BULLET TRAP COMPARISONS (PT.

1)
By: Ac'on Target

For many years, bullet trap technology has been mired in confusion, misunderstanding, and misinforma'on. The various approaches to bullet containment and disposal have become as diverse as they are numerous. The purpose of this ar'cle is to provide accurate informa'on and valuable educa'on by examining various bullet trap theories, technologies, and applica'ons in an objec've manner.

TYPES OF BULLET TRAPS

Sand or Dirt Berm Pit and Plate Trap Water and Plate Trap Vene'an Blind Trap The Escalator Trap

THE SAND OR DIRT BERM

The sand or dirt berm uses the mass of the berm itself to stop and store bullets, and on outdoor ranges can literally be the side of a mountain; on indoor ranges however, some type of structure or barricade is generally used to support the berm and hold back the sand.

THE SAND OR DIRT BERM

Concentra'ons of lead (called hot spots) can form behind targets causing subsequent shots to ricochet and bounce back toward the shooter. Sand and dirt berms are coming under increasingly harsh environmental scru'ny due to high lead levels in the ground around the trap and the tendency of the lead to seep into surrounding ground water.

THE SAND OR DIRT BERM

Ul'mately, benets of a sand berm include low cost, rela'vely low maintenance, and the ability to use any kind of ammuni'on. Weaknesses include poten'al environmental hazards, expensive mining, and hot spot ricochet.

THE PIT AND PLATE TRAP

In a pit and plate trap, a steel plate is used to redirect bullets into a bed of sand. The steel is oRen called a Smash plate because the acute angle causes bullets to smash into small pieces on impact before they are scaTered on the sand below. Under moderate to heavy use, a thick lead build-up can develop in the back corner of the trap causing bullets to be deected back toward the shooter.

THE PIT AND PLATE TRAP

The benets of a pit and plate trap include lower ini'al cost and simple installa'on. Weaknesses include bullet fragmenta'on on impact, lead build-up, ricochet, and high maintenance.

THE WATER AND PLATE TRAP

A water and plate trap is similar to the pit and plate trap, except the sand is replaced by a large trough of water; bullets s'll fragment into smaller pieces aRer impact, but bullet fragments simply splash into the water and sink to the boTom of the trough.

THE WATER AND PLATE TRAP

Lead must be shoveled or scooped from the water and dispose of it properly. The water in the trough must be replenished due to evapora'on, and the evapora'on can cause increased range humidity and ven'la'on system problems. The benets of a water and plate trap include lower lead dust levels and no ricochet o other bullets. Weaknesses include bullet fragmenta'on on impact, maintenance of the water, and the limita'on to indoor use only.

THE VENETIAN BLIND TRAP

A Vene'an Blind trap uses a series of angled steel smash plates to redirect bullets to the back and boTom of the trap, with some versions of this trap including smash plates mounted loosely to help absorb some of the bullets energy.

THE VENETIAN BLIND TRAP

To keep bullet splaTer from bouncing back at the shooter, rubber curtains are oRen mounted across the en're face of the trap. Because rubber is destroyed every 'me it's shot, these curtains must be replaced or patched frequently to maintain their eec'veness.

THE VENETIAN BLIND TRAP

The benets of a vene'an blind trap include the durability of steel, no sand or granules, and a small oor space requirement. Weaknesses include bullet fragmenta'on on impact, splaTer and ricochet, no close- range shoo'ng, and maintenance of the rubber curtains.

THE ESCALATOR TRAP

The escalator trap is another old-fashioned steel trap that uses steeply angled smash plates to stop bullets and direct the fragments to an open collec'on area.

THE ESCALATOR TRAP

Some manufacturers recommend that the impact plates be coated with oil to reduce fragmenta'on, however, this oil can be washed away into the surrounding soil if the trap is not protected from the elements in outdoor applica'ons. The same system of protec've rubber curtains may also be necessary with this trap due to the acute angle of its steel smash plates.

THE ESCALATOR TRAP

Benets of an escalator trap include the durability of steel and no sand or rubber granules. Weaknesses include bullet fragmenta'on on impact, no close-range shoo'ng, maintenance of the rubber curtains, and poor lead storage and collec'on.

Although bullet trap technology has been mired in confusion, misunderstanding, and misinforma'on, that doesn't mean that bullet trap construc'on needs to be confusing or dicult. Ac'on Target's range experts can help any shoo'ng range get answers to their ques'ons, ensuring that the range has a cost-eec've, ecient, and - more than anything - safe bullet trap.

Read more and comment by visi'ng www.Ac'onTarget.com and click on Ac'on Target Journal
- OR -

Get there directly at

www.Ac'onTarget.com/bullet-trap-comparisons-pt-1