Power to Punch / BB's vs Sheet Metal

[CimmShark]

Hey guys I'm designing a few targets/modules for testing/firing BB's into.

I know people love using the Pop can test and I've seen people write about punching holes through plasticard / polystyrene. But I'd like to know if anyone has been able to punch through sheet metal that has been thicker than a pop can.

If so the please post the thickness you've punched through aswell as the FPS you were getting at the time and the BB weight you were using at the time.

Basically I want to build target modules that are going to last and be functional. I don't want to design big hunking boxes made out of 0.5" Steel, they would weigh a ton and not be able to move around to different location very easily.

Also if any of you have tested on plasticard / polystyrene, let me know the thickness you've made it up to before it's punctured through.

Thanks for the input

[m102404]

If you're making a trap box...
- you want something that's going to soak up the hit and deflect/trap the bb
- a series of hanging shop rags work, a junk carboard box stuffed with plastic bags and crunched up newspaper works well too (that's what I do...then just chuck the whole box out when all four sides are shot out)
- some guys have used scrap condura as a baffle type trap
- open end of a stack of phone books do not work very well for airsoft (too hard/resistant)

If you're making targets...you might consider approx 2mm mild steel plate. I don't know the thickness of the Madbull aluminum poppers (guess 2mm)...and I know for a fact that they get beat up like crazy pretty quick.

Heavier guage (and total plate size) and the BB might just bounce straight back. Sometimes they'll just explode on contact. They'll make a nice "ding" sound though. If you tilt them down a bit ricochettes will be directed to the floor.

If you're making a falling plate on a hinge...you can use pretty heavy plate, but you need to incorporate an adjustment screw to set the balance/tipping point. With heavy plates and airsoft power levels the balance point is so fine that footsteps/wind/breeze/staring-hard will tip it over.

Heavy guage tin pie plates work well too...not the cheapo light ones from the supermarket, the heavy guage ones. Or check out the dollar store for "camping" plates.

[CimmShark]

Yeah I'm planning on making a trap for it. Sheet metal, with a slanted back so that the BB's ricochette into a catch that feeds out the side or back into a tray for easy collection of the BB's. That with an area to slide in target sheets.

I also have leather from old projects laying around so I was going to put that inside of the trap hanging down to dampen the impact.

BB's will no go through sheet metal...

Pop cans come in gauges that are available to sheet metal, so I added that if anyone ever used a gauge thin enough to puncture it.

[Death March]

using a heavy car blanket,just hanging it slowes them up and they "dead drop" to the ground. I tryed using thin stainless steel sheets and they go right into it and past to whats behind lol. But that was shooting it with 435 fps with .25's.

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by m102404

If you're making a trap box...
- you want something that's going to soak up the hit and deflect/trap the bb
- a series of hanging shop rags work, a junk carboard box stuffed with plastic bags and crunched up newspaper works well too (that's what I do...then just chuck the whole box out when all four sides are shot out)
- some guys have used scrap condura as a baffle type trap
- open end of a stack of phone books do not work very well for airsoft (too hard/resistant)

I do the same thing but I find burlap is best, as it prevents any kind if ricochets from within the box. If you use Silicas you can reuse the BBs that are in the trap as they don't deform on impact.

I don't recommend indoor shooting of reactive or hard targets simply because of the potential for injury or property damage due to ricochets (any BB type). People generally don't have enough room in their basement or garage where they are shooting and they usually have objects that can be damaged by ricochets in the vicinity.

[CimmShark]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

I don't recommend indoor shooting of reactive or hard targets simply because of the potential for injury or property damage due to ricochets (any BB type). People generally don't have enough room in their basement or garage where they are shooting and they usually have objects that can be damaged by ricochets in the vicinity.

lol I understand your point here very well actually. I sometimes fire off a bow in my basement just to make sure it's still working and on occasion, my father, not me, has put a few holes into the wall (some master hunter he is ). Shooting anything but foam darts inside a house damages things lol. Luckily for me we have a fairly long basement because of the way the basement was finished.

I'm not planning on using these indoors though other than for testing out sights and scopes, fps and such.

Originally Posted by Death March

I tryed using thin stainless steel sheets and they go right into it and past to whats behind lol. But that was shooting it with 435 fps with .25's.

And this is what I was worried about. I don't plan on using the really thin gauges but I wanted to know if something above the 400 range would go through. Thanks

[Death March]

Go to U-Haul and get the Heavy drop cloth for moving furniture,they usally supply them in the trucks when you rent them,but they do sell them! I have one and it works great. Just hang it in your trap and your Gold! No ricochets,the BB just drops. Mount it from the top and let it hang.Don't secure the bottom half.

[Lord of Rebirth]

I had an idea to use some PVC pipe to make a target that has a horizontal piece that faces the shooter open end out then it has a 45 degree bend then another 45 degree bend. I would hope the slanting back section would redirect the BBs down into the base but I have been to busy to go to a hardware store for parts.

[Short Round]

If you can get a metal target box, they are the best I've used so far. Just jerape a cloth over it so the back of the target doesn't get scratched. Local gun store should have one. Mine though is for real fire arms (got it from a friend who was in the police force) thing ways a tun but atleast it doesn't fall apart like pop cans on a stick

[Kid]

I just hang a cotton sheet from the roof and then put my targets on a cardboard box in front.

400FPS, 6000+ rounds, no puncture.

You're overestimating the power of an AEG.

[VooDooPeteK]

I use a wooden box with a moving blanket type material that hangs down at the rear to stop/catch the BB's or targets I use one of 2 things....

1.Paper targets I just photocopy at work on thin card

or dollar store pie plates as they are cheap and you can hear the "ting" from a distance.

I keep all the BB's I "catch" but don't reuse them in my guns. However they work great for claymores/mines/grenades

[Huron]

Ignoring the negative point of BBs getting everywhere, an inverted metal pot is probably the most satisfying target I've ever shot. Lovely loud ping on hits, even from 50~ feet away, and the one I was using dented and chipped with hits so you could at least easily see your groupings.

[Kos-Mos]

I have one to test-fire the guns I fix...

Cardboard box, with 1 flap cut off. I just put a rag hanging from the top, with the two sides strait and the bottom flap angled up at 45 deg. The rag lets the BB drop in the box.

Empty once in a while and there you go.