bullet stop

[MERCTECH]

What the best way to stop bullets. Indoors? I need about 15ft wide.

[JFootin]

Have you though to ask at a local indoor range?

[DubDubU]

burgler, rapist, druggy. 15 ft wide? 7 or 8 should do.

[MERCTECH]

Yes but then I thought they probably wouldnt help me because they would lose my business.

[paul34]

Sandbags? Works for the military.

[JFootin]

Yes but then I thought they probably wouldnt help me because they would lose my business.

Not everyone are a******s. They'll probably tell you.


Sandbags? Works for the military.

Yeah, that, backed up by sheet steel, maybe angled at 45°, just in case some rounds get through. You don't want to be perforating your basement wall! :)

[MERCTECH]

I thought about sandbags, after a while wouldnt the sand eventually seep out. Yea 15ft wide is over estimate. Remember this is indoors. I will have to keep clean.

[MERCTECH]

By the way, it wont be in a basement.

[Barth]

By the way, it wont be in a basement.

Sounds like a bad idea to me.
Just the lead alone would be an issue.
Better to find outdoor property with a berm to shoot into...

[JFootin]

Or use lead free ammo.

[rwblue01]

Been there, done that.

phone books packed tightly in paper boxes.
I would suggest two sets with an offset.
Then something solid, just in case.

[yqtszhj]

Sandbags are the best stop. You're still going to have a mess. I'm thinking if not in a basement the Indoor location needs to have cement filled hollow block walls.

Sounds like this could be a liability issue possibly.

[CJB]

When we set up the Caswell stuff, there were calculations made for side deflectors, and strafe angles, as well as overhead deflectors. Keep the "errant shot" in mind.

One range I worked with had a downward sloping backstop - not good! Lead built up in the "V" and spit back at the line if not cleaned fequently.

The upward slope plate, with circular chamber was well thought out.

I've shot indoors into newspaper, phone books.... not good. After a brief time, you just drill a hole through. Yes, I repaired both walls, and doors. Not good - please use extreme caution.

[OldLincoln]

I saw a thread on completed one a while back. As I recall the wooden target box had a couple feet of sand in the bottom and a steel plate at 45* over it. Targets were suspended or mounted on a stand in front of the plate.

That part is straightforward and simple compared to noise and gunpowder smoke. You'll need a high capacity exhaust fan (think restaurant kitchen) and mucho sound proofing.

If all you want is a test barrel for trying loads, use 2 oil drums welded end to end with 3 feet of sand and tilted at an angle you can shoot into. Make sure you have enough sand before shooting really big loads.

[JimBianchi]

Make a pile of sand 10ft high.

Put it in a box 30x15, back and sides very high, front opening only four feet. like this: [ sandbox ] <--- shoot from this direction

Put angle steel behind it to catch the misses.

At George AFB, in CA the Air Force shot 20mm canons (A10s and F4s mostly) into similar designed piles of open sand, just larger. (We called them revetments or just berms. Revetments without sand where used for engine run-ups)

After few thousand rounds sift it out and re-pile it, wet it down, keep on shooting.

[ricklee4570]

The local gunsmith here uses a 55 gallon drum filled with water. He welded a steel neck about 2 feet in length and about 6 inches in diameter to fire into. Kind of like what the forensic specialist use when they want to match a bullet to the rifling.

He also welded a thick steel plate to the bottom of the barrel just to make sure that the bullet doesnt pierce the bottom. The way he made the neck on top, it actually muffles the sound quite a bit as well. Put some insulation around it and it works perfectly.

[MERCTECH]

Thanks thats some good ideas. I have access to a big building and have been granted permission to a nice piece in the corner for practice. But it has to be garanteed safe and somewhat muffled. If that cant happen then I will forget about it.

[Rainman48314]

Thanks thats some good ideas. I have access to a big building and have been granted permission to a nice piece in the corner for practice. But it has to be garanteed safe and somewhat muffled. If that cant happen then I will forget about it.
Sorry to "Rain" on your parade, but in my wildest dreams, I can't imagine the effort being cost effective for one or two people. Has the building owner spoken to his insurance company about HIS liability? Have you got a good multi-million dollar umbrella policy? What about zoning? There is a lot to this from several perspectives.

Good luck, whatever you do.

Rainman

[rwblue01]

Thanks thats some good ideas. I have access to a big building and have been granted permission to a nice piece in the corner for practice. But it has to be garanteed safe and somewhat muffled. If that cant happen then I will forget about it.

forgetaboutit is the Jersey answer.

Since I am not from New Jersey and have done basically what you are talking about I will tell you that nothing is guaranteed 100% safe when it comes to shooting.

Muffled is interesting. I have shot a gun in a building and lets just say no one outside called the cops. On the flip side, I have heard of people having an AD and the cops show up.

If you were jsut testing loads and reliability, then yea I would say it can be done, but practice....man that is a large risk.

Consider setting it up for pellet rifle and pistol. It is a good bit safer and quieter and slower.

[MERCTECH]

Ya nothin is garanteed for sure, so we will see. It probably wont happen but you never know.

[paul34]

Wait, is this inside city limits? In most places you can't legally discharge a firearm within city limits unless it is for self defense.

[MERCTECH]

Not in city limits. Were good there.

[100percent]

Our outdoor berm s made from old business papers. It stays relatively clean. we dig it out once a year and recycle the lead. I don't like the idea of shooting inside. Too much smoke and lead dust.