Well Folks, The old backstop is in need of being "refurbished".....
I have a big 4'X 8' plywood backstop, faced with 4x8 sheets of foam behind my 3-D Deer target. It's going on 5yrs old, and the wood is all still in good shape, but the foam is SHOT!!! (literaly! LOL) I have a big rubber stall mat, that Tyler was using for his pellet gun. The pellet gun novelty has worn off, and I was thinking about facing the plywood backstop with it...
My question is... Will just the heavy stall mat stop field points???
Definitely. I screw a stall mat to the side of my shed as a backstop and have never had an issue with field tips penetrating it. They will stick in it though. If you're concerned you can put 2 mats up .
Yes, it will stop them, but they will penetrate and eventually wear a larger hole if hit in the same spot continuously.
We're talking years of service, possibly many years.
I am thinking that if you attach it to a 2x4 or similar board to act as a spacer, so the arrow impacts the rubber and pushes it a bit before it actually has a hard backing, the rubber may prevent penetration a bit better and thus last longer. Also, there are certain points out there, I call them all chubby bunnies cause there is one out there named that, where the point is much more rounded, that will cause less penetration into the rubber.
ChuckC
If I was doing it, I would rig it so the stall mat could hang about 6" in front of the plywood. With the stall mat hanging loose, but not attached to the plywood, it will stop arrow without them sticking in at all, or very little. Pulling from the stall mat is very difficult.
Bisch
Stall mats make an excellent backstop. Simply put it in place and start shooting. The heaviest bow I have shot into mine is 65#, and it does not come close to passing through. In fact, it seldom even sticks into it. In my opinion this is the most cost effective backstop you will find.
Yes, use the spacer to increase the life of the mat. I use used conveyor belt, thinner than a stall mat, and get years from it....and I do miss enough to make that claim!
Thanks for the info, Gentlemen!!!!! :notworthy:
I was going to run a 2x6 across the top, to mount the stall mat to. I was thinking the extra space & movement would help reduce penetration.
I have mine mounted loose hanging on a 4x4 frame and 90% of the time the field points bounce off of it!
If you attach it at the top and let it hang it'll give when it it shot and arrows either stick in a little or bounce off.
I built a 4' by 6' frame out of 2x4s and screwed a 5/8" stall mat to it using 1/2"x 1 1/2" slats to even the grip on the mat. Then I put a pair of cheap plastic wheels on it so it could be moved for mowing the grass. Best backstop ever. Maybe 4 out of 10 arrows stick, just barely, the rest bounce off.
Dave.
More of the same opinion here as everybody so far.
Even stops a broadhead out of my 45" bow... about 1/2 of the
head pokes thru, but doesn't pass thru unless it hits a previous cut.
NOT recommending it for broadheads, mind you, just passing on
what it'll stop.
Those horse mats are awesome , I have a small one ( 2'x4' ) under my Black Hole and I don't have to trim grass from around it . I can mow rite over it .
I have one as a backer behind my bag target. The bag got pretty well shot up - it was on its 3rd cover - and the arrows were going through the bag and hitting the same place in the stall matt. Definitely dug a hole through it.
As a safety backer to stop arrows that miss the target, it should last longer than the shooter.
Going to have to try the stall mat, getting the field pt. out of a 3/4" in. plywood is no fun.
Excellent back stop...may wish to consider having a 2nd person to assist with installation...a might weighty.
there is no way you are shooting through a stall mat with a trad bow, not even with broad heads probably.
TSC had 2 sizes and 2 thickness of mats. I got the 6' x 3/4" thick and needed a tractor front bucket to hoist it over my 6 1/2' uprights and set into place to bolt down..
Indeed, it's heavy... figure it will outlast me at 3/4" thick!
Yeah I got the tractor supply 6x4 3/4" mat about $40 hung it around 12" behind target,works great and hanging it really keeps any penetration to almost 0
I used to use mine as the actual target. I painted some targets on mine and would shoot at it. At first my arrow would penetrate and the mat would stop it but after awhile the arrows just go through it. As a backstop its excellent just bulky and hard to maneuver.
My wife just built me a back stop using a 3x4 kennel mat and 2x4s for the frame. My field points bounce off the mat. So far so good. I have it behind my black hole targets. She purchased the mat at tractor supply.
I made the mistake of mounting mine solidly. At 20yds I can get an arrow maybe 2" through and nearly have to put both feet on it to pull the arrow out. I need to let it swing a bit. I don't think it will wear out in my lifetime. Definitely get help hanging it if you aren't Popeye....they are heavy and hard to grip.
They work great Chuck. Follow the spacing advice as mentioned.