I do some backyard shooting and my guns aren't too bad at all. Problem is I have 3 sheets of plywood and have adhesived about a 1/3 inch thick rubber mat to the wood but the pellets seem to easily make it through to the wood and have a wallup when they hit. I didn't really care much but I guess one of the neighbors was getting rather curious what thr sound was so I need to quiet the hits down some more.
Target backer to quiet things down
- Thread starter Cody01
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1/4" thick conveyor belt behind the rubber mat. 60ft lb .22 will not phase it at 25 yds. but you still can hear the impact although somewhat reduced. In a back yard setting, doubt if you can get rid of all the noise completely. When My neighbor asked about hearing a "pop pop" sound every now and then, I explained the situation and they were satisfied. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have those kind of neighbors.
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Just posted my setup here in General Discussion - works like a CHAMP.
Short version: Karting tires filled with sand are the BEST I've found for quiet and effective (and cheap!)
Get a friend with a Onewheel or a racing Kart (or just go to eriderepair.com and find the closest shop - they'll likely be happy to drop a truckload of dead tires into your hands.)
Short version: Karting tires filled with sand are the BEST I've found for quiet and effective (and cheap!)
Get a friend with a Onewheel or a racing Kart (or just go to eriderepair.com and find the closest shop - they'll likely be happy to drop a truckload of dead tires into your hands.)
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This, I have double stall mats hung at 100 yards. Closer traps are rubber mulch with replaceable cardboard fronts.
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I have two traps that are essentially silent.
The first a home made wood box with 1-1/2" of duct seal putty on the impact face. It traps the pellets in the putty. I periodically pick them out and hammer the putty flat. Made with scrap from my shop and probably $40 worth of duct seal.
The second trap is a HD plastic storage bin from Home Depot. The bin is filled with shredded rubber tire mulch (also from HD). For extra safety I cut a piece of ply wood and put at the bottom of the bin. Cut a hole in the lid slightly smaller than your desired target size. Cut targets from cardboard boxes. Place cardboard target between lid and mulch. I don't think pellets have ever penetrated to the ply wood. The bin and mulch cost about $20.
The first a home made wood box with 1-1/2" of duct seal putty on the impact face. It traps the pellets in the putty. I periodically pick them out and hammer the putty flat. Made with scrap from my shop and probably $40 worth of duct seal.
The second trap is a HD plastic storage bin from Home Depot. The bin is filled with shredded rubber tire mulch (also from HD). For extra safety I cut a piece of ply wood and put at the bottom of the bin. Cut a hole in the lid slightly smaller than your desired target size. Cut targets from cardboard boxes. Place cardboard target between lid and mulch. I don't think pellets have ever penetrated to the ply wood. The bin and mulch cost about $20.
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I have ¼" steel plate as backstops on both my targets, so the sound of pellets hitting the steel plate is louder than the report from the airgun. I know thia won't work for everyone, but being a LEO, my Kevlar vests get replaced almost annually. Since the agency has no need for the old one, we get to keep them. The vest has a front and back panel, so there's 2 kevlar panels I attache to the steel plates and they do a great job if damping the sound of impact. They get replaced each year, but they seem to hold up very well in the mean time...
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My little pellet trap is filled with rubber mulch. I have tested ways to make it quieter and was surprised that the pellet hitting cardboard, or even just the paper target, is about 85 db. I could make that maybe 6db less by draping 2 towels over a steel frame enclosing the trap. That is enough of a hassle that I rarely do it, however.
I used a horse stall mat for another purpose and was impressed at the weight and apparent sturdiness. Reasonable cost too. I don't think they will be super quiet but probably quieter than plywood.
I used a horse stall mat for another purpose and was impressed at the weight and apparent sturdiness. Reasonable cost too. I don't think they will be super quiet but probably quieter than plywood.
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I dont worry about sound anymore but once did, also used to fire arrows from an airgun 20 years ago. As Jim mentioned just the paper target you can hear.
I found free (dumpster) used shrink wrap like many pallets are covered with. Quite! Stops a 9mm, stops an arrow fird from an airgun and yet you can pull the arrow out with 2 fingers and no damage. I use a burlap feed sack STUFFED full. When 1 sopt gets worn (thin) just place in flat on the ground and step on it a bit to smooch everything back around & keep using. Didnt cost a dime and the same bag worked well for 2 years.
John
I found free (dumpster) used shrink wrap like many pallets are covered with. Quite! Stops a 9mm, stops an arrow fird from an airgun and yet you can pull the arrow out with 2 fingers and no damage. I use a burlap feed sack STUFFED full. When 1 sopt gets worn (thin) just place in flat on the ground and step on it a bit to smooch everything back around & keep using. Didnt cost a dime and the same bag worked well for 2 years.
John
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I use a couple of 3/16" thick sheet rubber scraps in my trap (mine are approximately 8" x 10" to fit the trap), with the back plate being steel. I found that if I let them hang loosely, attached/hung by binder clips (or whatever) they absorb impacts and deaden the sound quite a bit. The first sheet gets punched through, the second sheet occasionally punches through, @18 yards with a .22 HW97KT.
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I use 3/4 inch stall mats screwed to a pallet.
Right now I have two layers so that it will stop my .25 pellets. The rubber is spongy, so it does quiet the impact of pellets. At least it seems that way to me.
I use scraps from damaged mats, but you can by a 4x6 mat at Tractor supply for under $50.
Mine has lasted me for over a year and I shoot a lot!
Right now I have two layers so that it will stop my .25 pellets. The rubber is spongy, so it does quiet the impact of pellets. At least it seems that way to me.
I use scraps from damaged mats, but you can by a 4x6 mat at Tractor supply for under $50.
Mine has lasted me for over a year and I shoot a lot!
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You need to build a trap with the thick stuff behind it as the just in case. I just built one with a 5 gallon bucket and rubber mulch, cut a hole in the lid and tapped the opening so the mulch doesn't fall out. It's is the quietest I have tried. 
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I use all my old layered archery targets another tip around this time of year you can find them at Walmart for almost free,wear a spot out use spray foam to fill back in, or small hay bails just a idea.
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Maybe when he noses over the fence invite him over to shoot.. bad side is je gets hooked and he dont go away .lol
Funny i dont have a close neighbors but the closest one can hear the muzzle report and ding's. Amazing how sound can travel. In the evening i can hear him play his guitar inside his shop. Maybe 20 acres + his land worth. When it's damp and still or the wind is blowing his or my way the sound is magnified more.
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I've tried alot of different materials but nothing works as well as dirt, if this is in the back yard a mound of dirt that doubles as the wife's flower bed.
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