Bullet Trap

[Eddie]

I am in the process of putting a single lane shooting range in my basement. The bullet trap arrived this week so I thought I would post pics. The base is 25" by 25". It is made out of 3/8" steel. The joker who built it for me painted it pink.

 

[WhitleyStu]

How thick is the material and up to what caliber is it designed to handle?

 

[Eddie]

How thick is the material and up to what caliber is it designed to handle?

The material is 3/8" steel plates. I only plan on shooting .38 wadcutters but I imagine it would handle stuff a lot bigger.

 

[IndyGunworks]

putting anything in for ventilation/ noise handling?

 

[Eddie]

putting anything in for ventilation/ noise handling?

For ventillation I have a neat system. The previous owner of my home built an extensive underground area that includes a fallout shelter. He put one of those big 6' diameter fans of the type that they use to cool construction sites in the attic. He had it set up so that a trap door can be opened in the dining room ceiling, vents opened in fallout shelter and the tunnels that lead to it and then the fan sucks cool air from the under ground areas up into the home. I think he used it for cooling but it does a great job venting air. When I used to smoke cigars I could light one up in the basement, open up the vents and flip on that fan and there was zero smoke buildup, it would just go streaming up the stairs and out.

For noise control, I am already underground. I am adding a stud wall of 1/2" thick plywood to the existing brick walls with insulation behind that. I will similarly insulate between the floor joists and cover that with 1/2 plywood. Will also probably add some artificial noise like from a radio/stereo to mask whatever faint sound of gunshots anyone might hear from the street.

 

[Greg.B]

then the fan sucks cool air from the under ground areas up into the home.

Wouldn't that pull contaminants up through the living area? It seems a more effective ventilation system would transfer the air directly from the shooting area straight outdoors.

 

[Eddie]

Wouldn't that pull contaminants up through the living area? It seems a more effective ventilation system would transfer the air directly from the shooting area straight outdoors.

Yes, it will, but it is in a part of the home that we don't use. I built an addition onto an older home and we live in the addition. The shooting range is going in the older part. I do like your idea of reversing the air flow though. I am going to do some experiments using a blower and see how good it does. My problem is that the vents to the underground areas have flap valves so I will need to reverse them or block them open.

 

[mwilson]

I am in the process of putting a single lane shooting range in my basement. The bullet trap arrived this week so I thought I would post pics. The base is 25" by 25". It is made out of 3/8" steel. The joker who built it for me painted it pink.

hang something over the front in case of back splash. i used a heavt piece of rubber belting from a conveyor belt

 

[Eddie]

hang something over the front in case of back splash. i used a heavt piece of rubber belting from a conveyor belt

Good Point. My plan is for the trap to sit behind a piece of 1/2" plywood. I will outline a square slightly smaller than the opening on the side facing the firing line.