Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
Normal Topic Bullet Box Target (Read 1789 times)
FEB
Ex Member


Bullet Box Target
Sep 15th, 2009 at 7:55pm
Print Post  
My wife and I have a summer place in the Adirondack Mountains of northern NY.  I haven't found a range anywhere nearby, so I bought a steel bullet box to do some short-range shooting on our hilly, rocky, wooded property.  50' or so is what I shoot now, but I think I've found a place where I can get 100' to shoot.

I'm shooting 22 LR Remington subsonics from a couple single shots.  My problem is the performance of the bullet box.  For a target, I typically stick a 3" Shoot-n-See on a sheet of copier paper and tape it to the box opening.  The top half of the paper gets cut up pretty quickly from the back with splatter from the bullets hitting the sloped back of the box.  Also, the box loses a bunch of lead pieces out the front and through the seams at the back.  I end up putting a garbage bag under the bullet box to catch all the debris.

I've been wondering about making up a larger box of my own: say a 2' square base, wood framing with a 1/4 inch thick steel plate for a sloping back, 1/8 inch plate liners on the sides and a 4' or so bed of sand for a bottom.  Anybody have any experience doing something like this?  Plans?  Advice?

Thanks!

FEB
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
QuestionableMaynard8130
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 4144
Location: Benton  Harbor MI
Joined: Apr 17th, 2004
Re: Bullet Box Target
Reply #1 - Sep 15th, 2009 at 9:51pm
Print Post  
At the EG range we use steel backers for 22 rf shooting at 100 and 50 yrds.  As I recall Ed Cooksey made up the proto-type some years ago when we started the 22 only matches.  maybe he has the plans or someone else has a close up picture.  I just checked my photo files and I don't have any. ( A description and/ or plans might make a useful article in the Journal)

 They are a shallow steel channel, maybe 2 inches deep and 24" wide and about 4 feet long. I haven't made measurements and have no idea what the gauge is. 
These backers must weigh about 75 pounds. putting up and taking down all 30 of them for our Spring and Fall 22-only matches is a job---thank goodness the guys pitch in.

Hinged from the top is a wooden frame that fits snugly inside the channel--width wise.  the wooden frame  (made of nominally 2x2 material, 2 sides, a top, and a bottom) is pinned or bolted to the steel through the steel on the upper edges. the top is rounded so the wooden frame can fold into the channel for flat storage. they are just long enough to allow the wood to stand vertical and the steel to slope to the ground. 

The wooden frame is covered with 2x2 ft sheet of core-plast. ( a plastic sign product that looks like cardboard.) we also us it for our 200 yrd backers
When unfolded the wooden frame is vertical and the metal back slopes all the way to the ground.  Targets are stapled to the coreplast faces.

In a weekend these backers can be stopping up to a thousand or more shots. the core plast has lasted very well.  We've only replaced a few sheets and  wooden frames.  at the end of the match the ground at the bottom edge of the steel backer is pretty chewed up.  I suppose one could put a sandtray to catch the bullets.  I've never noticed splashback and the sides seem to contain  splatter.

for personal use they could be scaled down a bit I imagine

  

sacred cows make the best burger
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
MI-shooter
Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 700
Location: SE Michigan
Joined: Apr 18th, 2004
Re: Bullet Box Target
Reply #2 - Sep 16th, 2009 at 12:25pm
Print Post  
Yep, I made the original prototype out of a flat sheet if 1/8 mild steel plate and a 2x4 framework. Jim Borton made the second version out of a flat plate with bent sides out of something closer to 3/32" and a 2x2 framework only for the front section holding the target. While I used a door hinge (what was in the junk drawer) Jim used a piece of steel rod fed through eyebolts attached to the wooden frame top to make them hinge. The latest design has holes in the bent sides and a lag screw as pivot points. At 100 yds or more, the latest version is just fine with .22LR. I still use mine at 50yds without damage but remember, mine is a tad thicker material.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint