I'm not sure if this is the right category, or proper name. Anyhow, I'm looking for plans on constructing a 'backdrop'. By that I mean the device the holds the target, and has a sheet of thick steel behind it at a 45 degree angle to deflect the ball into the ground below it. I remember my Dad had made one years ago out of 4x4s. I can come up with something if needed, but was wondering if there are posted plans anywhere. Thanks much.
plans for backdrop?
- Thread starter Barrows
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
A proper angle is 40 degree's
Thanks for the tips on using 40 degrees. I'll do that. I was thinking of using 3/8 thick instead of 1/4, in order to have some overkill and extra weight. I was wondering if 3/8 would be thick enough, but it sounds like it should be then.
gmww
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,693
- Reaction score
- 4
Barrows said:
Ever consider a stack of old tires filled with sand? In front of that you have two, 2-3" pipe sun, in the ground. A wood frame with 1.5-2" wood to hold a cardboard that you staple your target to. Something similar to the NRA's wood frames used at the Nationals at Camp Perry.
As mentioned earlier, You just can't beat old tires filled with sand.
No matter what caliber, they last forever.
No spatter, no bounce, no problem!
You can dress them up by putting soil around them, on the sides and back, and letting grass grow about them, so they won't be such an eyesore.
Tires are free, most places.
Big truck tires at the bottom, and car or light truck tires as you work to the top, then fill with a few wheelbarrows of sand, and you're ready.
Best Regards
Old ford
No matter what caliber, they last forever.
No spatter, no bounce, no problem!
You can dress them up by putting soil around them, on the sides and back, and letting grass grow about them, so they won't be such an eyesore.
Tires are free, most places.
Big truck tires at the bottom, and car or light truck tires as you work to the top, then fill with a few wheelbarrows of sand, and you're ready.
Best Regards
Old ford
the old tires are amuch better back stop then a steel plate. you just need 2 rows the rear row going in back of the pleac where the front tires meet edge to edge. filled with sand or dirt it will last forever.
nice idea idea about letting the grass grow over it.
for a target holder i use old realastate frames to hold the cardbord. about 2' by 2' they push into the ground nice.
nice idea idea about letting the grass grow over it.
for a target holder i use old realastate frames to hold the cardbord. about 2' by 2' they push into the ground nice.
Old tires? No bounce? :hmm: I ain't tryin ta argue with you fellers at all,
But my feeble mind just naturally thinks,"Rubber?=Bounce??" and the roundness of the tire would/could(?) put the lead in an area kinda somewhwere near the backstop in a radius of X area of feet/meters?
One nice aspect of the metal difflection plate of the topic is lead recovery, everything lands on the ground under the plate
But my feeble mind just naturally thinks,"Rubber?=Bounce??" and the roundness of the tire would/could(?) put the lead in an area kinda somewhwere near the backstop in a radius of X area of feet/meters?
One nice aspect of the metal difflection plate of the topic is lead recovery, everything lands on the ground under the plate
buttonbuck
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2005
- Messages
- 1,491
- Reaction score
- 7
when they say lead splatters they mean splatter into small bits. I made a bullet trap out of an 1/2inch steel plate mounted in an old safe I have only found small fragments in the of lead in the sand that I placed in the bottom of the safe. I would say if it were on the bare ground you would be lucky to recover 1/3-1/2 of the lead you shot without heating the lead sand mix to melt the lead? Good Idea on the and sand tires I am all about recovering lead.
All excellent ideas. I was thinking of a steel plate for lead recovery, as my Dad used to do. We live in a sandy area, and was thinking of sifting the lead and sand to separate them a couple times a year. The tire idea sounds intriguing too, though a neighbor got in trouble with the County for using tires for landscaping several years ago.
kansas_volunteer
45 Cal.
Necchi, I'm with you. I've elsewhere on-line read disscussion on the dangers of bullets from modern centerfire handguns bouncing off tire rubber. I think a round ball would be even more likely to bounce.
The bouncing problem is a real danger in shooting rooms or funhouses built from stacks of sand-filled tires and used for tactical training.
I'd be inclined to go with the angled steel with sand at the base to catch the balls for later sifting and recycling.
The traps I've seen like this, in National Guard armories, also had a solid bottom under the sand, so it was easier to get the lead out.
The bouncing problem is a real danger in shooting rooms or funhouses built from stacks of sand-filled tires and used for tactical training.
I'd be inclined to go with the angled steel with sand at the base to catch the balls for later sifting and recycling.
The traps I've seen like this, in National Guard armories, also had a solid bottom under the sand, so it was easier to get the lead out.
Many Klatch
69 Cal.
- Joined
- May 19, 2006
- Messages
- 3,498
- Reaction score
- 268
I have seen a backstop made with plywood front and back and filled with cruhed limestone stop everything muzzleloading that was thrown at it at an Eastern.
I think if you will install a vertical 2 X 8 or 2 X 10 and fasten a 3/4" plywood on the front and back you would have a good frame. Fill it from the top with the large crushed stone like you would put on a driveway. You may see stone jump out of the top, but you won't find the backer piece with very many if any holes.
Many Klatch
I think if you will install a vertical 2 X 8 or 2 X 10 and fasten a 3/4" plywood on the front and back you would have a good frame. Fill it from the top with the large crushed stone like you would put on a driveway. You may see stone jump out of the top, but you won't find the backer piece with very many if any holes.
Many Klatch
I just shoot into a big sand pile and every once in a while when I need lead I can sort through the impact area and get plenty. If you use the plate there most likely wont be much left of the ball. I also have another backstop in front of my shop I use in the winter when it's 30 below zero, that is made out of poplars I cut down, but no one will be recovering lead from those timbers.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 89
I don't know why you can't, eventually, recover the lead from those timbers.
My BP club had a tenant farmer who decided to burn weeds along the back side of our backstop. Unfortunately, it was made with Railroad ties. About half the ties burn, and in the ashes, we found many pounded of melted lead, which a few of the members recovered to cast in to ball again. It may take years for those poplar logs to deteriorate to the point they need to be replaced, but when you do burn them, you will get back all the lead they now are holding.
My BP club had a tenant farmer who decided to burn weeds along the back side of our backstop. Unfortunately, it was made with Railroad ties. About half the ties burn, and in the ashes, we found many pounded of melted lead, which a few of the members recovered to cast in to ball again. It may take years for those poplar logs to deteriorate to the point they need to be replaced, but when you do burn them, you will get back all the lead they now are holding.
An acquaintance made a hinged 16" X 16 X 24" plywood box filled with rubber playground mulch. he says RB and modern pistol bullet will only penetrate about 8-14 inches.
The balls retain most of their mass, and are easy to recover. Dividers placed at 10" and 16" reduce the amount of mulch he has to sift through to recover his lead.
God bless
The balls retain most of their mass, and are easy to recover. Dividers placed at 10" and 16" reduce the amount of mulch he has to sift through to recover his lead.
God bless
