Back garden plinking - backstop?

[LimaDelta]

Not sure where to put this thread TBH. Anyway, I want to a little back garden shooting with an air rifle/pistol or two. I can set up a reasonable length range and I back directly onto farmland, but obviously if a pellet should stray across my boundary then this is a big issue legally. I would like to construct a silent(isn) backstop about 1m2. I've read about a few different styles online, but was wondering if anyone on here has built anything? How much sand is required to catch a 600 fps .22? I was thinking of using 2 sheets of 1/2" marine ply, with a 4" gap between them filled with sand, and perhaps a 2mm sheet of aluminium in front of the back sheet of ply? Would small gravel stones work better than sand? My concern with irregular shaped gravel is the likelihood of a ricochet. I've also heard old jeans packed tight do a good job. Any other suggestions?

[soad]

A heavy wooden box as a pellet collector?

[bstw]

LimaDelta said:

Not sure where to put this thread TBH. Anyway, I want to a little back garden shooting with an air rifle/pistol or two. I can set up a reasonable length range and I back directly onto farmland, but obviously if a pellet should stray across my boundary then this is a big issue legally. I would like to construct a silent(isn) backstop about 1m2. I've read about a few different styles online, but was wondering if anyone on here has built anything? How much sand is required to catch a 600 fps .22? I was thinking of using 2 sheets of 1/2" marine ply, with a 4" gap between them filled with sand, and perhaps a 2mm sheet of aluminium in front of the back sheet of ply? Would small gravel stones work better than sand? My concern with irregular shaped gravel is the likelihood of a ricochet. I've also heard old jeans packed tight do a good job. Any other suggestions?

Seems a bit over the top. I use a 1m square board made up of some left over shutter boards, with one of these attached:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nitehawk-Funnel-Shooting-A...

[anonymous-user]

Try just heavy sacking hung behind. You'd be surprised what it stops as although the speed of those pellets is high the kinetic energy is really low because of the low weight. I just use a Hessian sack hanging loose from above.

[Kermit power]

sebdangerfield said:

Try just heavy sacking hung behind. You'd be surprised what it stops as although the speed of those pellets is high the kinetic energy is really low because of the low weight. I just use a Hessian sack hanging loose from above.

Makes perfect sense, and it would be absolutely silent too! If you're really paranoid about a pellet flying straight through a hole made by a previous pellet, then just hang a second layer of sacking a couple of inches behind the first.

[227bhp]

A bit looking, but a quilt will do.

[T5XARV]

Hay Bales.

[LimaDelta]

sebdangerfield said:

Try just heavy sacking hung behind. You'd be surprised what it stops as although the speed of those pellets is high the kinetic energy is really low because of the low weight. I just use a Hessian sack hanging loose from above.

How heavy? Would a 200g/m tarpaulin be up to the job?

[LimaDelta]

T5XARV said:

Hay Bales.

Though about rolling one out of the field, but might be a bit big. I'm not that bad a shot

[bobtail4x4]

Argos catalogs, hang them over a wire, they move a bit with the impact,
behind that an old curtain or somesuch for when you miss,

warn the neighbours so they dont panic and phone the cops.

[Tango13]

227bhp said:

A bit pie key looking, but a quilt will do.

I intially skim read that as using as a back stop

The OP might want something with a bit more stopping power if he goes down that route...

http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/view_large.php?a...

[anonymous-user]

LimaDelta said:

How heavy? Would a 200g/m tarpaulin be up to the job?

Probably. The point it is also stops the pellet bouncing back which is far more dangerous! It just needs to be heavy and move to absorb the energy rather than be solid and bounce it back at you. Similar to a cricket net.

[RicharDC5]

Your design would probably stop a 9mm bullet!

I used to use an Argos catalogue. It doesn't take much to stop an air rifle pellet.

[kwaka jack]

I use 3 bags of builders sand and then a thick piece of wood behind those for a bit of extra added protection. My air rifle is close to the legal limit and the pellets go through to the 3rd bag no problem. I think in fps talk its about 900ish.

Have a quick look on the BASC page,it should tell you everything you need to know.

http://basc.org.uk/airgunning/advice/basc-air-rifl...
http://basc.org.uk/firearms/airgun-guidance-and-fa...

Edited by kwaka jack on Friday 11th March 17:32

[C.A.R.]

I've used bags of old clothes or a spare bit of loft insulation propped up against an old garden slab. Nothing's going through the slab, but putting something soft in front of it lowers / eliminates noise and prevents them bouncing back, which definitely is not fun. Especially when you can 'feel' them whistle back past your ear. Obviously I wasn't this stupid, heard it from a friend of course...

[LimaDelta]

Tango13 said:

http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/view_large.php?a...

"Live on FAC"

[LimaDelta]

sebdangerfield said:

Probably. The point it is also stops the pellet bouncing back which is far more dangerous! It just needs to be heavy and move to absorb the energy rather than be solid and bounce it back at you. Similar to a cricket net.

Might give that a go then. I can fold it double over a line, and pop it up only when it is needed. I like simple solutions.

[vinnie01]

LimaDelta said:

"Live on FAC"

Imagine trying to get that authorised by your local Firearms Liason Officer..

[essayer]

LimaDelta said:

"Live on FAC"

hope it's kept in a safe!

[RicharDC5]

vinnie01 said:

LimaDelta said:

"Live on FAC"

Imagine trying to get that authorised by your local Firearms Liason Officer..

'Yes officer, the local wild rabbit population has become out of control'