The Sting of the Random Ricochet

[Davio]

I never have ricochets when shooting at the targets in front of the duct seal, but now that I've been shooting the spinner target a lot lately at 5 and 10 meters I get them fairly often.  I had one graze my forearm and draw blood.  Several whizz back past me.  This is 2x12 treated pine and with the pistols many do not stick into the wood (especially when slowed down by the spinners). 

I'm afraid one of these will come back and caca my chrony or fly up my nose.  Will MDF catch pellets?

[breakfastchef]

Wood or steel are not well suited as target backers. To reduce ricochets, you could angle those backers 30 degrees or so down so the rebound deflects to the ground. With different guns producing different velocities, it is probably a good idea to use something behind the target that can capture most any pellet. Stuff like hay bales; cardboard boxes filled with magazines, newsprint, t-shirts, capret remnants, etc. Do not use foam!

[1377x]

you dont want to use mdf.please dont ask me how i know
forget the nose
dont shoot your eye out
i had one very bad experience with a ricochet
i used to shoot rimfires in the basement.during one session on the last round there was ricochet.i heard it bounce oround until it came to rest in my eye no it was more like this ,without the smile.talk about burn..i knew my eyeball was scratched by the pain and feeling i had in it.everytime i tried to open my i would have to immediately shut it before i could open it completely.i would say i dont shoot rimefires in the basement anymore but i would be lying to you.now i have a proper bullet tube with 9 inches of sand on the bottom
it sits at a 45* angle the guy who builds them says thats the safest angle.it can handle up to a 7mm maybe more.the thing weighs about 80# before the sand is added about 140# with the sand.
when i can say i never do any longer is shoot without safety glasses.lesson learned
i am so lucky to still have my eye and it still worked like an eagle until my recent medication woes

[Crosshairs]

I put a piece of carpet behind my spinners and get no ricochets.
                                     Mike

[millipede]

you should get a heavier target. i got one of those "zombie" targets at walmart made of steel and even at low velocities the pellets totally flatten and dissintegrate. no ricochet

before that i was using just a spoon but i had no idea where the pellet was going once it hit so i put a big wad of duct seal in the spoon so now they stick to it

[sparkycrew]

i have issues with keeping very quiet while shooting so i use folded towels behind the targets,the pellets are all absorbed quietly and they drop onto another towel so i can collect them and dispose of safely,away from our pet rabbit,most of the pellets could be used again as they appear undamaged,could you add a silicone skin onto the target surface to dampen the ricochet effect