GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Air Gun Gate => Topic started by: mwgm2020 on January 13, 2022, 03:17:20 PM
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My duct seal traps are now so full of lead, that pellets are bouncing back and out. So, instead of investing $$$$$ in new duct seal I want to make rubber mulch traps. They appear to be easier to clean, weigh less, are perhaps a bit quieter.
There are two types of rubber mulch available to me, shredded and nuggets. Is one type better to use than the other? If so why?
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I suspect there is more that two sizes, if you look at all brands.
What I have I would describe as shredded. The rubber bits have an average size of perhaps an inch long, by about 1/4 by 1/8. They work well because they balance inter-tangling to create drag; with falling back into the projectile path - if not directly, then on the next shot or two.
I don't know what size the nuggets are. They should work too, providing they are not so large that they "bridge" and leave gaps projectiles can "leak" through.
I am sure that if your rubber mulch wall was deep enough, almost any size chunk would work.
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I was a nugget kinda guy when I had my pellet trap. You're going to shred them up as you shoot, add more on top when needed. My 357 slayer didn't go through my trap. I used a pump motor that was double boxed about 16x16x24 long with a plywood-lined bottom. They were strong enough to pick them up full of rubber nuggets and lead without a problem. My back didn't like it though. lol
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There's still a world-wide shortage of rubber mulch, so nuggets may be all you can find.
Anyway, nuggets work great, though that's all I've used. I built my trap with a corse screen near the bottom, to trap the rubber but let spent projectiles fall into the bottom (where I now have a pull-out tray.) This tray does collect a little bit of rubber dust & such, but not too bad so far. The dust tends to cling to the larger pieces, so most doesn't fall down to the bottom.)
I also use thin indoor-outdoor carpeting on the front, to hold it all in. This is somewhat "self-healing" but after a while the holes are still significant. - So I want rubber that isn't too thin or stringy.
I suspect that the mulch would fall apart slightly faster than the nuggets, and so the latter is better for me. - But I'm only guessing.
Then again, this stuff pretty much looks like mulch, so maybe it's exactly the same, just sold under a different name?
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As far as effectiveness, the highest fpe I've shot is only .25 at about 900 fps, so not a serious load.
But FWIW:
My trap is 6" deep, and even at 10 yards nothing gets to the back surface.
(I added a 1/4" thick polycarbonate sheet to the back, just in case, but so far it hasn't been needed.)
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I mix the nuggets with the shredded.
I also use AR500 plates, with a thick semi truck mudflat in front, then the rubber mulch. It will stop anything.
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The videos in the linked post below show how well rubber nuggets/mulch works to stop various projectiles. The penetration depth varies a lot, apparently due to which mulch is used (size and type of rubber). I suggest you test with a low FPE airgun to "calibrate" your mulch, before going full Monty:
Scroll down for imbedded videos: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=194789.msg156263382#msg156263382 (https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=194789.msg156263382#msg156263382)
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With either shredded or nuggets, I like to keep it simple. Make a box that will hold the entire bag of mulch, IN THE BAG. When the bag starts to get shot up, and leak melch, just duct tape over it. You can add a frame to hold backer cardboard for your targets, hangers for targets, a handle on top to carry it, or any other bells and whistles.
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A couple of years ago we had a shooter on temporary duty here in the SF Bay Area.
He used a cardboard box with rubber mulch.
I always have used duct seal.
When he went back home to Ohio he gave me his box.
I went to the post office and got some shipping boxes and filled three of them with the mulch he gave me.
I taped the boxes with duct tape from HF.
As the boxes got shot up, I taped some more.
Finally time to get new boxes and re-cycle the mulch.
I poured the mulch with pellets into my 50 gallon vacuum cleaner base and filled it with water.
The mulch floated to the top and was easily scooped out for re-use.
The pellets were melted into lead ingots for later us…
Good stuff..
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A couple of years ago we had a shooter on temporary duty here in the SF Bay Area.
He used a cardboard box with rubber mulch.
I always have used duct seal.
When he went back home to Ohio he gave me his box.
I went to the post office and got some shipping boxes and filled three of them with the mulch he gave me.
I taped the boxes with duct tape from HF.
As the boxes got shot up, I taped some more.
Finally time to get new boxes and re-cycle the mulch.
I poured the mulch with pellets into my 50 gallon vacuum cleaner base and filled it with water.
The mulch floated to the top and was easily scooped out for re-use.
The pellets were melted into lead ingots for later us…
Good stuff..
I read somewhere, probably here, about a guy who used his shop vac to not so good up the rubber mulch out of the box, leaving the heavier lead behind. I like that idea. I can add a HEPA filter to my vac so I won't be blowing Pb and rubber dust around. It would keep the mulch dry too.
I watched Ted's youtube video of him using a big tub and water to separate the Pb from the mulch and it looked like a big mess.
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My rubber traps were easy to make, but create an enormous amount of debris and dust compared to the duct putty traps.
Keeping the front cover closed is constant maintenance as it falls forward. The rubber opens a channel if I stack pellets eventually hitting back plate in 4-5 shots, very loud, duct tape weeps adhesive, big mess. A haystack pile of rubber would be great.
By comparison the duct putty in a steel junction box trap maintenance is infrequent just adding a few more bars, press it in. Very quiet. No chance of lead recovery and no lead dust.
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I read somewhere, probably here, about a guy who used his shop vac to not so good up the rubber mulch out of the box, leaving the heavier lead behind. I like that idea. I can add a HEPA filter to my vac so I won't be blowing Pb and rubber dust around. It would keep the mulch dry too.
That's what I do, with the stuff that collects in my trap's bottom tray. Because of the curse screen near the bottom, There's nothing in the tray larger than about 1/4", so that rubber dust gets picked up very easily from a few inches above. Ans since it's just a 1" deep tray, it's light and easy to carry into my shop for cleaning.
Also, since I occasionally shake the trap to help the spent lead fall to the bottom, this also re-compacts the nuggets. It nearly a perfect system.
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I read somewhere, probably here, about a guy who used his shop vac to "not so good" (LOL! Auto Mod for the Word *S*u*c*k*) up the rubber mulch out of the box, leaving the heavier lead behind. I like that idea. I can add a HEPA filter to my vac so I won't be blowing Pb and rubber dust around. It would keep the mulch dry too.
I watched Ted's youtube video of him using a big tub and water to separate the Pb from the mulch and it looked like a big mess.
EDIT to change automod word.
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I've been using a box filled with rubber mulch for a while. Once the cardboard front was shot away I then used cereal box type cardboard, but the mulch continued to fall out.
I now use the type of foam (the name escapes me) that Pyramid Air packs their pellets in in front of the mulch with cardboard on that. The sheets of it are on ebay or amazon. It holds up pretty well while allowing the pellets to pass through and it self-seals, sorta. It definitely keeps more of the mulch in the box.
Another idea that I haven't tried is to use a liquor/wine bottle box with the compartments horizontal. This would minimize the "furniture disease" effect resulting in not enough mulch at the top end of the box allowing pellets to exit the back and hit the wall behind it.
Target boxes by nature are self destructing objects and the best you can do is merely keep up with it.
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The rubber opens a channel if I stack pellets eventually hitting back plate in 4-5 shots, very loud
One needs to determine the minimum mulch thickness that will stop a projectile; then use twice that depth to ensure none ever make it though. If you can hear impact with a steel back plate, that suggest the mulch is not deep enough...
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I use larger nuggets because that’s what I have. With use shreds and debris build up but it still works so I doubt the initial size matters. Bigger pieces don’t fall out as soon. I have shot boxes and keep taping on layers. Now I like to fill a plastic mayo jar with marks on sticky notes held in place with rubber band for bullseye when sighting in. It stops the break barrel pellets. It is a real Pita mess trying to separate the lead. Water may work but then it’s a wet mess.
Plastic shopping bags packed in disposable drink cups work good for bbs without bounce.
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Nuggets, the bigger, the better. They will get shredded as you shoot.
Cleaning them is more of a pain than a duct seal trap, because you can't clean duct seal. Only problem with duct seal is how to dispose of it responsibly.
With rubber mulch, you'll just need to sift it now and then and sort the lead into a jar to bring to a recycling center. No big deal, but wear a respirator, as the resulting airborne lead dust will not be good for your lungs and brain.
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Agree the bigger the chunks the better. I usE water to separate the lead from rubber. Unfortunately I could not going a local supply of the rubber nuggets.
Nuggets, the bigger, the better. They will get shredded as you shoot.
Cleaning them is more of a pain than a duct seal trap, because you can't clean duct seal. Only problem with duct seal is how to dispose of it responsibly.
With rubber mulch, you'll just need to sift it now and then and sort the lead into a jar to bring to a recycling center. No big deal, but wear a respirator, as the resulting airborne lead dust will not be good for your lungs and brain.
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I tried the duct seal,then the nuggets or maybe the other way around…@ my age I found clean up labor intensive…I use Champion traps….one outside @ 30+ yards…and one inside @ 35 feet…I sound dampened them and couldnt be happier with the set up…good luck
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I take 2 boxes about the same size 16-16-16 works perfect put one box in side the other, then I cut up another box and line the in side with it. You know have 3 layers of card board. Fill with rubber mulch tape up with duct tape. Iv tested it with a 22 long rifle at 5 feet stops it every time. You know have 4 sides of box when one one side gets shot up just rotate box to new side. I can shoot all year on one box before you need to replace box. I use the lid of my tumbler its slots let pellets drop through mulch stays in. Ive been using this setup for over 8 years and have yet to have a pass through.
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By comparison the duct putty in a steel junction box trap maintenance is infrequent just adding a few more bars, press it in. Very quiet. No chance of lead recovery and no lead dust.
Since most of the shots would probably be in discrete locations, depending on which targets are used and the locations of bullseyes on those targets, the majority of the pellets should be in clumps in those locations. It is simple to pull out those clumps with needle nosed pliers, smush the duct seal back into place and go back to shooting. Even individual fliers can be easily removed.
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I only use the nuggets
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My box stays outside all year, I set it on a platform I made 2 feet of ground have sheet of ply wood behind it, when done shooting I cover with a water proof Weber barbecue cover. To old to move that heavy box. The reason I use 3 layers of cardboard is you can pack mulch much tighter with out the sides of box bulging, that way your targets stay flat on box
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I built a couple pellet traps; a big one, and a smaller one 18" deep, 1 foot square, filled with rubber mulch nuggets. This is literally a plywood "shoebox".
On a whim, I took 2 shots with +P 9mm; it stopped both rounds no problemo.
The larger trap: 20guage steel back, tempered steel grid with hardware cloth front, T-111 sides reinforced with 2x12 pressure-treated lumber, 12" deep, with 12 (or maybe 16?) bags of rubber mulch. It will stop anything up .357 from a 4"-barrelled handgun, but will not stop the same from an 18" Lever-Action powderburner chambered in 357. I move this trap using a dolly... lugging it by hand is not an option (maybe 350-400 pounds?)
I used nondescript rubber mulch nuggets from Home Depot.
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I use shredded rubber mulch and it works great. I built a pellet trap that’s 18” x 18” by 18”. It’s good quality pressure treated 3/4 inch plywood. The interior back has a full coverage removable piece of 3/4” solid red oak. The bottom front has a 4” deep shelf that’s sits about 2 inches off the bottom. Cans or other small targets can sit on the shelf. The top front has a large all metal clip to attach paper targets. The whole thing is painted flat black and has a carry handle on top. It’s too dang heavy to move it very often though.
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The mulch is surprising heavy. I made a trap using a 12 gal plastic tote from home depot. It took nearly 2 bags of mulch to fill it. I cut out a big section of the top and used cardboard to keep the mulch in. I can put two 12x8 targets on it at the same time. It is heavy..
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Someone on this site shared a great way to clean the mulch.
He used a shop vac to vacuum up the mulch leaving the heavier lead behind. Much cleaner than the water method with less toxic waste.