New Backstop Idea: Rubber Stall Mat with Carpet
- Thread starter DIYEngineer235
- Start date
waydeo - I Just use a utility knife and a straightedge.
The trick is to place something like a 1x2 directly under where you will make the cut. That allows the mat to spread apart as you cut and it doesn't bind on the blade. I use moderate pressure and a SHARP BLADE and make several passes.
Also, just like when shooting an airgun, get in a comfortable position before you start.
The trick is to place something like a 1x2 directly under where you will make the cut. That allows the mat to spread apart as you cut and it doesn't bind on the blade. I use moderate pressure and a SHARP BLADE and make several passes.
Also, just like when shooting an airgun, get in a comfortable position before you start.
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I worked at a phosphate mine and acquired a bit of 3/8" thick 3 ply conveyor belt material. The belt has nylon fabric vulcanized between the rubber layers and is about 10 X tougher than the stall mats. I sandwiched 2 pieces of heavy berber carpet between two pcs of the belt and so far, shooting +/- 35ft/lb .22 pellets at 50 yds, any of the pellets that don't (very slightly) penetrate the belt flatten out and fall straight down under the target. I have not seen any ricochets but plan to put a piece of the carpet in front if it happens.
If you have any mining industry nearby check around for a company that sells/installs conveyor belt and see if they have any old/used stuff they will sell or give away. It can be from 12" up to 5 ft wide and 3/16" to 3/4" thick. Use oil to lube the blade and a razor knife will cut it with multiple passes. Stack enough pieces of this stuff together and it will stop anything.
If you have any mining industry nearby check around for a company that sells/installs conveyor belt and see if they have any old/used stuff they will sell or give away. It can be from 12" up to 5 ft wide and 3/16" to 3/4" thick. Use oil to lube the blade and a razor knife will cut it with multiple passes. Stack enough pieces of this stuff together and it will stop anything.
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Got my new setup assembled today. Here it is.
The carpet pieces are two industrial floor mats screwed to a 2x4 with a 1/2 stall mat screwed to the other side. The 2x4 is hanging from two a-frames made from some old bedrails and a couple of t-posts. The ends of the bedrails are screwed directly to the 2x4 while the t-posts are held in place with custom brackets I whipped up.
The t-posts are sunk about 8 inches into the ground for stability.
I haven't made the tray to catch the pellets yet. Too cold out for that. Hopefully tomorrow it'll warm up a d I'll be able to test this little idea.
The carpet pieces are two industrial floor mats screwed to a 2x4 with a 1/2 stall mat screwed to the other side. The 2x4 is hanging from two a-frames made from some old bedrails and a couple of t-posts. The ends of the bedrails are screwed directly to the 2x4 while the t-posts are held in place with custom brackets I whipped up.
The t-posts are sunk about 8 inches into the ground for stability.
I haven't made the tray to catch the pellets yet. Too cold out for that. Hopefully tomorrow it'll warm up a d I'll be able to test this little idea.
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Final report on this backstop: Works great!
I put about 100 bbs and 60-70 (.177) pellets into it without anything getting through. I'm fairly sure some just bounced off the first layer, when I didn't miss. I'll be testing it for .22 in about a month when my tax return "gift" to myself comes in.
It works just like I thought. The carpeted mats worked great at slowing down the pellets and bbs and the stall mat stops them dead.
I was using wad cutters, hunters and domed pellets today. All I had on hand. I need to restock.
Now I just need some sort of trough under the mats to collect everything. Maybe a section on pvc cut in half?
What really surprised me was how little damage the pellets took when they hit the backstop. A few ricochet and some were stuck in the rug, but nothing damaged the stall mat.
I put about 100 bbs and 60-70 (.177) pellets into it without anything getting through. I'm fairly sure some just bounced off the first layer, when I didn't miss. I'll be testing it for .22 in about a month when my tax return "gift" to myself comes in.
It works just like I thought. The carpeted mats worked great at slowing down the pellets and bbs and the stall mat stops them dead.
I was using wad cutters, hunters and domed pellets today. All I had on hand. I need to restock.
Now I just need some sort of trough under the mats to collect everything. Maybe a section on pvc cut in half?
What really surprised me was how little damage the pellets took when they hit the backstop. A few ricochet and some were stuck in the rug, but nothing damaged the stall mat.
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Just thought I'd give an update. I tried out my new Gamo Swarm Whisper in .22 cal today and got some suprisibg results. Naturally, i bought a variety of pellets to try out. Domes, hollow point, hunters and penetraters were all tested. The best pellet for this rifle was the Crossman domed. What was surprising was this was also the only pellet to penetrate the thick rubber mat in the back of my backstop. They didn't pass through, but i found 14 of 15 pellets buried in the mat, the tails sticking out. All the others, including the deep penetrating pellets just bounced off! I can see the marks where the other pellets would hit the mat, but they rarely got stuck.
If I'm going to use Crossman domes, im gonna need to rethink my backstop a bit.
If I'm going to use Crossman domes, im gonna need to rethink my backstop a bit.
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Thanks for all the great ideas guys. I made a 45 deg pellets trap with 1/4 aluminum plate i found but it makes more noises. I think adding the rubber matt should quiet down a bit.
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No matter what material you use, sooner or later the pellets will penetrate if you keep shooting the same area. The only surefire way to stop them is with a solid backstop that disinigrates the pellet. I use large decorative rocks, yep big ones...some are almost 4' long and over 2' tall. Been shooting at them for almost 25 years, many in the same spot, some with a .22 rimfire but mostly pellets. Not a single pellet or rimfire round ever ricochet off the rock, they just turn to a flat pancake and fall to the ground. Every so often I give them a shot of spray paint to make it easier to sight in. Rarely ever use paper anymore. Set my spinners and other reactive targets in front of rocks..never had to rebuild or replace a rock !!
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