Canadian Airgun Forum

Decided to upgrade my indoor range workshop's 20"x24"x4" solid wood backstop. Grew tired of the mess, noise and worst, too many ricochets from <600fps .177 pistols (max 5 fpe)! The solid wood\plywood target holders\backstops just were not the right tool for the job indoors! Using scrap wood I had on hand, came up with "Duct Seal" for the initial\main pellet catcher, a $10 1\8" metal plate backing from the local sheet metal business, and all mounted and backed by 3\4" plywood.


Installed Twenty-One 1.1"D x 2"W x 7"L "sticky clay like" 1lb Duct Seal bricks (total of 280sqin, just the size of my new target box). I packed them in tightly to insure tight sealing between each brick. Overall, ended up with a thickness of 1.25" of DS in my 16" x 17.5" shooting area. Put on the hanging clips, pulled out targets and started testing this new shooting box and backstop. WOW, no more .177 ricochets, no more target paper or lead pellets all over the workshop, or splintered wood fragments to clean up after a practice session. And, NO IMPACT NOISE, just the piffs and spiffs of the pistol actions or shot broadcast following each trigger pull...Nice!!


As for the targets, used 24#, 32#, 67# and 110# weight paper targets to test for "clean hole \ wad cutter" efficiencies! Surprised that the 64# paper performed as good as the 110# card stock we had, which is great since our laser printer likes that lighter paper product! However, was curious about the real sticky duct seal. As per my testing, even the 24# paper targets were left with clean holes, as long as I stuck the target directly on the duct seal! Still, the cleanest hole penetrations were found with the 67# weight paper stock and with a full ream in the house, will be making my own targets from now on! After 200 or so rounds through my four .177 air pistols using Hobby 7.0g wad cutters, the P17's (410 to 420fps) penetrated the DS so that the skirt was even with the surfaces. The Trevox (535fps) and the Trail NP (565fps) penetrations went 1\16" below the DS surface.


So far, seems to work extremely well for my intended purposes! Haven't tried heavier HP, pointed or domed leads yet, but believe even my Titian XS (1000fps) will not get through the 1.25" of DS...will see!

Ted

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RIFLE:
Benjamin Titan XS .177
PISTOLS:
Benjamin Trail NP .177
Umarex Trevox .177
Beeman P17 .177's (2)
Beeman P3 .177
Bear River BOA .177 (2)

Looks like a nice set up

That is one awesome looking backstop!

Sent from my K00L using Tapatalk

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Megiddo65

Good job. I would screw another two by four frame on the front of it to make it deeper. Box looks shallow. You are going to have a mess of paper and pellets on the floor. Once so many pellets and they hit pellets they will drop to the floor. That's why I have a deep box and 2 layers in front of duct seal to hold the garbage and pellets inside as much as possible. Have it listed what I did on the other thread. CHEERS!

Thanks Kevin,

Great suggestion! With just 200 leads in it, there hasn't been any issues with falling debris...Yet!

Extending the 2" box depth certainly wouldn't be difficult, even adding a small vertical "drop shelf" at the bottom to catch falling pellets & paper, ready for quick cleaning would keep the range tidy!

Ted

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RIFLE:
Benjamin Titan XS .177
PISTOLS:
Benjamin Trail NP .177
Umarex Trevox .177
Beeman P17 .177's (2)
Beeman P3 .177
Bear River BOA .177 (2)

I use small desk drawer with duct seal to catch pellets. it has enough depth to slip in a foil tray from the dollar store to catch any pellets which may deflect from others previously shot and then fall forward. After session I pick out the pellets with needle nose pliers and let them fall into the tray to be emptied. Perhaps you can find enough depth to install this and secure with quick remove push pins on the back lip of the tray into the seal or play with the shape of it to make a snug fit

Thanks TR for the info...good ideas! Since my target\backstop is designed to hang from the wall, believe I'll be making a pocket extension catch-all trough at the base. Maybe with a latched swing down front, I'll just have to swing the front door down after a practice session, sweep the lead\paper into the shop basket...good to go for the next session of fun, huh?!?

Ted

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RIFLE:
Benjamin Titan XS .177
PISTOLS:
Benjamin Trail NP .177
Umarex Trevox .177
Beeman P17 .177's (2)
Beeman P3 .177
Bear River BOA .177 (2)

[list=][/list]I'm with ya. I have a very good dart board set up. I wished to use the lane for shooting. I bent some 1/4 inch brackets and place the stop over top of dart board. When I what to play darts I unhook and place to the side..
I used 5/8 quality sheeting and 1 layer of carpet underlay and polyplast (what signs are made of) and another layer of rubber underlay. Built a trough all the way along the bottom to caught BB's and pellets. Drilled a hole for clean out. Works good. The poly plast (sign material works fantastic to catching and if placed seams down they right to trough.

Looks great. The DS must be excellent in reducing noise. I have to agree that a means to catch paper debris would be good. I'm putting together my own pellet trap and will keep your design in mind. Thanks for sharing.

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I have some airguns.

Thanks JC. The DS is not just quiet, but deadly silent!

Since I now place targets directly onto the DS (very sticky), there's no paper mess. Right now, nothing escapes the DS till I remove the lead build-ups. After each shooting session (100-300 rounds), I use a large plastic shipping tray and simply scrape build-ups with one hand into this mobile catch tray...keeps the mess off the floor and is quick and effective. I'm still working ideas out to catch removal of embedded pellets\BB's. Haven't figured out a light-weight permanent catch to install yet, as I'm reluctant to add any extra weigh\bulk to this setup (already 37#)!

I have to add, discovered I can't leave this DS trap stored in a vertical position, as the DS starts to "droop" and I have to reverse the orientation to get it to return to normal fill position. Thus, I now store this back-stop unit horizontally (on its back) and the DS stays in place. I'm thinking of removing the metal plate, as it seems the DS has minimal gripping stamina to it, causing it to want to go towards gravity! However, my 1.25" DS thickness doesn't even allow my Trail NP pistol .177 (550fps) to sink pellets below their skirt surfaces. So with the 3\4" wood backing (DS should stick better to it), I'll still have PLENTY of stopping power for even my 950fps Benji Titan XS air rifle!

Ted

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RIFLE:
Benjamin Titan XS .177
PISTOLS:
Benjamin Trail NP .177
Umarex Trevox .177
Beeman P17 .177's (2)
Beeman P3 .177
Bear River BOA .177 (2)

Decided I'll use this "duct seal" target back stop just for my pellet pistols (<5fpe). Removed the 1\8" back metal plate and about 50% of the duct seal. Still easily stops pistol .177 leads (penetrations go just to the skirt tails), still deathly quite, duct seal adheres to the 3\4" plywood without drooping and now, the back stop assembly is just 20#...Much More Manageable!!

FWIW, I still have a 3" thick 2X\plywood target back stop for any bigger artillery!!

Ted

_________________
RIFLE:
Benjamin Titan XS .177
PISTOLS:
Benjamin Trail NP .177
Umarex Trevox .177
Beeman P17 .177's (2)
Beeman P3 .177
Bear River BOA .177 (2)