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Indoor match bullet traps for 180 degrees of freedom


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I have seen many match vids of indoor matches where the course construction allows for shooting toward the side walls of the indoor shooting bay. How is this being accomplished without cratering and destroying the walls? Fragmentation rounds and sheet steel? Bullet traps?

In European indoor shooting vids there are tires stacked up as well, but there must be some kind of impenetrable surface to keep the range intact.

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There is a range in Mchenry Illinois that uses ballistic rubber panels on the side walls. I am not a member I was just there for the range portion of my RO certification so I don't know how often they shoot into the side walls during matches. At my home range we use ballistic rubber panels mounted in steel tub and a frame with wheels to make them portable.

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There is a range in Mchenry Illinois that uses ballistic rubber panels on the side walls. I am not a member I was just there for the range portion of my RO certification so I don't know how often they shoot into the side walls during matches. At my home range we use ballistic rubber panels mounted in steel tub and a frame with wheels to make them portable.

The range you a referring to is Alpha Range in McHenry IL.

From the PDF on their website.

Action Target’s Wall Baffle system is designed to keep errant rounds safely contained with the shooting range while not damaging the structure of the building. Wall Baffles are available in configurations capable of containing both handgun and standard rifle calibers (5.56, 7.62, etc.).

All impact surfaces on the Wall Baffles are AR500 steel, with a nominal Brinell hardness of 500. The joint system provides an overlapping and continuous barrier eliminating any gaps through which rounds may escape. The overlapping joint design also allows wall baffles to be modular to fit any range.

Wall Baffle panels are available in 1/4” and 3/8” thicknesses, depending on the range requirements. In order to contain impacts from rifle calibers at various angles, including perpendicular shots, 3/8” steel must be used.

All steel panels are cut on computer-controlled, high- definition plasma cutters and are prepped and painted to meet SP-6 specifications. No flame cutting of any type is used.

Action Target also offers several fascia options for our Wall Baffle system, including treated plywood, rubber panels, and sound-deadening panels."

Edited by Maximis228
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But what keeps the bullet fragments from hitting shooters and destroying the interior lighting? Rubber layered over the AR500?

Essentially the "FBI Battle Walls" act to slow down the bullet as it passes through. The bullet then hits the ar500 steel behind and the fragments are held in by the battle wall. Bullets can pass through, but fragments can not.

I can muzzle the wall with a 9 Major open gun without issue.

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Every 18 months we need to pull down the battle walls, Take out the fragment debris, Re frame the interior of the wall and screw the battle walls back up.

What is the cost associated with this maintenance? How long does it take? Is it Club Member labor or outside contractor?

Thank you

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Every 18 months we need to pull down the battle walls, Take out the fragment debris, Re frame the interior of the wall and screw the battle walls back up.

What is the cost associated with this maintenance? How long does it take? Is it Club Member labor or outside contractor?

Thank you

Its strictly a volunteer night situation. The club has roughly 200ish members. The cost is 20 sheets of plywood and some 2x4 for framing (Per Bay). We haven't had to replace the FBI Battle Wall sections yet. I have no idea what this might cost. This is part of the yearly membership fees, so I'm not really concerned personally.

Last time we did this we had about 40 people show up.It took 3 hours for two bays (4 walls).

Edited by Maximis228
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The black squares are the FBI battle wall. The bullet passes through this, the ply wood, then hits the steel. Once the bullet fragments, it splashes back and is trapped in via the Battle Wall.

All the debris/lead has been removed in this photo.

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