Pellet trap

[mklotz]

This is one of those well-it's-sort-of-a-tool posts.

I like to keep my rifle skills honed using an upscale pellet rifle in the backyard. Not too much noise to scare the neighbors and ammunition and the CO2 to propel it is cheap. To avoid pellets ricocheting and littering the lawn, I needed a pellet trap. The result is shown in the first photo.

I bought a small wooden crate at the local crafts store and fitted it with a handle surplussed from some electronic rack gear. The bottom of the crate is lined with duct seal...

https://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bende...ords=duct+seal

This stuff has a consistency like very dense, very sticky modeling clay; it never hardens. A .22 pellet fired point blank into it will be stopped and trapped (i.e., no ricochet) in less than 3/8" penetration. With a layer in the crate about an inch thick, every pellet gets trapped, even if the surface is chewed up by previous shots. The "ballistic putty" sold by airgun suppliers for pellet trap use looks suspiciously like duct seal but sells for a lot more.

The crate is further enhanced by strips of plumber's metal tape applied at the top and bottom edge. This allows me to use the white magnets shown to secure paper targets.

Paper targets are fine and all, but it's fun to shoot stuff that shatters as well. Fortunately, Necco wafers can be had cheaply in the dollar store. They shatter impressively and the fragments are devoured by the lawn fauna (better them than me) or they dissolve when the sprinklers come on. I glued four miniature clothes pins to a block of wood. Set this in the pellet trap and blaze away.

[Toolmaker51]

My pellet trap was a squirrel cage fan housing. Capped off inlet, exhaust had a nice flange for [guess what] magnets. I don't recall .22 as common air rifle then, mine was .20 [5mm]; the epic Sheridan pump rifle. Bought at 13 with mowing profits, no allowance in those days, still have it and positive it would like new seals. Would like a Feinwerkbau, Anschutz, but. . .My old boss was a pro hunter with the big 5 sheep, he shot into his fireplace with a trap.
I also enjoy air pistols, maybe even more with dime-size groups at 33'. One is a GAMO, not too bad but my Daisy 777 wails on it. None are C02.

[mklotz]

I also enjoy air pistols, maybe even more with dime-size groups at 33'. One is a GAMO, not too bad but my Daisy 777 wails on it. None are C02.

I'm not that good a pistol shot but, when I do get the urge, I have a Daisy Powerline 717 side lever cock in 0.177 that will produce respectable results. For gopher dispatching the old standby CO2 fueled Crosman 2240 in 0.22 will do the job nicely.

Still, my favorite tool is the CO2 powered rifle. Archer Airguns...

https://www.archerairguns.com/Default.asp

sold me a ten shot magazine-fed Beeman QB78 (0.22) that's my favorite toy recently along with a QB78 (0.177) tack-driver also from Archer.

I've been tempted to get a good match rifle but, at my skill level, it would be like giving me Monarch or Pacemaker lathe - wasting good tools on a bad machinist.

[Toolmaker51]

I can't do that kind of group outdoors.
Marv, I've not heard of many Monarch owners here at HMT.net, and only 1 Pacemaker IYKWIM.
Soon, any of several general contributors will be granted open invitations here; to turn, mill, grind, sharpen, sand, weld, shear, brake, bend, inspect, till they're blue in the face. When they catch their breath, re-commence.
But three fine souls get first shot; purely to reward their support and interests in my posts.
And there's supposed to be an air-gun range in the trussed attic space. Indoors about 28 meters, no breezes!

[Altair]

Thanks mklotz! We've added your Pellet Trap to our Firearm and Weaponry category,
as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Pellet Trap by mklotz

tags: backing plate

[high-side]

I used to shoot in the Spring-Piston Class field target matches regularly back in the early 90's. I even got to shoot in the World Match when it was hosted at the range in my state. I fell right about in the middle percentile of over 100 Spring Gun shooters. I still love shooting air guns

[NeiljohnUK]

I build mine out of 1" WBP marine ply, with a 1/4" thick sheet of steel to protect and act as the deflector, with a scrap of Linatex rubber sheet to reduce noise, the same rubber sheeting used to prevent bounce back ricochets behind the targets on firearms ranges.