shooting strings and what catches them?

[7weight]

So I'm shooting strings to learn more about my new (-to-me) FX Wildcat .25 lately, and a question I had when doing the same thing on previous rifles has crept-in again. When shooting over a chrony inside, what do you use to catch the flying lead? I've used a Gamo Pellet Trap, but I'm beating the heck out of it and fearful that I'm going to miss it and put a quarter inch hole in the side of my truck or boat.

What do you use?

[KnifeMaker]

Otters/Champion .22/.17 HMR Bullet traps. I used 5 gal. buckets with rubber mulch for a long time. But now that I cast, I wanted easier lead recovery.


My rainstorm would blow right thru the gamo trap.


Knife

[Killfire]

I have to second the rubber mulch. I use it in a 3ply reinforced 18×18 cardboard box. I shake it once in awhile to prevent channeling of the mulch. I also have a .063 stainless piece of sheetmetal behind it just in case as I'm shooting in the garage facing the house.

[N2stuff]

Rubber mulch in a cardboard box. You have to keep taping up the hole in the front but I yet to have a pellet leave the box.

[Mole2017]

So, the advantage of rubber mulch is ease of maintenance and stopping power, correct?

My duct seal box is a smallish one that's just big enough for a sheet of paper on the front and 5 or 6 pounds of duct seal. (I think that's what I used--I just laid a single layer of blocks of the stuff in there.) I don't use it a lot and it does the job for now, but I shudder to think of ever trying to clean it or having to add more duct seal for testing NSA bullets even in .177. So, I may end up with a mulch box too.

I've considered using rubber mulch to catch pellets, but when I figured the materials it seemed better for me to stick with the duct seal for now: the smallest box I could justify needed two bags of mulch to fill and that stuff isn't light. But that was based on a 12"x12"x18" high box.

The 5 gallon bucket idea is attractive, though I would have to reconfigure my target sheets that I print. Still, for just one bag a mulch to fill it, instead of two, that may be worth it.

[thedude]

Phone book wrapped in duct tape was my go-to for a couple years. I've since upgraded to using a brownie pan filled with duct-seal.

[Habanero69er]

Otters/Champion .22/.17 HMR Bullet traps. I used 5 gal. buckets with rubber mulch for a long time. But now that I cast, I wanted easier lead recovery.


My rainstorm would blow right thru the gamo trap.


Knife

+1    You won't punch a hole through one of these.

[Back_Roads]

 I have rubber mulch, but also have the same trap as the OP, but I stuffed it with a couple sticks of duct seal. It has extended the life of the target.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/gardner-bender-16-oz-duct-seal/4595233?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-rpe-_-google-_-lia-_-106-_-electricalaccessories-_-4595233-_-0&kpid&store_code=2206&k_clickID=go_625853472_34614745150_111134523790_pla-74096940012_c_9019113&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9MrfqZOO4QIVNCCtBh3aHAVEEAQYASABEgK31vD_BwE

[AlanMcD]

It won't take long to put a hole through that Gamo trap if you are shooting .25 cals at it with any power.  It is really made for lower energy .177 pellets.  I ahve one that I destroyed with .22 cal pellets . . .

I have both rubber mulch and duct seal traps that I use.  I always use the reubber mulch one for chrony testing when shooting close - if you keep hitting the same spot in a duct seal trap you will eventually dig a hole through the duct seal, and end up shooting into your backing plate (if you make either, do put a steel plate in the base to catch any that get to the bottom, as it will eventually happen).

[thedude]

It won't take long to put a hole through that Gamo trap if you are shooting .25 cals at it with any power.  It is really made for lower energy .177 pellets.  I ahve one that I destroyed with .22 cal pellets . . .

I have both rubber mulch and duct seal traps that I use.  I always use the reubber mulch one for chrony testing when shooting close - if you keep hitting the same spot in a duct seal trap you will eventually dig a hole through the duct seal, and end up shooting into your backing plate (if you make either, do put a steel plate in the base to catch any that get to the bottom, as it will eventually happen).

That's a good thing to remember to smush the duct seal back into place once in a while. It really is impressive stuff.

[Ribbonstone]

Know how we're trying to pound pellets into a tiny little group?


When we manage it, are pounding the devil out of a little section of pellet backstop.  The ones with loose backing (like the tire-multch traps) kind of rearrange themselves....the thick steel backstops are too tough to give up (but loud). The pluber's putty type are generally thick enough to form a "ball" of mashed lead where the pellets are retained and clump up.

But if you are using a"static" back stop and a powerful PCP (lets say anything from 50 foot pounds and up)...shooting a large shot group (like 10 or 20  shots on the same target in a nice tight cluser) can eat it's way though a double stack of bricks.

[thedude]

Know how we're trying to pound pellets into a tiny little group?


When we manage it, are pounding the devil out of a little section of pellet backstop.  The ones with loose backing (like the tire-multch traps) kind of rearrange themselves....the thick steel backstops are too tough to give up (but loud). The pluber's putty type are generally thick enough to form a "ball" of mashed lead where the pellets are retained and clump up.

But if you are using a"static" back stop and a powerful PCP (lets say anything from 50 foot pounds and up)...shooting a large shot group (like 10 or 20  shots on the same target in a nice tight cluser) can eat it's way though a double stack of bricks.

Duct seal does have it's limitations. For a 3 dollar brick of laffy taffy to stop projectiles as well as it does is incredible.

If you are regularly shooting 50fpe guns in tight groups, you should probably have a range backstop set up, or be shooting at longer distances.

 A 22 short rimfire has between 45-85 fpe so very few "airgun products" are going to handle this kind of power.

The best compromise is to get a steel target designed to handle rimfire rounds and then put the duct seal or rubber mulch in front of it to reduce the sound and catch ricochets.

[Model25]

My tire mulch box is 4 inches thick. It bulges a little in the middle so let’s call it, at most, 5 inches of tire mulch. I tuned my brothers .25 rifle to 64FPE and used the mulch box as backstop when we clocked it. No problems at all.
Cheap, effective, fairly quiet and most of all, self healing. What’s not to like?
FYI Watch that phone book. One day you will see confetti flying and find a hole in your wall. Definitely not self healing.
You should know that I also have a steel trap. TO LOUD!
Have fun with it, Mike

[BigBird]

I use an archery (crossbow rated) target behind my chrony. It works well.  I think it contains rubber pieces.  An old couch behind that if anything gets through.

[Sfttailrdr46]

I started with the inexpensive Gamo trap when I bought my Whisper Fusion and ended up filling it with duct putty after the .177 Whisper actually punched through and went through the sheet rock  and int the foundation in the basement. then graduated to 4 bags of shredded rubber mulch 3 years ago. Even my 100+ FPE .30 Marauder cannot penetrate the mulch even with 20 shots into the same 1/2" POI   

[DonC]

That Gamo trap works just GREAT. For it to work perfect...….all you have to do is stuff a old sock in the rear end. Mine has thousands of shots to it with no problems. Change the sock after 1000 shots. I use this for chrony testing since you shot at the same POI over and over.
A Champion steel trap will last forever and can be made quiet by gluing ridged 2" thick insulation to the back. Any construction adhesive in a caulking gun will work.

[tor47]

Indoors I use a big cardboard box with old clothes in it. I have it sitting on a chair, with a thick wood plate behind, in case some bullets should go trough. I leave the top of the box open, so when the hole in front need to be sealed with duct tape, there is usually a big hole in the cloth stack also. I then compress the clothes down on the hole, or just move some undamaged ones inside the box, in front of the hole.

[jarmstrong]

metal trap-- to noisy and lead dust in the air=outside only
duct seal---to messy and bores a hole through it with an accurate rifle
rubber mulch-- works for my indoor 10yd range, cardboard box and duct tape, holds LOTS of pellets 

[7weight]

I had a rubber mulch trap several years ago and liked it mostly. Had used a plywood plate behind it and a couple sheets of pink foam insulation boards on the front. The *only* issue was having to retape the holes. Since then I've been using the Gamo traps with 2 layers of alum plating with duct seal ontop of each. The Gamos spend 24/7/365 outside, hold-up incredibly well, and largely blend-in with the wooded areas. No real drawbacks, but it's a very small target indoors when shooting strings. Looks like I'll be visiting Ace hardware to build another mulch trap this afternoon. Thanks for all the great feedback and recommendations.

[N2stuff]

I had a rubber mulch trap several years ago and liked it mostly. Had used a plywood plate behind it and a couple sheets of pink foam insulation boards on the front. The *only* issue was having to retape the holes. Since then I've been using the Gamo traps with 2 layers of alum plating with duct seal ontop of each. The Gamos spend 24/7/365 outside, hold-up incredibly well, and largely blend-in with the wooded areas. No real drawbacks, but it's a very small target indoors when shooting strings. Looks like I'll be visiting Ace hardware to build another mulch trap this afternoon. Thanks for all the great feedback and recommendations.

I like the idea of plywood on the front if it does slow down the hole leaking mulch. I keep a tape gun by the box and throw a couple of strips over the hole but it does get tiresome with testing and filling then taping.