My next pellet 'trap' experiment...

Just ordered a conveyer belt cutting. It's heavy stuff, prob car tire sidewall 'ish' but flat. So this definitely won't be anything I expect to capture a pellet and it certainly won't be used at close range. More like 75-100 yards, we'll have to see what it's like when I test it.

I have a 2'x2' steel plate and am going to test it in front of that first. If it gets to torn up I'll try it glues on as a sound deadening backer. I'm also going to try it as a free hanging stop on it's own.

I'll have to do a little work as I went for the best deal, the 'trimming' I have on the way was $40 with free shipping for a 6+ inch wide strip 10 feet long, .5 inch thick. Different thicknesses and materials are out there but this was the cheapest experiment I could find.

I'll report back. I want to see it in person before I decide which style trap to try first.

Depending upon results, the next set of experiments will be with fire hose.



Caveat... I know nothing I mention replaces a mulch trap or the like for short range. I'm going for more permanent setups at 75 and 100Ys. So don't beat me up too much.


 
My first build will one that will definitely result in bounce back! I just won't no how bad until I test it. I'm actually hoping that the hard mounting to the steel plate will deaden the sound and will let me shoot the steel side of the fixture with a little less ping echo. But I will test it both ways. If I go with the steel side, I will mount it at a 20-30deg down angle. This one will only get used at 100y. 

It should be here tomorrow so I'll hold out on more guesses until I see/touch it.

As for finding it, I went to the local quarry and they said they either have their belts repaired on site by a contractor or the same co, replaces it and takes the old one. Apparently there is a market for used conveyer belting so they were not interested in saving me any. Most of the cuttings I found on line were too big for me to handle and rather expensive for a project. I found this piece at 'repurposedMATERIALS, Inc', didn't save the website.

This cutting is only 6 inches wide so I'll cut it on table saw using an old blade.

CA, I use a dirt pile now, and I have plenty of rocks. But being in the middle of my backyard, the dirt has become a mess and either would still force me to have target stands in front. While this might not be the best solution, at least I can hang targets directly on it.




 
Any place dealing with farm trucks with the moving live belt in the bottom of the beds used to unload is a good source. They replace them as they wear out and will generally give you all your able to haul off. Pellets will chew it up over time and you end up with rubber mulch. I have a 2x2ft 3/8 metal backstop with a catch tray at the bottom. Use a 2x2ftx2 inch piece of blue construction foam in front of it to pin my targets to. Foam keeps the pellets from bouncing back and they drop in the tray at the bottom for recovery along with chewed up foam. I put the collecting in a 5 gallon bucket with water. Foam floats to the top leaving clean lead. sylvan