Rubbers for Protection

[SaltyNC]

Let's talk about backstops. :)

My house is in the woods. I have no neighbors to speak of. I could fire a shot just about anywhere and would expect it to impact a tree within 100 yards. With all that said, I don't have a dirt bank to shoot into, and I wanted something in the rare case someone was in the woods beyond where I was shooting, and I was not aware of it. That scenario is highly unlikely, but better to be safe than sorry.

Does anyone here use a manmade non-dirt bank backstop? I have been researching it, and it sounds like compressed rubber mulch is very effective at stopping bullets. Here is what I'm considering doing. Frame up a 7ft/8ft stud wall in standard 16 oc construction using treated lumber. Sheath it in something cheap like thin OSB on the front side. Attach this to some trees. In the primary target area, make a cutout and build a support for a removable box. The box will be similarly constructed, but will be filled with compressed rubber mulch to catch the bullets. It will be 18 to 24 inches in depth. It will be removable and the front panel easily replaceable. As an added layer of security, most of the "wall" will be covered with a thick rubber barn stall mat like you use with horses to help slow and tumble any round that misses the rubber mulch box. That should rarely happen, since the rubber mulch box will be fairly large.

Have any of you ever built anything like this? Any ideas? Suggestions? Designs? Potential pitfalls?

One area that has me slightly concerned is fire. Could I ever have a hot bullet set the rubber mulch on fire? Maybe an answer is to make holes in the top of the mulch box and always dump a gallon of water on it when finished shooting for the day. Obviously, another concern is any bullets that don't hit the mulch box. The thick rubber mat will slow and likely tumble the bullet, but it won't stop it. However, the likelihood of hitting someone who shouldn't be on my land in the first place and making it past all those trees, and shooting on a slight slope, it seems to me to fit the mould of good enough.

What do you think?

SaltyNC

[jocko]

well when I seen the thread I thouhght;;;DAMN OK I am an authority on Rubbers for protection. After reading the thread I can see I have no clue what his is asking, so I will hav eto pass on my normal intellectual comment. Justy sayin

[340pd]

The backstop at the range I work at uses small solid rubber balls with a rubber mat covering them. They are effective and very quiet but cost a lot when the lead needs to be removed from the backstop. Your idea sounds like a good one and easy to test for penetration.

Do not shoot any incendiary rounds at that type of backstop.

[SaltyNC]

well when I seen the thread I thouhght;;;DAMN OK I am an authority on Rubbers for protection. After reading the thread I can see I have no clue what his is asking, so I will hav eto pass on my normal intellectual comment. Justy sayin

Jocko, did you know they have these made from lambskin?
http://www.trojancondoms.com/naturalamb.aspx

Made FROM your sheep. Not to be used ON your sheep. Just sayin. ;)

SaltyNC

[downtownv]

Jocko Rides Bare Back at this point in his life, very low powered dribble, on a good day!

[muggsy]

The local indoor range in my area uses old rubber conveyor belts with shredded rubber mulch behind it as a backstop. There is no danger of fire and the rubber mulch stops bullets very effectively.

[wyntrout]

Jocko Rides Bare Back at this point in his life, very low powered dribble, on a good day!

TMI! :eek: And... one might wonder how you would know this!:rolleyes:

Wynn:D

[bob98366]

With all the trees you have, you might layer up tree trunks to whatever thickness needed. Sink four trunks vertically at each corner of the backstop box and layer trunks horizontally inside the box. As they shred/deteriorate over time it would be trivial to just add more trunks on top, especially if you have access to a front loader.

A range I frequent has horizontal trunks about 10' above ground over the shooting area to keep errant bullets from escaping upwards. It creates a shooting tunnel that stops stray bullets.

[AIRret]

For a home barrier Mas recommends a book case tightly and fully packed with books.
Seems to me a couple of copies of the "Ovomit Care" law would work.
My Lord, it would then become something useful.

On a serious note, I wonder if it would be cheaper to have a friend with a back hoe dig out an area similar to what you get with an old (small) gravel pit. I know some local clubs do
something resembling that for their IDPA stations.
I must say, that I'm jealous!!! I would love to shoot in my yard!!!!!!!

[RevRay]

I must say, that I'm jealous!!! I would love to shoot in my yard!!!!!!!

Precisely! I would love to have his problem to worry about.

[b4uqzme]

I had a few extra doors laying around from a remodeling project. I made two backstops out of three doors each with 6x6 posts as vertical supports and spacers. Then I filled the voids with plain old dirt. That stops most handgun ammo. Just to be safe, each backstop has several rows of firewood behind it stacked much taller and wider....in hopes to catch any errant shots. And there is a hill behind that. I don't trust this for rifles though and am having a buddy come by with his Bobcat in the spring to build a bank. Better safe than sorry.

Hope that helps. FYI...solid core doors.

[SaltyNC]

I must say, that I'm jealous!!! I would love to shoot in my yard!!!!!!!

It is nice, and the people who do live around here are gun friendly. So, they don't think anything about hearing gunfire. My land was just a wooded lot for many years, and some good folks up the road kept people from trespassing since it adjoined their wooded property and they didn't want hunters on their land. When I started thinking about building my house back in the woods some years ago, I was scouting out locations and twice these guys came in after me with guns drawn until they realized it was me. It's nice to have good "neighbors" who watch out for ya.

But, I imagine in the next 30 years, one city or another will annex us, and that will be the end of the house shooting range. Hopefully I'll be spending time in my mountain cabin by then. :)

SaltyNC

[SaltyNC]

I had a few extra doors laying around from a remodeling project. I made two backstops out of three doors each with 6x6 posts as vertical supports and spacers. Then I filled the voids with plain old dirt. That stops most handgun ammo. Just to be safe, each backstop has several rows of firewood behind it stacked much taller and wider....in hopes to catch any errant shots. And there is a hill behind that. I don't trust this for rifles though and am having a buddy come by with his Bobcat in the spring to build a bank. Better safe than sorry.

Hope that helps. FYI...solid core doors.

Good point! This will only be for handgun shooting. I have been firing at a stop made from downed timber with some cinder block behind it, fairly low to the ground. I have also used sandbags. I wanted something wider and where I could practice quick draws, etc, and shoot at the proper height. That's a good idea about filling the voids with dirt. It will end up being one heavy wall.

SaltyNC

[olympicmotorcars]

This sounds like an interesting idea , and you have obviously put lots of thought into it , however it sounds pretty time consuming to build and keep up.

Is there some reason you don't want to just hire a dozer for a couple hours and build a dirt backstop? I believe this would be the most cost effective after you consider your time and materials.

[b4uqzme]

This sounds like an interesting idea , and you have obviously put lots of thought into it , however it sounds pretty time consuming to build and keep up.

Is there some reason you don't want to just hire a dozer for a couple hours and build a dirt backstop? I believe this would be the most cost effective after you consider your time and materials.

I got $0 invested in mine. Just stuff lying around. And not that much time either. But the dozer is due for a visit to complete the rifle range.

[SaltyNC]

This sounds like an interesting idea , and you have obviously put lots of thought into it , however it sounds pretty time consuming to build and keep up.

Is there some reason you don't want to just hire a dozer for a couple hours and build a dirt backstop? I believe this would be the most cost effective after you consider your time and materials.

There is. I mainly don't want to tear up the woods with a dozer. I could maybe get a Bobcat back in there to do it on some of the trails I have made, but it would be full of roots and likely damage surrounding trees where the bank would be cut. It is heavily wooded. My son found a natural break in the trees and that's where we setup the backstop and have a little shooting lane. I may sound like a tree hugger, but I really hate having to cut a single tree. I was pretty much like a wild animal when I was young. I had around 1000 acres to myself and spent 90% of my time in the forest. Cutting trees unnecessarily is about like carving your name in a church pew during Sunday service to me. ;) Cost to build the rubber mulch box and framed wall will be minimal. Lumber is very cheap. Rubber mulch is on the expensive side, but can be used nearly indefinitely. OSB is a few bucks for 4'x8' sheet.

SaltyNC