quiet bullet trap

[jlwilliams]

Looking for suggestions for a 22lr bullet trap that doesn't make a lot of noise when hit. I want to shoot suppressed 22 without banging a gong loud enough to negate the suppression. I have new neighbors who haven't really made a problem with my occasional shooting yet, but I'd like to keep it as discreet as possible. Mostly I shoot off premises, but I do like to pop a few off at home because I can; and if they complain that would create static I don't need.

I looked at the Champion bullet box but the biggest complaint posted on Amazon was that it rings like a bell when hit with pellets. I'm sure more energy hitting it would be louder. I thought about a 1/2" steel plate with some sand on it but I don't really want a permanent installation (have that elsewhere, this will be for occasional use and be put out of sight out of mind when not used) Could I get one of the pre made traps and put sound dampening on it? Maybe glue rubber stall matts to it to deaden the sound?

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Fulliautomatix]

The stall mat idea sounds good, that's some pretty HD stuff. Although you'd probably end up needing to replace it every once in a while... so maybe don't use a heavy application of that spray glue when you install it. I know there's also stuff available like dynamat that is used for sound deadening in cars that you could use on the outside of trap to quiet it down some too.

Depending on the construction of the trap, maybe you could just hang a multi-layer sheet of the stall mat in the opening (perpendicular to bullet travel) to slow the bullets down significantly before they hit the trap itself, making it quieter. It would also reduce the amount of noise coming out of trap.

[JeffWard]

I was reading up on this SAME topic.

One guy took the Champion Trap and suspended the whole trap inside a box, then filled in around it with expanding foam insulation. Turned the ringing into a "thunking". Sounds like a cheap fix.

Jeff

[Fulliautomatix]

Spray foam... good stuff. Right up there with duct tape.

[rimshaker]

I shoot 22LR at top soil bags in my backyard, using sticky notes as targets. And behind the bags are stacked concrete blocks. The heavy duty plastic holds up very well to bullet holes.

Naturally I only use subsonic ammo, so all you hear is a *thud*. 22LR can still fully penetrate the bags sometimes, but hitting the concrete blocks isn't more than just a *clink* sound.

[jlwilliams]

Great stuff. Good thinking. Bags of dirt sound promising too. Shredded rubber mulch pops up in the Google surf too.

[Dieseljay]

So the loud ding noise is because nothing is pressing against he back of the bullet trap. If you pack dirt around the back of the trap so its pressing on the back of the steel in the same spot where the bullet hits you get a thud and not a ding noise. Its simple and cheap.
At least thats what I do. But I also have the trap in a half trench that I dug out about 6'long 1' deep. So any noise it makes it deflected upwards anyways.

[Wicked]

http://www.letargets.com/content/rdp-st ... -panel.asp

[T-Rex]

I shoot 22LR at top soil bags in my backyard, using sticky notes as targets. And behind the bags are stacked concrete blocks. The heavy duty plastic holds up very well to bullet holes.

Naturally I only use subsonic ammo, so all you hear is a *thud*. 22LR can still fully penetrate the bags sometimes, but hitting the concrete blocks isn't more than just a *clink* sound.

Yup
Fill some sand bags for behind target
Sand will stop anything, the lowly citizen can throw at it and it is not loud at all

[David Hineline]

I had a 12" cube sized box filled with the mold goop they fill farm tires with so they don't ever go flat, 12" thick will stop 30-06 FMJ bullets no problem.

[jlwilliams]

What is the box made of?

[JJinParadise]

My FFL in Key West had an office that was only 15x20. The office was part of a dock warehouse, The rest was a commercial fish monger.

He picked up some out-dated soft armor vests and hung them on the wall. You could not hear the impact. They don't last forever, but you should get a couple years out of them,, with 22lr??

YMMV

My $00.00002

[jlwilliams]

A quick update.

I filled a cardboard box (14" cube) with rubber mulch and shot it once. No exit. I didn't have time to really give it hell, but I will when I can. At $7 a bag it cost $14 plus the box. Pretty lean cost. I will put it in front of a solid backstop and shoot the hell out of it to see how long it takes before the rounds dig a tunnel through. I think that if I really stuff the box and occasionally pour it all into a new box adding more as needed, thereby upsetting the tunnel effect and more or less renewing the resistance it could be a viable backyard bullet stopping target stand. More to come.

I did a quick search for used body armor on eBay (thank you JJ). It's cheap. I ordered a piece of 2a with stains for $25. I'm sure it will still stop a 22lr, but I'm not sure how long it will stand up to being hit in the same spot over and over. Maybe it will work out OK, maybe three hits in the same spot will work their way through. Only one way to find out so I hit "buy it now" so we will find out soon. Again, more on that as it comes.

[T-Rex]

I have seen the rubber mulch used as a back stop, but never tried it, personally.

Check out places like Tractor Supply. They sell thick rubber sheeting. You can line the sides of the box with this, or make a cylinder out of it. Just spin it when the target area gets a bit shot-out.

[dewingrm]

I've used duct seal with good results. It is silent with 22lr. It would take quite a few layers for anything over 22. I use duct seal packed in a wood box for quiet shooting in the house.

[ATAC]

This is how you do it with a champion bullet trap. Hammer wooden wedges under the bar that holds the paper target clip. Running wood strips from top to bottom with significant pressure causes the wood to absorb the vibration of the metal from a bullet strike. That vibration causes the "gong" sound. This will reduce the noise to a thud. The more wood the more pressure placed against the back of the trap the lower the "gong" sound will become.

If you're into shooting .22 subsonic into bullet traps, check out my website. tacticalcourse.com