I am working with a sporting goods store owner to design some pellet traps/stops for his existing 25 yd. indoor archery range. Currently, the range has laminated poly sheet bales to stop arrows. I know these are more than adequate to stop pellets and BB's. Do I need anything else? Can we just staple targets to the bales and be "good-to-go"? Should I have some metal traps fabricated? Whatever is done needs to be easily convertible back to archery. Thanks for your help in advance.

Bob

Hey Bob, Once you introduce "Lead"(aka Pellets) into the store "air", I believe that triggers some kind of EPA Regulatory fiasco. Stuff like Air Flow concerns and handing of the spent Lead.

But, that could be Full-of-Beans. I'd suggest you go to one of the nearby Indoor Ranges and talk to the guy that owns it to see what they had to go through. Just because the Lead is small, the Regulations on Airborne Lead Particulate would still apply. NOTHING would make the EPA happier than to be able to shut-down a Range.

The first question is velocity. For 500-650 fps and a range of 33 ft you can use 16 gauge steel backed by 3/8 plywood. Use 1x4 frame to mount cardboard for the targets to hang.
the pellets will hit the steel, flatten, and fall straight down and be retained in the frame until you empty it. This is for lead pellets.

BB's need cardboard boxes stuffed loosely with newspapers.

There are no EPA concerns with air rifles. The airborne lead that is the issue for indoor ranges comes from the primers of powder burning firearms.