Traps for silhouette targets?

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ur2ez22
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Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by ur2ez22 »

Hey everyone, after looking through the pages of search results it seems most of the trap ideas are intended for shooting at paper targets. I’d like to shoot an Anschutz 2002 at steel silhouette targets along the side of my house in the backyard however - any good designs for a trap that could effectively contain ricochets, or do I need to stick to paper 50’ NRA silhouette targets in a wood box with duct seal?
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by acorneau »

Simple design would be steel plate angled down so shots bounce downward and into a "tray"of sand or rubber mulch.

Final design would totally depend on how big you want it, number/types of animals (free-standing vs. swingers), and whether you have to tools/skills to do some basic metal fabrication or need to stick to working with wood.

Here's one you can buy for $22 from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Beeman-Pellet-Tr ... ellet+trap
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by psteiger »

Those work fine except I had to cut new animals out of steel as those pot metal ones disintegrated quickly. I welded 4 of the traps to poles and placed them at appropriate distances. I also lined them with a rubber mat to try and cut the noise down from my misses..... :D
As a bonus wasps like to build nests inside so they are excellent bait for hunting them.
YMMV, etc.
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by Hotrodrockets »

My swamp yankee style trap is just a big cardboard box stuffed with more cardboard boxes. Catches pellets nicely. Little metal targets sit on 2x4 in front of boxes.
Its not sexy, but it works.

Shake out and Recycle used pellets into the bullet casting mix.
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by ur2ez22 »

New to air guns so I apologize if this is a stupid question, but do the lead pellets ricochet back off the steel targets at all? I know BBs do, but maybe that’s not a concern with lead pellets? Or do the animals need to be on a 2x4 that is XX” inside the trap to catch the ricochets?
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by Hotrodrockets »

As far as pellets bounceing. Yes a bit.
I never have them coming back at me. Only time I personly saw that happen was sombody..... ok me.... used a scrap plywood back stop.
Dumb idea. Just solid enough to send some back.
Anyway , when you ping a steel animal the pellet does tend to go bit up or down and off to the side. Not as much as you may think.
My best traps setup is to have targets a bit set back inside the trap a few inches.
Catches everything.
Now remember Im no expert in air rifles. And I use a 10m target rig that goes rather slooow. So not as much energy as a super fast fancy PCP.

But I will tell you, air rifle Silhouette is a hoot. Love to hear that ring!
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by ur2ez22 »

Thanks for the info! Surprised to hear that the pellet ricochet is only a few inches, but I suppose they are just lead...
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by Hotrodrockets »

The pellet ricochet I am refering to is when it hits the animal, with knock down targets.
(Trying to be real clear)
The pellets trajectory is just deftected a bit and the target falls. Some energy is absorbed by the animal target.
So I dont see any boumce back.
Now hit something solid like a steel angle (if you set targets on it) and OhYea plellets will come back.
Thats one reason I make my target stands from soft pine. Yes they get chewed up. And they get replaced. Beats geting a bounce back.
Any metal parts to rest targets on are real thin..

Im No expert. Just a constant experimenter.

I have used some resetable air target setups and yes some pletts flew around.
Probably if I were a better shot it may not be such an issue. But many times I hit metal parts not the dang animals.
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by ur2ez22 »

Makes sense, and yes I’m talking about a set of air rifle scale steel silhouette targets that I’d have to set back up. I was hoping to build a box anyways, so easy enough to replace a 2x4 rest inside the box every now and then after it’s been chewed up from too many low shots.

Thanks for sharing out your experience!
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by Jerry G »

I shoot into a metal trap at 1000 fps at 10m and never had anything come back and hit me. There is no way a pellet will come back to you if you are shooting steel at normal air rifle ranges.

A wooden frame to hold a 10ga steel plate at about 45 deg and some sand in the bottom will stop all pellets. A 2x2 replaceable board to stand the critters on should work just fine.
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by OnaginOffagin »

I have one of these..... works pretty darn well....
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by shooterer »

Deleted after I reread the original post.
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by dustinflint »

This is one we made. Steel backstop. Targets are scaled to 20 yards to fit my backyard airgun range and keep everything at the same distance.
IMG_3633.JPG
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by Jerry G »

Nice one Dustin. I assume the targets are cut out of some steel plate so you can weld the hangers on. Someone with a hobby plasm cutter cut the animals?
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Re: Traps for silhouette targets?

Post by dustinflint »

Jerry,

The targets were cut by a water jet cutter. The targets are perfect even at the tiny 20-yard scale. They are cut out of 1/4" steel plate and welded to eyelet bolts.

They're fun to shoot.

Dustin
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