Pellet Trap question

[kingdomofthieves]

Hey.  I am making a pellet trap at work with some of the scrap we have lying around.  Dimensions will be close to 12x12x12 inches made of 10 gauge steel and some drop off angle iron.  Right now it will just be paper targets.  I may drill some holes in the side later on and make some spinner targets.

My question: Is 10 gauge (.135") steel going to hold up well vs .22 cal air rifles/pistols?

This is the main reason I made the back plate bolt-on vs welding it solid.  I can always go heavier.

What gauge are production pellet traps made of?

[Trenier]

10 ga. if I remember right is .135" should do well.  That would be heavier than what I've seen in commercial models, typically 12 ga and even thinner on the sides. 

[cactusrat]

You could cut another piece for the inside of the back wall to have a double thick wall. Put a magnet in each corner of the back wall to have them hold the new piece in place. That way if it becomes to holey, it would be easy to replace.

[kingdomofthieves]

10 ga. if I remember right is .135" should do well.  That would be heavier than what I've seen in commercial models, typically 12 ga and even thinner on the sides.

Ok sounds good.

Should I be putting anything in the bottom?  Carpet, sand, foam, etc?

I've never seen a trap up close, just pictures on the internet.

You could cut another piece for the inside of the back wall to have a double thick wall. Put a magnet in each corner of the back wall to have them hold the new piece in place. That way if it becomes to holey, it would be easy to replace.

The whole back wall (angled face) is bolted onto the weldment.  I designed it this way so I can remove it if it wears out or becomes holey.  The air in our basement is often humid.  So rust is another factor.  Painting the back wall will only last until the pellets chip all the paint away.  I didn't want to mess with having to cut/torch the back wall off when it rusts through, only to weld a new piece on and start the whole rust-cut-replace cycle over again.  We have plenty of scrap steel where I work, so it's no problem to nest a back piece on the plasma bed.

[cactusrat]

One way of looking at it if a pellet was to go threw the back plate, what would it hit?

Having a second back plate would give you extra insurance. The second plate would only have to cover the area where most of the pellets hit.

A rust back plate could be easier to shoot threw

[Karasu1982]

I have one I bought like that. I slapped some duct seal on the back inside of it, and it's not very loud now either. Either the seal is taking most of the pep out of the pellet, or it's doing a fine job dulling the sound.

[Sundog]

I made mine 35 years ago and the last three decades it has lived in my garage in Florida, so the surfaces are rusty but still solid.  It’s mostly .062 thick (not sure of what gage) and it worked fine for the pistol I started with.  Then I got my 124 and it pounded the steel much harder, so I bolted on a second layer.  It’s a bit thin for the 124 and I have to pound it flat every few thousand rounds but it catches lead pretty well.  I think .135 and 12 x 12 is a good start.
Mine catches pellets thru a slot at the rear/floor and the floor/front removes via tapped holes so it can be emptied.  One thing it isn’t is quiet, and now that I’m retired and shooting more I’m thinking about bolting a wooden board onto the back to dampen the ringing of the metal.



Do you have access to a break so you can bend angles or will you weld it all?  Obviously I put plywood sides on mine, the screw shaft inside (bottom rear) seems to help slow and break up the pellets inside.

 

[RedFeather]

I was using a large cardboard box stuffed full of plastic grocery bags and backstopped by two plates maybe thick as yours, very heavy.  Nothing would make it to the plates.  Finally cleaned it out.  What a mess those bags made.  Will have a devil of a time melting and drossing the pellets which I hoped to use for muzzle loading.  Got a new large box, simply laid the plates in front to back at an angle, with a couple of phone books to counter weight them as they stick out.  So far, following at least a hundred rounds of cvarious caliber and powers, nothing has come out, although it is noisey (basement, ten meters).  Maybe you could sit your trap in a larger box if indoors or make a tray with batting etc in the bottom.  Something to keep them from bouncing but also easy to separate if you wish to salvage the lead.  Makes good sinkers, too.

[56S]

I just built one for my son in college and I uncluded a piece of 1/2 closed cell foam contact cemented to the 10ga alum. backstop plate with another layer of aluminum glued to the foam.  I also included a piece of the same foam in front to help prevent dust and debris from exiting the trap.  This foam comes in around 24 x 24" pieces that interlock.  I bought mine at a Big Lots store and it also makes a nice,clean and soft work surface to place on the workbench when I work on my rifles

[OleTomCat]

Hey.  I am making a pellet trap at work with some of the scrap we have lying around.  Dimensions will be close to 12x12x12 inches made of 10 gauge steel and some drop off angle iron.  Right now it will just be paper targets.  I may drill some holes in the side later on and make some spinner targets.

My question: Is 10 gauge (.135") steel going to hold up well vs .22 cal air rifles/pistols?

This is the main reason I made the back plate bolt-on vs welding it solid.  I can always go heavier.

What gauge are production pellet traps made of?

King,

I have one of these traps that I have been using for about 10 years, just really started putting alot of pellets into it over the last couple though, it has sat outside for most of it's live and all of the powder coating has come off.  The wall thickness is about 10ga, but mine is starting to show some signs of needing to be replaced, the back wall is starting to let daylight in...

Also it has a sloped lead in on the bottom that comes up about 1.5" then rounds off and slopes back down, this acts a berm to stop pellets from ricochetting out of the trap when the hit the back wall and then angle down and smack the bottom, almose all of the pellet pieces collect behind the berm....

If I remember I will take a picture and post it up...

[drewciferpike]

You can also do what Niko did, and take a PB trap like that, and stuff it with duct seal. It lives outside, is quiet... and is heavier than a mutha'...

[Kowboi]

I am a cabinet maker and from time to time we have cabinets that are not used for whatever reason so I have a virtually unending supply of pellet traps. All our stuff is solid wood or plywood except for the back which is usually 1/8 mdf. I add a piece of 3/4 plywood or whatever to the back and sound deadening materiel to the inside and I'm set, free pellet traps. I have given some away and have a couple in reserve right now ...lol.