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  #1  
Old 09-16-2017, 7:31 PM
Rex0825 Rex0825 is offline
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Default DIY Backyard Pellet Trap

I'm building a pellet trap for my backyard. I'm considering the Delta Archery target as its heavy and pretty solid. I believe they are packed with cloth type material. I was thinking about building a wood box around it. Would this be able to stop pellets at 800-1000fps? Silent traps is the key for my backyard as I don't want neighbor complaints.

Also please post pics of your own DIY pellet traps for ideas.

Last edited by Rex0825; 09-16-2017 at 7:33 PM..
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Old 09-16-2017, 9:14 PM
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Suspend a piece of old carpet / hanging free in a box, makes for a pretty good and quiet trap. The front of the box can be open. Just hang the carpet from the top of the box and let it dangle. The heavier the carpet the better. I would also line the back of the box with something as a fail safe, maybe plywood or old phone books.

If you are only shooting 177 or 22 at those speeds it should be fine. Avoid going over 1100fps or you will get a sonic crack that may interest the neighbors.
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Old 09-17-2017, 7:49 AM
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How noisy is your pellet gun? Even the baffled type make a distinctive sound that in a residential area will likely attract unwanted attention.
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Old 09-17-2017, 9:39 AM
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I like the hanging carpet idea. Worth trying.
I've found the rubber mulch made of chewed up tires works. But the carpet idea sounds a whole lot simpler. The mulch is quiet, but settles in the box and has to be 'refluffed' a lot.
I'm tuned down to 600fps for .22 though, where the pellet hitting something hard is louder than the shot itself. At a little over 11pfe with 14.3gr pellets, it is plenty for backyard vermin safari duty. I could probably drop down to 550fps to be a little quieter even and still have sufficient energy, as I've only 10-15 yard shots. Simply no need for 1000fps in my backyard space, and no doubt that would be loud enough to draw attn
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Old 09-17-2017, 10:46 AM
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You can't just hang carpet. It will easily pierce through the carpet and smash the back of the box. Which will make noise and eventually break through the box. I have several boxes and each of them have a piece of board at an angle to deflect any pellets into the bottom back corner. Which also helps on cutting down the impact sound if it gets through the stuffing in front. On he one I cut the carpet to width of box. I rolled up the carpet and forced it into the box. I used screws to secure the carpet inside the box. Now I can either hang target in front of the box or place objects to shoot in the box.
The other one I did the same thing with the board on an angle. Then loaded it with the rubber mulch till its flush to the top. Then I duct tape the whole opening. I've had to tape up every now and then and rotate the box around to move the rubber around. This trap I can only shoot paper targets at it. It's also getting quite heavy now.
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Old 09-17-2017, 11:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeepergeo View Post
How noisy is your pellet gun? Even the baffled type make a distinctive sound that in a residential area will likely attract unwanted attention.
I just picked up a Diana 34 in a .22. Its quiet enough for backyard shooting. Besides, One of my neighbors also shoots in his backyard, so complaints shouldn't be an issue.
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Old 09-17-2017, 11:13 AM
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Here's what I was thinking of enclosing in a box with the front open for target placement. Also placing thick wood in the back to help prevent penetration.
Thoughts?
I believe these are filled with different types of material and fabric.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Delta.jpg (27.6 KB, 147 views)
File Type: jpg Delta Square Target.jpg (65.8 KB, 106 views)
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  #8  
Old 09-17-2017, 11:46 AM
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I just use a cardboard box stuffed with old towels. Tape targets to it.
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Old 09-17-2017, 12:20 PM
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I use a bale of straw with a piece of carpet behind it just in case. I don't think a pellet has hit the carpet yet. Works well for my Sheridan Blue Streak and Diana 34.
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Old 09-17-2017, 12:24 PM
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Duct seal or plumber's putty. The latter is less effective, but works on lower fpe guns.
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Old 09-18-2017, 12:08 AM
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Box with a stack of phone books or magazines in it.
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Old 09-18-2017, 7:32 AM
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Check local ordinances first, it may be illegal as it is common in many incorporated cities.
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Old 09-18-2017, 1:18 PM
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While the pellet may be going only 850fps, how much does that pellet weigh and at what distance did you measure the 850fps? Our .30 RAW sends a 50 grain pellet at slightly better than that speed. At 75 yards, the impact against 3/4" plywood is louder than at the muzzle. Well, for a couple shots, then it's really quiet. Might be because the board has a big hole in it. Yeah, not such a great backstop.
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Old 09-18-2017, 8:53 PM
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To expand on my original comment, Archer Airguns used to sell a silent pellet trap. Google it ("Archer silent pellet trap") and you'll come up with a lot of images.

It's a wooden box. The open face is slotted to fit a clipboard (with a rectangular cutout) to hold the targets. The back is reinforced with a steel plate. What makes it all silent is duct seal putty, which you apply to the steel plate a couple inches deep.

Pyramid sells one by Air Venturi. Looks like mine, but on the skinny side. $60, probably not including the duct seal.

I've had the Archer trap for seven or eight years. Works like a charm. The only sound you hear is the pellet hitting the paper.
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Old 09-28-2017, 5:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob112o View Post
You can't just hang carpet. It will easily pierce through the carpet and smash the back of the box. Which will make noise and eventually break through the box. I have several boxes and each of them have a piece of board at an angle to deflect any pellets into the bottom back corner. Which also helps on cutting down the impact sound if it gets through the stuffing in front. On he one I cut the carpet to width of box. I rolled up the carpet and forced it into the box. I used screws to secure the carpet inside the box. Now I can either hang target in front of the box or place objects to shoot in the box.
The other one I did the same thing with the board on an angle. Then loaded it with the rubber mulch till its flush to the top. Then I duct tape the whole opening. I've had to tape up every now and then and rotate the box around to move the rubber around. This trap I can only shoot paper targets at it. It's also getting quite heavy now.
Ah, OK. I'm gonna try it. Picked up one of those plastic storage boxes with the interlocking leaves on the top. Will put a piece of particle board at the back, and fill the rest up with a loosely folded runner carpet.
Sounds a lot lighter than the rubber mulch I was using. With the fliptop box, think I should be able to flip the tops open, sit it down and shoot,,,, and when gone close the top and walk away. Pellets should separate out easily too, compared to the mulch.
A piece of sacrificial cardboard clipped on the front to stick targets on, and I should be in business
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Old 11-13-2017, 12:59 AM
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I haven't shot pellets at it yet just bb. But I got a package of cellulose insulation at Home Depot $10 it catches them and is totally silent.
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Old 11-19-2017, 9:11 PM
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I use an old electrical enclosure with a few blocks of ductseal pressed into the back. The dimensions (without going out and measuring) are roughly 4" deep X 9" wide X 12" in height. I attached a clipboard with the center cut out to the front and, to add a little convenience, I attached a cheap carry handle to the top. It is quiet, portable and has captured many, many thousands of pellets.
Every once in a while I have to pick out lead pellets but most of the pellets are fused together in one concentrated lead mass so it's not as difficult as it sounds.

Another alternative, although I haven't tried it myself (yet), is to pour a thin layer of molten lead onto the back of a similar container. This is alleged to be quiet as well. It is also cheaper than ductseal.

Last edited by GraveTPO; 11-20-2017 at 9:46 AM..
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Old 11-19-2017, 9:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi Jah View Post
Check local ordinances first, it may be illegal as it is common in many incorporated cities.
^^^ This in San Diego it is the same as discharging a real firearm in your backyard.

My friend got snitched on by his neighbor in Encinitas and a cop walked into his backyard and wrote him up.
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  #19  
Old 11-29-2017, 2:20 AM
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Go to Home Depot and buy a few pounds of Duct Seal. Put it in a bucket. Lay the bucket side way, and shoot into the bucket with about 10 inches deep of duct seal.

If worry about over penatration, put a piece of steel on the bottom of the bucket as a back stop.

Totally silent.

(Air gun stores sold a fancier version, called it ‘ballistic gel,’ and charged a premium.)


Last edited by axhoaxho; 11-29-2017 at 8:05 PM..
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Old 11-29-2017, 12:44 PM
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A box full of beach sand or playsand (e.g. Lowes) works well. Except it is very heavy and hard to move (over a hundred pounds for 9 gallons of sand). Which is why other things are usually used. A cover and drainage system might improve the idea.

At Lowes a 4-1/2 gallon bag of playsand is 50 pounds net weight.

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Old 11-29-2017, 12:50 PM
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50 pounds playsand is $5 at Lowes.
An Amazon Prime Pantry order comes in a fairly large thick heavy cardboard box.
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Old 11-29-2017, 12:58 PM
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Get a Rubbermaid trash can and fill it with rubber mulch from home depot. Put the lid on it and duct tape that on real good and enjoy shooting at it. Pellets will puncture the can and stay trapped inside. Never tried it for air rifle but it works great for. 22lr.
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Old 02-16-2018, 9:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by H8Mud View Post
Get a Rubbermaid trash can and fill it with rubber mulch from home depot. Put the lid on it and duct tape that on real good and enjoy shooting at it. Pellets will puncture the can and stay trapped inside. Never tried it for air rifle but it works great for. 22lr.
Rubber mulch works for my .25 PCP.
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gringo m View Post
I just use a cardboard box stuffed with old towels. Tape targets to it.
I shot thousands of pellets in my yard growing up, just a cardboard box full of crumpled newspaper worked perfect, I never saw a single exit hole in the back of any of the boxes.

I was shooting a RWS .177 at 950fps
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:36 AM
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Rubber mulch in 12x14 cardboard box for my .25 pcp. Just use duct tape to repair the shot out areas and the impact is a lot more quiet than a rubber trash can. FWIW, it will stop a .223 at 50 yards.
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Old 02-16-2018, 11:32 AM
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I have used many traps. The best traps are the ones designed for 22LR rounds but they are noisy. Carpet traps work but you need to maintain them. I use a silent pellet trap with putty but my high power guns shoot through that in 3 shots. I only use low power guns in and around my house.
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Old 02-16-2018, 5:14 PM
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I've had great success with a cardboard box filled with rubber mulch. Stops the pellets effectively, and doesn't weigh a ton so can be moved. Just be certain you fully top off the box, because settling will leave an unprotected gap. This is likely true of a variety of media.

Regarding the signature of your firing... I haven't done this. But I've heard that if you are well back inside your house, firing out into your yard through a partly opened glass sliding door, then the room you're in greatly attenuates the sound as heard from the property line. Even better, you're inside the house and much harder to spot from outside.

Just a suggestion... and don't shoot your glass sliding door.
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Old 02-16-2018, 5:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Experimentalist View Post

Regarding the signature of your firing... I haven't done this. But I've heard that if you are well back inside your house, firing out into your yard through a partly opened glass sliding door, then the room you're in greatly attenuates the sound as heard from the property line. Even better, you're inside the house and much harder to spot from outside.

Just a suggestion... and don't shoot your glass sliding door.
I have done that and it works. It's the only way I could snipe blue jays and magpies once they knew I was hunting them. I had to hide behind the couch.
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Old 02-16-2018, 7:26 PM
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I tossed a few hay bales in the yard. Just behind the bales is a 4’x4’ balistic rubber mat. Its a pretty sweet set up! I have bench in the back of my garage and the targets are 25 yards down.

What also works very well is horse stall mats. They’re 4x8 sheets of recycled rubber tires. I’ve cut them with a box knifle into 1’x1’ squares and stacked two in a pellet trap. Lasts months and these mats are only $50 at a feed store.

http://cubeupload.com/im/45acpguy/53...34221A756.jpeg
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Old 02-17-2018, 1:19 AM
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I use a bag of mulch for pellets and broadhead-tipped arrows.
Standard archery target for field tipped arrows.

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