Plastic bag butt

[DC]

Has anyone made a target butt filled with plastic bags? How thick should it be to stop a target arrow from a 40-50# bow? I want to make a butt for my shop.

[osage outlaw]

I made one from plastic livestock feed bags packed super tight.  It stopped the arrows very well. 

[Knoll]

Yep, what Clint said.
Also, burlap bags from farm-supply places wok well for me.
Also, some farm-supply retailers sell trailers and, around here at least, those trailers must be shipped by mftr with blocks of styrofoam. The retailers use the blocks to prop tongue off ground. They end up with excesses of the blocks. Free targets!

[DC]

I've collected the bags and I'm going to build a plywood frame to put them in. I just don't know how deep to make the frame so the arrows don't go through. Do you think a foot deep would do it?

[osage outlaw]

I hung mine up from a swing frame. I had it packed so tight the arrows would bounce off sometimes.

[loon]

Heard good things about shrinkwrap and old clothes, too. Maybe shredded paper could work OK.

[BowEd]

I've used round bale net wrapping from round bales before.Works great.Arrows pull out real easy.

[steve b.]

DC, You WILL hit the plywood frame.  Just do the burlap thing.  I doesn't take alot to stop a wood arrow, but why skimp, just stuff it full and hand sew it up.

[Blayne]

When I worked construction the insulators would stuff all their empty bags inside a bag. Nice package that I brought home. With my old "wheels" the points would poke out the backside, but I bet that would stop a trad bow. Not sure exactly how thick, as thick as a bag of pink insulation:)

[BowEd]

I stuffed an excessive amount of that round bale net wrapping into many plastic type 50# bags.Set them through out the woods imitating a 3D shoot while stump shooting bows.Works great!!But if left out there and there are whitetail deer around during the rut the young bucks will come by and tear them up....lol.

[DC]

DC, You WILL hit the plywood frame.  Just do the burlap thing.  I doesn't take alot to stop a wood arrow, but why skimp, just stuff it full and hand sew it up.

That's a good point, I know I've hit the frame on the Bulldog target I've got out back. This one will be just for the shop and I'll only be shooting maybe 15 feet. It will be 2'x2' and if I miss it there will be (another) hole in the cedar garage door. The biggest burlap sack I can get is about 16-18" wide. Decisions, decisions Thanks

[PEARL DRUMS]

I keep a roll of heavy duty plastic wrap handy. When my bag targets start to soften up or sag, I wrap the entire thing tightly and its good to go for another 5000 shots.

[steve b.]

For indoors I would do foam.  But not one of those smallish block types.  I learned my lesson once when I hit the edge of the block, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that the arrow turned 90 degrees and hit the wall in the next room, traveling perfectly perpendicular to where I was shooting.  I use those big white open cell target butts.  I get them used at the archery store but they are still expensive.  You'll eventually shoot through it so must have a stop behind it.

I once was shooting from the street into the garage, missed the target, and the arrow went through the wall into the bedroom, hit and closed the bedroom door.  I put some toothpaste in the hole--wife never knew.

[DC]

And if you mail me the last bow you posted, she won't hear it from me

[steve b.]

  .....Funny.  You could make a bow as good as I can....you just need a good stave for a change....