or purchase them somewhere? If you made them, any chance of dimensions or a pattern or if purchased, from where?

Dieselmech570 said:

I like this idea! Hangfast, happen to have any more detail on these "hangers", did you make them or purchase them somewhere? If you made them, any chance of dimensions or a pattern or if purchased, from where?

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Google Hang Fast Targets.

Piquant said:

Looking good, I like the ping sound when shooting plates

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It does provide instant gratification

We set up a bunch of these "Tire Targets" at a local 3 gun match with the intention of preventing splatter damage to the HESCO walls used for the "Fun House" and to the shooter. We were shooting AR 15's and shotguns at almost point blank ranges (frangible bullets with the AR15's). I salvaged a small ton of lead after almost 200 shooters went through the course.

hangfast said:

Google Hang Fast Targets.

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Thank you, just placed an order.

LD

TDM said:

Finished up building a couple of bullet traps at 25 and 50 yards on my range. After years of slinging lead into the dirt I figured it was about time to try and salvage some. Used dead red cedar on both bases, then dead fall pine logs stacked staggered. Heavy gauge T post tensioned with romex wire. I have a fair size roll of white plastic, don’t remember where it came from, but I’ll use it to cover the front of each trap to tape targets on. Also cut some saplings and built a sturdy target stand to hang steel targets on. Now I’ve got to clean up the steel plates, weld on a few chain links, then hang and paint. Probably put 5 on the new rack and add a few more targets to my woods walk course. If these traps work ok I’ll build one at 100 yards too. But not today, I’m tired now.

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I've made something similar with the same idea. In my case I set four locust posts in the ground, and nailed boards between to make a box about 1' thick which I filled with sand (and an old rubber mat in the front, which keeps the sand from coming out bullet holes. In theory, I should be able to sift the roundball out of the sand and recast. At the least, it keeps the lead contamination contained; something I wanted to do just to keep my chickens from picking it up.

TDM said:

Got the steel plates cleaned up. Instead of welding the chain link on I cut the holes with my plasma cutter and bolted them on. It was a faster method and better than my mediocre welding skills. Got them hung, reasonably even, and painted. Now comes the shop cleanup and putting everything away!

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Looks like those will last a long time. I've seen similar on trails that have drag chains underneath to more quickly stop the targets from swinging.

No Answers said:

Looks like those will last a long time. I've seen similar on trails that have drag chains underneath to more quickly stop the targets from swinging.

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This target system is very reactive and will reset in about 3 seconds. This video shows it being hit with a 12 ga slug @ 25 yards. No long chains, no special set up, just a T Post a hanger and the target plate with a 3 link section of chain that cannot be hit by the bullet. The KISS principle on steroids.

hangfast said:

Check out this bullet trap and target stand where you can recover almost 100% of your lead !!
Mounts on a standard T Post. The target plate is reactive with good sound when hit.
Lead is deposited inside the tire and can be easily scooped up and remelted.

Click to expand...

very good idea