water for bullet catching

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Perentie
Posts: 417
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:22 am
Location: Queensland, Australia.

water for bullet catching

Post by Perentie »

We dont get snow here in sunny Queensland, so I was wondering if I could make a bullet catcher from a length of say 10 inch PVC pipe stood vertically.
Fill with water with a mesh basket in the bottom and fire into it from the Balcony.
I would think this has been done before but my Google search did not bring up anything.
Would 6 feet be enough?
Keith
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kenny sd
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Location: florida

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by kenny sd »

"And in the local news' HA sounds like something I would do.

take pictures please......Ken :lol:
gunlaker
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Re: water for bullet catching

Post by gunlaker »

If I remember correctly there is someone here who shoots bullets into their pool. I'd have thought the water would deform them badly though.

If you fill a PVC tube with water and shoot it, I'd expect that the pressure generated would blow apart the tube.

Chris.
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powderburner
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Location: elko nv.

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by powderburner »

To do it properly you must be under the water with your gun.
Please post pictures.
Dean Becker
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J.B.
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Location: Australia

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by J.B. »

Good morning Keith. Good natured as they are...I'm picking up a distinct 'best not to do it' vibe from the chorus :wink: My initial feeling was the pressure , especially in so small a diameter tube.. would shatter or at the very least split the pvc pretty dramatically. These test fire/ bullet trapment tanks we see in all the CSI/ Major Crime shows ( remember you can only use those while wearing sporty sunglasses too :P ) appear to angle the barrel diagonally down across the length of the tank and they are enclosed and supposedly made of steel also. I'd have thought that water would have imparted some level of distortion to the bullet where as snow banks...relatively little to none at all. As you say though...not much snow in Queensland...but there are plenty of swimming pools :wink:
rgds.. Gavin.
"an experimental weapon..with experimental ammunition ? ...Lets experiment "
Perentie
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Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:22 am
Location: Queensland, Australia.

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Perentie »

Thanks Gavin, I get that vibe too.
Vic another Queenslander on here suggested a long narrow box filled with oiled sawdust. I have not googled that one yet but it seems its been done before.
I was hoping to get down for your Billy Dixon shoot but I wont be able to make it now. Probably best I come on a club day rather than a match day anyway. Not so busy.
I have been using Swiss FF in my 40 cal but am down to my last container so I am having to work up a load using Wano now , ready for when I run out.
Keith
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J.B.
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Location: Australia

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by J.B. »

Sorry to hear you wont make it down this time Keith but you're welcome any time you can get down. I have loaded both 2f and 1.5f Swiss in my sons 40/70 and while there was a velocity increase, it wasnt as marked as you might expect. Performance on target wasnt affected and I managed to miss with both :shock: The absurdity of the Swiss powder...when it does get to Aus... is that I believe it lands in Queensland but heads to South Australia before its distributed. We can get it periodically but its usually relies on the good will of members to retrieve it. Wano seems to do the job but its noticeably down on 'punch per grain' to Swiss.. although even it ( Swiss ) varies lot to lot. Take care of yourself and make the pilgrimage when you can.
best regards.. Gavin/ J.B.
"an experimental weapon..with experimental ammunition ? ...Lets experiment "
gunlaker
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Re: water for bullet catching

Post by gunlaker »

Perentie wrote: Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:16 am Thanks Gavin, I get that vibe too.
Vic another Queenslander on here suggested a long narrow box filled with oiled sawdust. I have not googled that one yet but it seems its been done before.
I was hoping to get down for your Billy Dixon shoot but I wont be able to make it now. Probably best I come on a club day rather than a match day anyway. Not so busy.
I have been using Swiss FF in my 40 cal but am down to my last container so I am having to work up a load using Wano now , ready for when I run out.
Keith
Keith if done correctly that should work. I have a copy of F.W. Mann's old book and oiled sawdust was what he used.

Chris.
Blackstone
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Joined: Thu May 29, 2014 11:28 am

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Blackstone »

Perentie wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:06 pm We dont get snow here in sunny Queensland, so I was wondering if I could make a bullet catcher from a length of say 10 inch PVC pipe stood vertically.
Fill with water with a mesh basket in the bottom and fire into it from the Balcony.
I would think this has been done before but my Google search did not bring up anything.
Would 6 feet be enough?
Keith
The best way to catch bullets un harmed is in sawdust at 200 yards . It takes a box 2'x2' 6 ft long with wet sawdust . I've caught thousands this way . They look and measure just like they came out of the barrel . Water is much more dense than sawdust
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desert deuce
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Location: Rio Rico, Arizona

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by desert deuce »

Recall seeing such an article or two about catching BPCR bullets in oiled sawdust. Maybe Mike Venturino article? Not sure.

One I seem to recall used a ten foot long 2' x 2' box and shot into it at relatively close range. Maybe a Ken Waters article in Handloader?

Have shot revolver bullets into 5 gal plastic buckets filled with water. If you don't cover the top for blow back you and the piece will get quite wet. A piece of heavy rubber mat with a hole just big enough to poke the muzzle through works just fine. Shop rag around the barrel at the hole. This was done with cast target level .45 Wadcutter, .38 Wadcutter and .38 semi-wadcutter so I can just imagine what kind of splash you would get with a BPCR.

An empty 35 gallon empty steel oil drum (the tall slender ones) work even better and you only have to fill it to ten inches from the top so you can fire multiple shots before refilling the container as long as you get only minor splash out.
Sometimes you get the chicken, and sometimes you get the feathers!
Kenny Wasserburger
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Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2002 3:53 pm
Location: Gillette, Wyoming

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Kenny Wasserburger »

Single Shot exchange, article on a oiled sawdust bullet catch box.

Box construction and results were published all done by Lee Shaver, one conciseness was anything less than a .060 wad you would get some base finning an obvious deterrent to fine accuracy.

Similar testing of wads was employed in Wyoming @ The Wasserburger Mile Target, from recovered bullets a general conciseness was developed. This mirrored Lee Shavers findings. To date the best single string of score of 8/10 hits on the mile target was achieved with a wad stack load. The 45-110 Wad Stack Has proven over many years to be quite capable if the shooter is.


Kenny Wasserburger
We'll raise up our Glasses against Evil Forces, Singing, Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses.

Wyoming Territory Sharps Shooter
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Lumpy Grits
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Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Lumpy Grits »

Kenny, what is the wad stack that you use?
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
Perentie
Posts: 417
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:22 am
Location: Queensland, Australia.

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Perentie »

OK I found this.
https://shilohrifle.com/forums/viewtopi ... 5&start=30
I guess I wont be shooting into water :D

Keith
Kenny Wasserburger
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Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2002 3:53 pm
Location: Gillette, Wyoming

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by Kenny Wasserburger »

Lumpy,

It’s been posted many times, criticism by several, remember never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice.


.060 veg fiber wad to compress won’t bulge a annealed case, .060 Poly LDPE or HDPE wad plus a sagebrush felt. This is also used with my new dual Diameter pp bullet.


Kenny
We'll raise up our Glasses against Evil Forces, Singing, Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses.

Wyoming Territory Sharps Shooter
ian45662
Posts: 717
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 3:42 pm

Re: water for bullet catching

Post by ian45662 »

A friend of mine lets me shoot into his 8’ swimming pool. The projectiles look great.
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