Is it worth building your own pellet trap?

well if you have the material and knowledge to build one id say it would be cheaper to do it on your own. think they are 65 to 70 bucks? not sure but I have 2 of them and a big one filled with rubber mulch that I made. just get tired of hearing the pellet trap all the time gets neighbors wondering also as I had a lady come over wondering what that noise was lol told her whats the deal she was cool with it. other court behind me so I like to keep things quieter as possible

I have dirt berms, not all can do that, but they are super effective and (for me) free since ifts left over from yard projects. I use the .22lr traps at ranges in between, You'll never break them with an airgun, there is no maint other than replacing hangers and clips that WILL get shot. But they aren't 'silent'. 

See reposted rubber mulch trap video post.

This has been one tough trap, over 4 years sitting outside in the weather and no rust no holes. Its been shot with 1000s upon 1000s of rounds from 25 to 70 yards with .22, .25, .30 cal PCPs still ready for action. 

I make my own mulch/duct seal traps for silence and to fit certain spaces. Wood boxes for the outside container. Easy. Cheap.

I've seen them at garage sales and on Craigslist for around $25.

I think your smart adding a steel plate to the back with your gun putting out that much energy.

If I had the capabilities, I would make a larger one.

@raden1942 I am a huge fan of DIY, sometimes it's more expensive, but brings me a great deal of pride and satisfaction. " I built that! " Also, making it yourself gets you a lot closer to custom made, it's not always that a product fits your every whim, but when you make it yourself, you can get close to that or exactly that. 

If I needed what you are looking for, I would build a welded steel trap and fill it with rubber mulch. The stuff is pretty impressive. I would shoot into a cardboard box first to determine how deep it should be, or if it will even work at all. If you make a door on hinges for it, you can open and close it (laying down position) place a new cardboard or similar material to retain the mulch for a session or two. Easy to replace. 

As for retrieving the lead. This can be done easily by emptying the contents every once in a while and using a DIY sifter. Lead goes through and you retain the large pieces of rubber mulch for re-using. 

Good luck. 

So can you retrieve lead from the rubber mulch easily or no?

Click to expand...

You might want to PM oldsparky. He noted shooting a rubber mulch trap with a 140 grain 9mm round and stated that it stopped sooner than expected. He might be able to give you some guidance on how much depth that actually was.

This is the thread about the pellet trap I built.

Built it for pellets but have tested it with my suppressed .22LR

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/another-pellet-trap/#post-305803

 

Yes it is.

I went to a steel shop and bought enough steel to do three of these for $20. Just ask for drops(scraps). If you have a way to cut it you will be way ahead of the game.

Filled bottom and sides with duct seal.

This one is like 12x12, I will make more but 8x8, and 1/8" bottom and sides,and keep back plate 1/4".

I put a magnet light on it to shoot at night.