The Self-Healing Pellet Trap

[Fate]

I've seen many posts and threads talking about pellet traps and the frustrations thereof. For many years I was content with my metal pellet trap I got 30-40 years ago for my RWS/Diana 35 and Sheridan. It's only since I got my Diana 48 and then the much more powerful Synrod that problems began. The D48 dented my nice old pellet trap, but the PCP destroyed it... bending the louvers out of the frame and even putting a hole in one of the hardened steel lovers. At first I put 2x4s in front of the trap but that only resulted in splinters everywhere and holes through the 2x4s and more bent louvers in my pellet trap. Then I tried 3/4" plywood... same thing.

Then I remembers what I'd been using outside for the past few months with the D48. It was the answer for it after many other options failed, but would it handle the PCP's power. It did.

For those making pellet traps... I'm going to reiterate what I've posted elsewhere.

I use plastic coffee containers, the 24.2oz size or the one double that... filled with either kitty liter, oil dry (about the same thing as kitty liter), or play sand. It is filled to the top so the top cover has to be forced on after shaking it down to settle the filling.

What this creates is a self-healing pellet stopper. One, the plastic container mostly closes after a pellet strike. Two, after the pellet enters the medium it just settles into the channel the pellet made and voila... no hole. Since my Synrod shoots such small groups after a while the holes enlarge and some medium will come out, but very little. That's when I put some plastic tape over the riddled area ... and turn the container to a new target surface and start over. The ONLY time a pellet got to the other side is when I didn't fill the container COMPLETELY TO THE TOP, shot within 3/4" of the cover, and only skimmed the medium inside. But it didn't penetrate the other side even then. Like I said, fill it FULL.

I've shot the same container countless times with my D48 and especially while tuning my Marauder inside to 32+ fpe. Since the groups are tiny I can have many small targets on a side, each capable of receiving many many shots before moving to another. Then, like I said, I just turn the container to a new area.

I've tried the rest. Ruined a good metal pellet trap with the gun's power. Destroyed 2x4s. Pulverized plywood. Etc. Not once have I had a problem with this simple trap when filled properly. Fill it with dry play sand and I'll bet dollars to donuts it'll stop a .22 LR. At least.

If you want a larger square target to shoot, there are containers for that that you can fill with the same medium. Just make it a similar depth and use a similar medium. I've been shooting a long time and tried many things. This is my keeper. My inside range is now a simple little shelf on a plywood square hanging on a wall with my little can sitting on it. Since I use a can of coffer every two weeks I have several waiting to replace the one that's finally holed and taped enough to retire. No mess, no fuss, no pellet or other shards to liter the laundry room where it's at. Just a little red can on a shelf on a wall.

Want to shoot it outside? Take the double size container with you anywhere. Filled with play sand it's heavier but with the kittly liter or oil dry it's very light. It's deceptively simple. A self-healing pellet trap that's easy to make, easy to use, and works perfectly every time.

I'm posting this in the Air Gun Gate because of present relevant trap posts and the frustrations with them. It probably belongs in the Simple Home Projects (tips and tricks) Gate, and the admin may relocate it there. But since this is a common and recurring issue with shooters it's here first, for now.

[Barkis]

Thanks, Jeff. I'm gonna give your suggestion a whirl. Lived in Franklin, WV for 8 years and Wheeling for 10. Mountaineers are always free!

[Arch_E]

Thanks. This is helpful.

Archie

[Fate]

Amazingly small world isn't it Dennis. I think and live by that motto and always have. It's connotations reach deeper than the obvious.

Thanks Archie. Be sure to post your thoughts.

Did I mention it's quiet? Nothing to reverberate, the impact is absorbed by the medium and all there is is the pellet strike.

[Oldgringo]

Photos, please.  We have several of the giant COSTCO Folger's coffee containers that deserve a better life than the dumpster.

[subscriber]

And then, there is rubber mulch:  https://www.lowes.com/pd/NuScape-0-8-cu-ft-Brown-Rubber-Mulch/1001363462

[JohnnyPDX]

Fate,

I like your solution! It definitely won't fall over either.

[Doug Wall]

No mention of trying duct seal or rubber mulch in your post? I guess you must have missed those over the last 25 years while you were chewing up 2x4s and plywood. I've been using a duct seal trap for about 25 years, and other than digging out fused lead lumps occasionally, I've only had to partially refill it once. I have a rubber mulch trap that I shoot a .357 airgun into, and I just tape over the holes in the front occasionally. Personally, I'd gather not have kitty litter or sand dumping out of holes in the front of the target.

[Fate]

Thanks Johnny.

Greg, here you are.

The shelf is untouched pieces assembled from my junk pile and the container is repurposed trash. The filling is from a bag of oil dry in the garage. I hate to throw anything away...

Note the white spots on the targets...  To improve groups I use a White Out pen to put tiny aim points on centers too big at 10m.

Subscriber, I'm sure the mulch works fine on properly constructed, bigger targets... outside. But after using it once it made such a mess I abandoned it's size and weight. And those rubber mulch pieces never degrade and never go away if they're spilled. My little cans do it all now. Spilled clay and sand simply return to the soil from which they came.

Doug, over the years I've tried about everything, including duct seal. For one, it's expensive whereas cat litter and sand are cheap in quantity. And if the duct seal isn't deep enough it will shoot through if it's shot many times in one spot with enough energy. This trap has, litterally , no downsides. But I'm not advocating anyone to give up what they're happy with... it's an alternative.

The problem with most pellet traps is repeated shots into a small area. With this one I've put 50-100 shots into less than an inch during chrony testing of tunes without a problem. If the hole begins to spill a little filling I tape it up and turn the can. It's amazing what a bunch of 30+ fpe little pellets can do when placed into a tiny area.

[JohnnyPDX]

No mention of trying duct seal or rubber mulch in your post? I guess you must have missed those over the last 25 years while you were chewing up 2x4s and plywood. I've been using a duct seal trap for about 25 years, and other than digging out fused lead lumps occasionally, I've only had to partially refill it once. I have a rubber mulch trap that I shoot a .357 airgun into, and I just tape over the holes in the front occasionally. Personally, I'd gather not have kitty litter or sand dumping out of holes in the front of the target.

The point of using the plastic coffee cans was that it DOESN'T LEAK sand, self-healing for many shots, and it's very easy to harvest the lead by simply filtering the sand. Whereas with duct seal it's a PITA to harvest the lead, should you want to. I use duct seal in my traps and it's great but his trap is quite good as well.

[fwbsport]

Flagstone and brick work here.  The pellets disintegrate upon impact.  No cleaning out a "trap" for them. 

[Motorhead]

Built BOUNCE boxes myself ... Range target as well chrony station use them.

[Bill_in_TR]

The kitty litter in a somewhat self healing container is a nice idea. But kitty litter is available in square sided plastic  containers itself. When one side gets too shot up just tape over the leaking holes and rotate ninety degrees. No need to save a different container to use and then put kitty litter in.

[Fate]

Now those are serious traps, Greg. But at your level and business interests, needed. Industrial strength and definitely pellet proof.

Those are far above my needs, however, as well as having no room for them. So it's the simple stuff for me. My guns are a lifelong hobby but shooting goes in fits and spurts. I've already exceeded what I thought was my limit, although with two projects on the bench now, 3 new guns, new gun rack, chrony, compressor and a shelf full of pellets... the future's uncertain. May be time to admit joining GTA awakened a sleeping virus or something.

All the threads on SSGs, TSSs, hammers, regulators and the like are like drugs to a junkie... kept at bay with bookmarks, wish lists, and endless reading instead. I must resist... and go shoot a few. Zen out. Enjoy what I've got instead of coveting greener grass on the other side.

[Fate]

The kitty litter in a somewhat self healing container is a nice idea. But kitty litter is available in square sided plastic  containers itself. When one side gets too shot up just tape over the leaking holes and rotate ninety degrees. No need to save a different container to use and then put kitty litter in.

That's exactly what I've needed, Bill! Haven't seen them in the stores I go to, so it's online searching once more.

Thanks for the idea.

[Bill_in_TR]

That comes from someone with four cats in the house. My wife won't let me use them for target practice . You can get the kitty litter that way at Walmart.

[Blowpipe Sam]

I've got a home made Fackler box.  It doesn't work perfectly and pellets often escape.  Since it sits in the far corner of my yard and escape velocity is low this hasn't been much of a problem.  Except that corner of my yard is now a toxic waste dump of spent pellets.  So your cool idea looks like my salvation.  I think I could fit a couple of those coffee containers in the box.  Thanks for the tip!

[Barkis]

I ran a few shots from my XS 25 .177 -- the most powerful gun I have -- at the Can. Shooting head on, the trap is mostly self-healing. These are the shots on the right. The lower target was me just getting warmed up. The upper right target has five pellets in it. The targets to the left were shot from an angle. You can see by the pile of sand that I opened up wounds that took longer to heal. Those are five shots in both targets. Now a larger medium than sand might work better, but I don't this this is too bad given how cheap and easy it is to set up.

[Hoosier Daddy]

When I first got back into airguns, I would do the same with the round metal coffee cans. Just lay them on the side and shoot the lid.
 They would take a LOT of shots, then just replace the lid and maybe a little more kitty litter.
 

[mrbulk]

Okay I'm sold, but finding out rubberized mulch is Also sold (out) everywhere, so I ordered this tonight instead - that price is for two (2) 20-lb. jugs of self-healing targets, so I now will also have a spare (less taping over ):