So i've got my newly aquired Beretta, and a lovely bit of kit it is too, however, practising I've noticed that the wadcutters don't cut clean when the A4 sheet is stuck to a cardboard box (filled with more cardboard so no pellets exit it). If i've shot 5 and done well, there is just a mass of messy paper with no distinct holes.
What do you guys use as backstops, target holders etc..?
Cheers
Andy
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
You could try stick a piece of duct/gaffer tape over the back of the target area of the paper - I've found that works quite well in restricting the paper from tearing. I've tried a few other types of tape & they mostly made the situation worse.
My normal everyday setup has my A4 size pellet trap covered in gaffer tape - then the paper target is held over the top of it....patch the holes as and when needed - I find this is better than using a cardboard backing.
But the first option gives the cleanest holes.
A4 Size pellet trap?? Where does one purchase one of these from?
Thicker paper essential for good holes.
I use a tub full of Plumber's Mait in the backstop about 1" thick - stops pellets dead, very quiet and lasts ages - when the target area fills up with pellets, just knead some fresh across.
New: Hammerli AP20; BSA Meteor for daughter (and rats ); TX200 with a scope on top;
Baikal MP-651K for plinking; and a friend with an Original 75 he doesn't mind me using!
I use an A4 size wooden box with an A4 sized piece of 1/8 steel screwed to the front. The inside is filled with foam to lesson the sound.
I`ve put a ledge with a raised edge at the bottom to collect the pellets. Those that do not stick in the heavy photocopy card fall onto the shelf. This is the same idea as the comercially made target holders only bigger.
On a previous thread the idea of sticking a piece of tape on the rear of the target over the `bull` was given. I use masking tape and this helps give a very clear hole.
good shooting
mike
I made mine out of small scrap a wooden pallet - exactly A4 sized. Backed with a layer of ply wood then a layer of pallet slats. Inside its covered with 3 layers of thick rubber backed carpet & then the void is filled with newspaper - its nigh on silent & even my rifle won't reach the carpet layers at the back. Its a piece of functional bodging - but it works very well!
I just use a big cardboard box stuffed with rags, old carpet offcuts etc etc.
The targets are printed off on bog standard printer paper, but to get neat holes in them I paste them onto card first.
The sides of cereal boxes seem to give the neatest holes, but frozen supermarket pizza boxes are a close second. And we eat more pizza than cereal
I use PVA craft glue spread very very thin with an old credit card or similar. If you overdo the glue you get wrinkles (in the paper!). Let the targets dry completely before use for neatest holes. Overnight is best.
Simple and virtually free (well I am from Yorkshire!)
“We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies come from that.” - Marcus Aurelius
you could build an A4 pellet trap from plyboard and they use plasticine on the inside to catch the round
Yeah i'm thinking of building one now to take A4 sheets, on legs at shoulder height ish. Shouldn't be too hard, some bits of 4x4 for the uprights, some thick ply to make a box, angled steel plate in the back to stop ricochets covered with a dense sticky back foam to reduce sound.
I'll use a removable front board with one of those clipboard clipy things one as others have used too.
Shouldn't cost too much.
Talk about timing
I have just created THE perfect A4 backstop that holds the paper, without any clips or pins.
It cost me less than £6.00 and I have had no ricochets and the impact with my HW40 and 70 is silent.
I did some pellet tests with it today using bog standard A4 laser printer.
I shot 5 pellets from Bisley Magnums (cheers Jay.C finally got to test some at last) 5 Webley Harrier and 5 Geco's.
Each hole was quite distinct
What I did was purchased a .99p baking tray from Morrisons (bit bigger than A4). its only about 1.5 cm deep
I then purchased 2 small tubs of "Evostick Plumbers Mate Putty" its very dense and quite sticky, but it will never set hard.
I placed the putty into the tray and flattened it down till it filled the tray.
Stood it up and pressed a paper target on to it
The great thing is that even at point blank the putty grabbs the pellet and holds it tight more or less at the surface of the putty.
Once I had fired my shots I peeled off the target and it looked like they had been hole punched. Will put a pic up later.
Tony
PS I fired a .22 AA field at the same from my rifle at 11ft/lbs (15 meters range). knocked the holder for six, pellet straight through the putty and a large dent in the tray. Will try with my 6ft/lbs rifle tomorrow
UBC Secretary & Web-ManagerTHL Marksman of the Year 2010
(Airgun Section)
Right heres some pix of what I have done
Look closely you can see that there is another one of my fluke shots There is a Harrier directly on TOP of another Harrier
- Putty in tray
- Target stuck to putty
- Harrier in top Geco in bottom
- Peeling off the target
- Resultant holes from A4 paper & both Round and Flat headed Pellets
Thought I had fired 4 shots so fired another. Six shots in Top Target and 5 holes
Tony
UBC Secretary & Web-ManagerTHL Marksman of the Year 2010
(Airgun Section)
That looks quite effective!.
I think i'll still build a full height catcher. Just worked out what materials I'll need and I think it'll cost about £30 all in. Shouldn't take long to build either, couple of nails and some gaffer tape and jobs'a'goodun!
I've found cereal packets the best. the fibre weave in the cardboard is v short and wholes cleaner than say supermarket boxes. I've found cheap watercolour paper holes best how ever plain photo copy paper is ok, you have to glue it to the card. This will give clean holes. If you get into ppc and are getting good you will need 3 targets for each round cos otherwise you are putting 30 shots in the same sheet and it gets difficult to score. i use pva glue and a big brush and do a job lot.
I use a telephone directory in a steel box as a back stop. hth