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Quantum Singularity

Tue Apr 15 2008, 06:46PM

Registered Member #158 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 09:53PM
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 282

I was wondering if anyone had any good designs for a bullet trap that can hold up to some heavier high velocity rounds. My last launcher at half power was pushing 200+fps with a 2.5" diameter aluminum slug I was launching outside. They were still large enough to find in the yard, though sometimes I struggled and did manage to loose one. Now I want to experiment with some much smaller diameter rounds and I fear I'd loose em shooting into the yard. Since these will be machined, I really dont want to loose them.

Would it be as simple as making a triangular trap out of 3/4" plywood with the lower half of the opening closed off? I'm not sure if there is more to it than that. I am picturing them in my head and I know I've seen folks here build them before but when I search for bullet trap its not finding anything.

I'd like to ensure containment, be able to stop something potentially 500fps hopefully without damaging the aluminum projectile.

Ken M.

Tue Apr 15 2008, 09:04PM

Registered Member #618 Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 04:15AM
Location: Us-Great Lakes
Posts: 628

Get a big Neodimium magnet and and attach it to a metal pole and sift through you yard, so long as you use ferrous slugs.

Quantum Singularity

Tue Apr 15 2008, 10:01PM

Registered Member #158 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 09:53PM
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 282

LOL well I already have a detector for finding lost arrows (I'm a bowhunter) but it will not work with aluminum. I only shoot aluminum as of yet, never built a reluctance type coilgun before, only induction.

huzbum

Tue Apr 15 2008, 11:00PM

Registered Member #1439 Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 03:25PM
Location:
Posts: 5

indoor rifle ranges use steel plate at a 45* angle over about 1 ft of water. I imagine this would damage your machined projectiles. I would suggest using sand bags. 6" of sand will stop just about anything, but you'll have to dig the projectiles out.

Otherwise how about an old blanket hung from the clothes line? it should catch the projectile and fold around it if it's not sharp.

Billybobjoe

Wed Apr 16 2008, 01:46AM

Registered Member #396 Joined: Wed Apr 19 2006, 12:55AM
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 176

Quantum Singularity wrote ...

Would it be as simple as making a triangular trap out of 3/4" plywood with the lower half of the opening closed off? I'm not sure if there is more to it than that.

That's the basic idea, and some thick towels or pieces of carpet hanging in front of such a box would help protect your projectiles better.

Backyard Skunkworks

Wed Apr 16 2008, 05:15AM

Registered Member #1262 Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451

Last year when I built a surgical tubing powered spear gun that was getting a 20g rod projectile up to 250 ft/sec I was able to stop it by first having it go through three layers of cardboard and then have an entire box of garbage bags for it to hit into. The projectile would go through several bags but the energy would be so spread out that it always stopped, this is how the kevlar layers work on "bullet proof" vests.

It's because of that project that I know how to fix drywall on very short notice with only epoxy and paper

w1vlf

Wed Apr 16 2008, 08:44PM

Registered Member #1329 Joined: Mon Feb 18 2008, 07:31PM
Location: Harwinton Connecticut
Posts: 53

Tristan ... BTW where do you get those aluminum slugs you are firing in your video???

PauLC
W1VLF

ArcLight

Thu Apr 17 2008, 02:49AM

Registered Member #341 Joined: Thu Mar 23 2006, 07:41PM
Location: Northern Illinois, USA
Posts: 69

If your aim is good plumber's putty works quite well. If your aim isn't so good and your projectile isn't sharp, hanging carpet might get the job done.

Regards, ArcLight

Quantum Singularity

Sat Apr 19 2008, 02:17AM

Registered Member #158 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 09:53PM
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 282

Thanks for the advice guys. When I get a second I might draw up some rough plans.

Quantum Singularity

Mon Apr 28 2008, 11:08PM

Registered Member #158 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 09:53PM
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 282

Ok I just drew out some really basic diagrams so tell me if these will work or if there is a better way 9sorry they are crude, just sketched on scrap paper while at work):

Trap1

Side view on left, front view on right.

Basically a box with an angled back. The round part is the opening. Doesnt have to be round, just drew it like that. I figure will stand about 2' tall and deep. Some heavy material can be hung in the opening - I assume thats useful.

I wasnt sure if I should make an internal baffle to reduce the chances of the bullet coming back out, something like:
Trap3

I plan on making the whole thing out of some heavy (probably 3/4"-1") plywood, osb, or mdf.

Open to any opinions on if this will be fine or suggestions for something better...

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