Bullet Trap Design

Earthen mounds and /or straw bales work well and are the cheap way out(sounds like cost is a major issue)

How about old carpet? Folks throw it out all the time. Hang it so it can flex and absorb the impact. I would put the shag side to the bullet, the bullets would cut up the matt just like they probably cut the conveyor belt. You can attach area rugs over spots that get hit a lot. When the area rug is done, pin up another.

LCD monitors - Do you have any more Del?

The belts actually stop many rounds in the first layer. The longer they are exposed to impact the less effective they become, and need to be replaced. Having a space betwixt them does improve stopping capability.

I am considering copying a hopper style feeder for the belt pieces so as they get shot up the debris falls to the floor for sorting.

We use Rubber Chips,ground up rubber like wood chips, piled up in front and rear. Were able to buy it in large quantities in plastic bales.

If placed against a concrete wall the lead can be separated out.

Good luck

I don't know if this will help, but when I did a google search a while back on this subject, the NRA (of course) had some relevant information, as did the US Department of Energy (surprised me they did).

Trying to contain cal .44 Magnum fire should not be attempted on the cheap. Depending on the size of your range, your best bet may be minimum .5 inch armor plate oriented at less than 30 degrees from plane of bullet travel diverting the bullets downward into dry sand at least 3' deep. Don't forget to armor the sides, as well. Monitor erosion of the plate behind the targets; you might need to add more thickness to the wear surface periodically.

half inch plate, angled into sand. Works perfectly. Its what we used for the indoor range in Summerside. For rifle bullets, you need a berm (a dike) of sand piled up against a concrete wall, outside would be best for that of course. We found old used carpet is a cheap way to keep the sand (and toxic dust) from spraying up in both cases. For indoor ranges, you MUST Vent thoroughly, pushing the air at the butts through a good dust collector...the lead oxide is really dangerous. A public range will have a hard time keeping its licence if the level of lead oxide dust in the air gets too high.

You might clarify whether this is an indoor or outdoor range. Because the old one burned, it sounds like it's an indoor range, however, in my part of the US no indoor range permits firing 44 (or any other) magnum ammunition. To get a good answer you need to clearly describe the problem.

Here in Tampa are indoor ranges that allow rifles and handguns to .50 cal. and machine guns (fully auto.), but no reloads, black powder or tracers. They also use the Snail capture method which is not cheap. The new structure will be on a concrete slab, so I will find it difficult to deflect the rounds into a sand pit.

Vic

Scrap steel or a mountain backstop.