Forklift palette silent backstop

[jonny75904]

I know rubber mulch is an excellent substrate for a quiet backstop. I have seen people fill a cardboard box with it, and it is very quiet. But I want something that can weather the elements better than cardboard, so I have an idea.

Forklift pallets have a lot of slats on the top, and only a few on the bottom (3-4). If I nail chicken wire to the front and back, it could be filled with rubber mulch (provided thr chicken wire diameter isnt too big), but you het the idea.

Perhaps on a higher caliber like a 25, multiple pallets can be joined and filled. periodically new wire would have to be attached to the front when needed.

I am i havent thought of everything, and Im not even sure how good / bad of an idea this is. Any thoughts?

 

[Hynzie]

I have a double pallet with ply on top and bottom think im goona set it and fill with sand that way nothing gets by.... then i can put rug or cement bored on the front to dampen sound..... a good stapler will attack paper targets to almost anything. Good luck pat

 

[Michael]

Here's a trap I made a few years back

You need a pretty fine pattern to keep the mulch from falling out (after repeated shot to one area), but the wire is replaceable. You may run into a problem with the size your talking. Keep in mind rubber mulch can get pretty heavy.

 

[AirgunBill]

I have made three different style target backers all using 1/2" thick rubber stall mats from Tractor supply. One had the mat placed over a 2x2 frame with dry stacked cinder blocks with the cores filled with concrete. The frame stands off the face of the blocks an 1 1/2" and pellets that pass through the mat hit the blocks and drop down. The second frame uses a rubber tire filled with rubber mulch and covered with the rubber mat. And the last is a box made with 2x8 treated lumber and filled with rubber mulch and faced with the rubber mulch. As you can see the common element is the rubber mat which has stood up very well to a season of shooting. Bill

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/utility-rubber-mat-black-4-ft-x-3-ft-x--frac12-in?cm_vc=-10005

 

[terrymc]

"AirgunBill"I have made three different style target backers all using 1/2" thick rubber stall mats from Tractor supply. One had the mat placed over a 2x2 frame with dry stacked cinder blocks with the cores filled with concrete. The frame stands off the face of the blocks an 1 1/2" and pellets that pass through the mat hit the blocks and drop down. The second frame uses a rubber tire filled with rubber mulch and covered with the rubber mat. And the last is a box made with 2x8 treated lumber and filled with rubber mulch and faced with the rubber mulch. As you can see the common element is the rubber mat which has stood up very well to a season of shooting. Bill

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/utility-rubber-mat-black-4-ft-x-3-ft-x--frac12-in?cm_vc=-10005

Bill,
How is the sound level from the rubber mats?
And how do they stand up to repeated penetrations?

I have been contemplating my next pellet trap and the rubber mat sounds like a good solution for something that will seal enough to keep the mulch from working out.
I currently use a cardboard face to my trap which can be changed but since I went to rubber mulch it is getting bulged out which is impacting accuracy of my shots.
I really need something that can stand up to extended usage and deadens sound as I have been spending quite a bit of time shooting my 30 cal airguns lately and they 
chew things up.

 

[AirgunBill]

The rubber mats have stood up very well to variety of different rifles and power levels. My Wildcat .25 always penetrates the mat at the 50 fpe it puts out. My FX STREAMLINE penetrates pretty much too at 30 fpe. Airguns that put out less than 15 fpe.will sometimes just stick in or bounce off. The Wildcat makes a nice whack when hitting the mat. Less fpe.less impact noise. The mat does tend to self seal even with repeated hit. Bill