# Home range-how thick should backstop be?



## Jan in CO

Setting up a range outside one end of our barn where we do archery, but need a backstop that will keep 22's from going all the way through. Debating with hubby as to what we actually need. Any thoughts to keep the lead from penetrating if we shoot at a distance of 50 feet? Thanks


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

a 30-06 will penitrate 9 inches of dry sand and 15 of wet , or 25 of wet clay 

so if you have a good pile of sand your fine with 22 

building a box that you can fill with sand is good leave the front open make the box deeper so that you can pile the sand up dry sand works better because it slows the bullet down as it is displaced then fills right back in behind it so that the next round is slowed down the same way

but if this is outside the door any pile of dirt , manure and such that will keep you from seeing over it while you are standing in the barn will stop a 22 just fine and most anything else also 

dirt is usually cheap and works just fine


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## Wintergrower_OH

You will need the clean up the lead every so often . Not sure if this apply to every one everywhere or depending what the local laws say about lead from ammo .


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## Jan in CO

Thanks for the replies! Will have to see what we could do about the sand idea. I was hoping a couple layers of thick plywood would work. We plan on policing the lead, as we do that at our shooting club when we can.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

It is not what stops a bullet 1,5,10 or even 100 times that your concerned about , its the 1000shot to the same spot and beyond 

will this be outside against the building or will it be outside 50 feet from the building so that you can shoot from the door ?

what is beyond it ?

will it be a slow fire precision target range or casual pinking with some more rapid fire ?

who will be shooting there just you and your husband or friends and family?
occasionally to sight in , or recreational daily or weekly shooting ?

you would be amazed what a 22 will go thru actually bullets in general 

a 22 will go thru 1 1/2 inches of pine even the cci quite that is only going 710 fps 
after a few hundred rounds to the general center mass of a 10 inch thick slab of oak log you are thru 

wood is an ok temporary low volume back stop if it is thick enough , but with the exception of the big chunks of log that i cut while i cut fire wood wood is generally not cost effective by any means 

I did have a guy who's primary purpose was to recover the lead bullets tell me he made a box with 2x8 sides and a plywood front and back then left the top open and filled it with dirt , he could shoot into it for a while then dump the dry dirt out of it and collect up the lead , but this wasn't to stop a stray round form heading off to the neighbors this was to catch lead on an existing range 

metal bullet traps or box bullet traps with sand or dubber mulch in them are all fine ways to catch bullets , but none would be considered a good safety back stop 

so plain and simple if you don't have a hill to keep the bullets from leaving your property a big pile of dirt or sand is the most cost effective way to stop bullets


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## Bearfootfarm

> I was hoping a couple layers of thick plywood would work


*Angled* steel plate makes a good backstop for a 22
Lean the top towards the shooter and it will direct the bullets downward

Google "22 bullet trap" and you can see more ideas if you are* ONLY* using *22 rimfires*


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## alleyyooper

My presant target back stop is a stack of 5, 17" pickup used tires filled with sand. I have shot it with 22LR, 22 center fire, 243, 7mm08, 308, 300 win mag, 50, 54cal muzzlerloaders, 38 special and 357 hand guns and a 20 ga. slug gun. It has held up very well despite many hits in the same area from many of the above listed calibers at ranges from 13 yards to 100 and a little. If the hole starts getting big enough to leak some sand just spin the tire a bit.










 Al


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## dkhern

what gcp said about multiple rds in same place. had a friend who was target shooter wanted to shoot at home could open door to garage and stand at end of hall and had about 25yd. shot a 10rd group into sand box had a 1" group that went thru the outside brick wall. serriously id suggest 3/16 or 1/4" plate on angle like said w/sand in bottom. sift sand to recover lead.


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