BULLET TRAP COMPARISONS - Action Target

Rubber Lamella Trap
With this trap, tightly grouped rubber curtains or lamellas are hung from a support structure to create a
bullet stopping barrier. As bullets pass through the layers of rubber strips, their energy is dissipated until
they come to a stop. A steel plate is mounted at the back of the trap to block rounds that make it through the
lamellas. Because rubber is destroyed every time you shoot into it, the rubber strips are quickly shredded
under any kind of moderate to heavy use. One of the most quoted features of rubber traps is that bullets
don't fragment on impact like they do on steel. This is true until bullets start impacting other bullets already
embedded in the rubber. Regardless of the application, the use of a rubber bullet trap introduces a very real
fire hazard that must be considered and dealt with appropriately
The benefits of a lamella trap include its small floor space requirement, and the ability to capture some
bullets whole.
Weaknesses include high maintenance costs, fire hazard, messy appearance, and the restriction of low
volume shooting only.
Vertical Rubber Granule Trap
Another European design uses a large steel chamber filled with chopped rubber and a penetrable rubber
sheet across the front the keep the rubber granules in place.
The trap works the same way a sand berm works, except the sand is replaced by granules of chopped
rubber and the face of the trap is vertical. Like the rubber lamella trap, the front skin of the rubber granule
trap is permanently damaged each time a bullet is fired into it.
As larger and larger holes are created in the front skin, rubber granules can spill out and large bulges can
develop as the structural integrity of the trap is compromised. Regular patching and repair is often required
to keep the granules in the chamber.
As the granules settle, areas of dangerously low density can form at the top of the trap causing rounds to
pass through the rubber and escape out the back. To clean the trap, bullets must be mined and separated
from the rubber then disposed of properly.
The benefits of a vertical rubber granule trap include its small floor space requirement, the ability to
capture some bullets whole, and reduced lead dust levels.
Weaknesses include massive ongoing maintenance, service costs, fire hazard, and the restriction of low
volume shooting only.