Other Big Bore Lead Traps Targets Anyone?

[BriarpatchMtn]

Haven't seen anyone mention making a lead trap target for their big bores. New to pcp's and casting, but I hate wasting money unnecessarily and lead cost money.
Got my idea off another forum for indoor pistol shooting. I wanted something mobile though.
This has worked with no issues shooting my .457 Challenger Elite turned up to shoot 300gr slugs at 800fps/400fpe. Have yet to have a solid hit on the AR steel, even at 35yds.
Took an old 15gal compressor tank, cut it in half, welded cross brace at back/bottom seam and tacked 3/8 AR steel circle to that(chain around edge was because wasn't ordering a custom size and to keep mulch from fall behind it), then split the removed upper portion of tank and inserted to double the wall thickness, and filled with rubber mulch. Arm frame has space holes to allow for leveling adjustments for terrain, and for rolling to any yardage. This contraption is a bit on the heavy side though. (Materials estimate around $125 tops, mostly the AR plate.)
Target area is about 15" diameter and has about 11" of rubber mulch to the steel plate.
Plywood gets blown out, but stapled on targets actually hold the rubber mulch in really well when leaving them layered.
Collected 21lbs of my pure lead out of it last weekend for recasting.
Happy Shooting
Disclaimer shoot at your own risk, not sure how much power something like this can actually handle.

 

[RM.510bigbore]

Nice!!!!!!! I do the same thing for my big bores....I use a industrial loader bucket with mine belting over the front to staple targets. It works good just like your design... Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shaman]

Here is mine - allmost selfmade from scrap I just used 4mm steel plate and thick steel pipe!

I tested it with Airforce Texan .50 caliber and this happened:

At end i covered it with tick rubber for less noise

 

[BriarpatchMtn]

Here is mine - allmost selfmade from scrap I just used 4mm steel plate and thick steel pipe!

View attachment 487204View attachment 487204View attachment 487206View attachment 487205


I tested it with Airforce Texan .50 caliber and this happened:

View attachment 487202View attachment 487201View attachment 487200

At end i covered it with tick rubber for less noise


View attachment 487207

View attachment 487203

Nice. Wish I could get that steel ringing sound out of mine, only draw back of the rubber mulch. But end objective is reclaiming all the lead. Heating up the lead pot now to start recasting all that recovered lead.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@BriarpatchMtn If you cannot or don't want to make your own, consider something like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/3057185404...7SJ1VN&hash=item472e3eb88d:g:5uIAAMXQbcRQ74vC

There's an 18" trap by this seller as well.

How long does it take you to separate the lead from the mulch? Which method(s) do you use to do so?

 

[Panzerfaust]

Nice. Wish I could get that steel ringing sound out of mine, only draw back of the rubber mulch. But end objective is reclaiming all the lead. Heating up the lead pot now to start recasting all that recovered lead.

Glue a piece of thick rubber to the back side of the steel if possible, use something like silicon caulk/sealant or flex seal glue in the squeeze tube works really well. Use lots of adhesive, spread it with a small putty knife and coat the back of the rubber. It can’t ring when it can’t vibrate, the rubber dampens the vibration. The thicker the rubber , the better the result. old mud flap material works good, or old rubber conveyor belt, rubber roofs have these tread pieces they lay for walk ways on big flat rubber roofs, these things are excellent, I have found those at flea markets. Styrofoam was something I thought may have a similar effect if you don’t have any rubber. Like the dense insulation they sell at lowes and Home Depot.

 

[BriarpatchMtn]

Glue a piece of thick rubber to the back side of the steel if possible, use something like silicon caulk/sealant or flex seal glue in the squeeze tube works really well. Use lots of adhesive, spread it with a small putty knife and coat the back of the rubber. It can’t ring when it can’t vibrate, the rubber dampens the vibration. The thicker the rubber , the better the result. old mud flap material works good, or old rubber conveyor belt, rubber roofs have these tread pieces they lay for walk ways on big flat rubber roofs, these things are excellent, I have found those at flea markets. Styrofoam was something I thought may have a similar effect if you don’t have any rubber. Like the dense insulation they sell at lowes and Home Depot.

With mine the steel plate actually isn't being hit at all because of all the rubber mulch in front of it that fills the trap. It was a just incase because I didn't want to shoot thru trap. Mobility to vary yardage, and catching my lead for recasting was my goal. For the most part just used junk I had laying around. Know now I could remove steel without any issues. Would certainly lighten it up when moving it around.
At some point may build a mobile trap of some sort to give me that ringing but would require junk I don't presently have. Got plenty of steel hanging to ring with PBs, but wastes my pure lead.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

@BriarpatchMtn If you cannot or don't want to make your own, consider something like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/3057185404...7SJ1VN&hash=item472e3eb88d:g:5uIAAMXQbcRQ74vC

There's an 18" trap by this seller as well.

How long does it take you to separate the lead from the mulch? Which method(s) do you use to do so?

These traps are the best I've found for the powerful big bores and collecting the lead with little to no mess or sifting, and reasonably priced. They do mix a minimal amount of cardboard/paper target materials in the lead, but this burns off in the melting pot without too much smoke or toxicity. Well worth the initial investment.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Nice. Wish I could get that steel ringing sound out of mine, only draw back of the rubber mulch. But end objective is reclaiming all the lead. Heating up the lead pot now to start recasting all that recovered lead.

Glue a piece of thick rubber to the back side of the steel if possible, use something like silicon caulk/sealant or flex seal glue in the squeeze tube works really well. Use lots of adhesive, spread it with a small putty knife and coat the back of the rubber. It can’t ring when it can’t vibrate, the rubber dampens the vibration. The thicker the rubber , the better the result. old mud flap material works good, or old rubber conveyor belt, rubber roofs have these tread pieces they lay for walk ways on big flat rubber roofs, these things are excellent, I have found those at flea markets. Styrofoam was something I thought may have a similar effect if you don’t have any rubber. Like the dense insulation they sell at lowes and Home Depot.

I did this same thing, using horse stall mats material from Tractor Supply, cut to the shape of the outside dimensions and glued with silicone adhesive. Even the 457 is a dull thud now

 

[BriarpatchMtn]

These traps are the best I've found for the powerful big bores and collecting the lead with little to no mess or sifting, and reasonably priced. They do mix a minimal amount of cardboard/paper target materials in the lead, but this burns off in the melting pot without too much smoke or toxicity. Well worth the initial investment.

I dump all mulch into a large toat tub, then just sift it by hand. Time wise, I'm relaxing, and chilling in the woods, not really thinking about it. It's a lot easier than working. But don't empty it often, range is my personal property so nothings going anywhere, 21.5 lbs out of this time.
Rubber mulch bits stink when melting lead back down. But I always wear a respirator and have a high velocity industrial floor fan, as exhaust fan, mounted in window when melting for ingot's. I wouldn't smell a skunk in my work shed.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I dump all mulch into a large toat tub, then just sift it by hand. Time wise, I'm relaxing, and chilling in the woods, not really thinking about it. It's a lot easier than working. But don't empty it often, range is my personal property so nothings going anywhere, 21.5 lbs out of this time.
Rubber mulch bits stink when melting lead back down. But I always wear a respirator and have a high velocity industrial floor fan, as exhaust fan, mounted in window when melting for ingot's. I wouldn't smell a skunk in my work shed.

I made a tin box and chimney with a fan in it (like an open hearth fireplace) that I put my melting pot into to mechanically vent it outside. No smells here either.