Don't feed 'em to the animals afterwards!!

 

I use a larger "round bale" to shoot my pistols (40 s&w) into and I see the bushes moving on the backside from time to time which makes me think they are making it through. I've not noticed it with my 22LR because I shoot from farther back and thru a scope. I have to think it slows it way down.. One nice thing is that you can cut up clothes hangers in 6-8" pieces and bend a 1" 90 degree bend on the end and stab thru cardboard targets to attach them to the bales. Let us know what you discover.... Good luck

 

The hay bale should, I think, work better with the bale on edge. With the straw oriented vertically. It seems to me that would work better. You could always put another bale behind it.:bthumb:

 

Nope not safely.

 

You should simply build another one of those condo shooting benches 25 yards away Matt

 

 

Hay or straw? Hay is denser and packs tighter. As a teenager, I would ride the wagon for my grandfather - straw bales weighed about 50 lbs, but hay ran about 80. My uncle on the otherhand had a wire baler that would make a 90 to 100 lb bale.

I would not trust either in any case.

 

Was thinking "straw",because of the cost

 

Put the bale directly in line with the 50 yard berm and I would think you'd be fine.

The straw bales I use are big ones, weighing in at nearly 1,000lb each, so my bullets don't go through them.

 

I posted how to make portable shooting bench really cheap you could move it to where you wanted it ,think it was in the CZ forum awhile back, something like this one post #5 would work, I made one like this but with radiused corners ,or I'll try to find the one I made out of a workmate folding bench http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=455273&highlight=home+made+shooting+bench ~~JMJ~~ ck your email

 

Stand on one side of the bale and let your wife shoot into the other side from 25 yds away

 

I agree with DairyMan...I wouldn't trust hay or straw bales by themselves. The first few rounds might be stopped, but with multiple shots eventually they will penetrate through. I'd set a couple of bales at 25 yards in front of and in line with the 50 yard target with the dirt pile. That way you have a handy, stable platform to hang your targets on.

 

Sure, they're great for a place to hang targets, but you really want a good backstop behind em. Even if a bale can stop some rounds, they aren't dense enough or consistent enough to be safe.

 

This "thread" needs to go to 5 pages ya know

There will probably be a 1/2 inch of plywood before bullet goes into hay bale!

 

Change that 1/2" plywood to 1/2" steel plate and you are good to go. Or place one of your favorite rifles behind the bale and if not hits you are good to go. I didn't think you would do that so don't trust the bales.
I shot a arrow through a 1000 lb round bale at 25 yrds lenght ways.

 

I personally wouldn't trust one to stop a round. Slow it down, maybe a little, but not stop it.

I did find out the side of an old chest freezer will stop a .22 short bullet, but I don't know about Long Rifle. I haven't tried it yet.

 

I would build a wall of railroad ties and put a bale behind it in case a bullet made it thru a crack.

 

Stack the ties with wings facing you and put a pile of sand in frt of them. the sand will asorbe all the energy . we been using set like that At my Bros place for yrs ~~JMJ~~ PS: Roscoe hay bales are for Archery targets

 

Find a 1/4" steel plate about 2' square, set it at 45 degrees so that the bullet is deflected into the ground. That will handle any .22.

 

That's what I use. A 3/8" steel plate angled forward like that will handle 44 mag lead bullets with no problem. I don't shoot jacketed bullets.

 

Some old tires stacked behind the hay bales should stop any .22 rounds that go though the bales

 

I would be concerned about rounds bouncing back off of the tires. They might not be able to penetrate a tire.

 

bullet trap

I got lucky and found a 22 bullet trap at a garage sale for $10. It works great and I use it all the time. It rings like a bell when hit.
I believe that Walmart sells them for fairly cheap.
Mike G

 

I will only be shooting 22LR standard velocity or target ammo. I thought using hay bales would "keep it simple":t Also they would be easy to move,when not in use!!

Ross

 

Well then make sure a cow is eating the bale. Then shoot. It'll stop any slugs and you can have a BBQ after shooting.

 

Hay bails are not gonna stop bullets for to long, I made a quick 50 yard backstop out of dead logs and it didn't last.
I bet it wouldn't take more than 2 mags near the bullseye before even 22 rounds would pass right threw a square bail.

Sand is really the best material to use be cause when shot it just flows down and fills the hole.

 

Go to...

Go to a junk yard/salvage yard and see if they have some 1/4" plate steel. As long as the hay bale and a bit taller so that you can angle it to deflect the pass throughs into the ground. And I don't believe that a straw or hay bale will stop even the first bullet. Not trying to be mean but I'm kinda surprised that you even thought it would stop a 22 LR.
And if that plate of steel is too heavy... well use that wheelbarrow!!!:hide:
God Bless, Frank.

 

Roscoe, I told you...

Go to a junk yard/salvage yard and see if they have some 1/4" plate steel. As long as the hay bale and a bit taller so that you can angle it to deflect the pass throughs into the ground. And I don't believe that a straw or hay bale will stop even the first bullet. Not trying to be mean but I'm kinda surprised that you even thought it would stop a 22 LR.
And if that plate of steel is too heavy... well use that wheelbarrow!!!:hide:
God Bless, Frank.

Roscoe I told you on page two to use a piece of steel angled towards the ground, and Saleen322 even posted a picture of one he built!!! So stop wasting time and get yourself busy building this thing. Saleen322 looks to be a bit heavier than 1/4" though, I guess he has a few firearms in calibers exceeding 22 RF!!!
Saleen is that 3/8th for the larger rear plate and 3/4ers for the smaller lower plate??? Or is it 1/2" and 1"!!! You own a .460 Weatherby by any chance???
God Bless, Frank.

 

On the tires they have to be the old bias ply. They will bounce off steel belted.
Has no one one realized yet that Ross was bored and wanted to see who he could rile up with this thread,

 

See no one listens to me this was post 34.

 

The way you move, that 25 yard range won't be done 'till next year.
Pound a stake down range @ 25 yards and I'll make you a portable target holder.
Just need to figure out the height. :bthumb:

 

OK nobody liked the tire idea So here's another idea baled cardboard If someone will let you have one