Backstop

[Phil Russell]

For a generally permanent one:
3x2 slab supported at c45 degrees on a dexion frame. Bolt 3mm steel sheet on the slab with a thick layer of car underseal between them. Front face of slab has lead sheet held up by wires ... lead from spent pellets. Floor of dexion frame is filled with approx 5cm sand.
Virtually silent. Loudest noise is the pellet hitting / going through whatever your target is. Mine is 30 years old. Holes in dexion are prefect for suspending targets.

Cheers, Phil

[Lawrie Amatruda]

Looking at making a new backstop for garden plinking, any recommendations for which material is best for impact sound absorption

I made mine from 10mm thick polycarbonate sheet, it is highly impact resistant and weather proof, I set it at an angle to deflect the pellets downward into a tray with sand, which allows you to separate the used pellets easily. You can make a simple stand with a couple of pieces of wood slotted at an angle to hold the polycarbonate above the tray of sand.

[Carrott]

I made a wooden box out of old beech floor boards and used some 3/8" stainless plate for the ultimate backstop. When the builders knocked down my garage (intentionally ) I ended up with loads of lead flashing. Couple of sheets over the steel and job done. No splatter, no ricochets. The bonus is when it's all shot up and much heavier, it goes down the recyclers complete with pellets for beer money. A win win.

[Bellycrawler]

5 slabs. Really old thick ones. Roof, base, sides, thickest for backstop. Bricks end on to reduce the entrance size does help a little. I found a thick slab makes less noise than modern thin ones.

[Speedmaster2]

I use old (proper) dartboards.

I use dartboards too, cheap enough to buy if you look in some charity shops.

[Segata]

Ones round here always mark them up, watch out for the cheapo ones if you acctually use them for darts, one I got as a kid had the Bullseye swapped for a bit of dyed wood and the dart deflected off it straight into my foot.
Cork is definately a good material though and dampens noise nicely.

[Jacklurcher]

Wooden box, sized to take an angled paving slab. I hang a sheet of butyl rubber pond liner (got lots in the shed) across the front which self-seals to an extent and prevents pellets bouncing out.

I print off A4 targets and clip on to the box top with bulldog clips. I can usually put a few thousand pellets through the rubber before it needs replacing.

I keep meaning to melt the recovered pellets down into a sheet of lead to deaden the sound of pellet impact, but never get round to it.