A different use for rubber mulch

As rubber mulch suppliers to much of the country, Dallas Rubber Mulch has been asked to do all sorts of things with our product. For the most part, this has been to create landscapes, play areas, use it as sports infill, equestrian surfaces and other mainstream uses.

However, we were recently asked about using it as a backstop at a gun club. It's a novel and very useful way of using rubber mulch.

The properties of rubber mulch lend themselves well to the idea of using it as a backstop at either a pistol or indoor rifle range. While it doesn't give that signature puff of dirt you can see with a rifle, it has many other advantages that gun store owners are beginning to explore.

Here are some of the benefits of using rubber mulch as a gun range backstop.

Acoustic attenuation

Rubber as a material sucks up noise. It doesn't reflect sound waves back at all, meaning it lowers the noise levels in a range quite significantly. Using so much mulch in an enclosed space changes the acoustics completely. A clever designed solution and drastically lower sound in this situation.

Ricochet reduction

While traditional backstops didn't ricochet much, rubber mulch eliminates that possibility completely. As rubber has given, it reduces the kinetic energy of a projectile almost instantly, transmitting it through the rubber and stopping the bullet in its tracks. That is a very nice benefit to have in a gun range!

Reduce lead dust

An admittedly small problem for most gun ranges, but nonetheless a problem. A spent bullet that hits a solid wall can release lead dust into the atmosphere of a shooting range. This could potentially have health repercussions in enclosed areas. Rubber does not cause any kind of dust release. As a material has nothing toxic in it. As an absorbent material, it doesn't stop a bullet in its tracks, but absorbs the kinetic energy, slowing it significantly before bringing it to a stop.

Low maintenance

A rubber mulch backstop in a shooting range doesn't have to be re-plastered or repainted or cared for much at all. Keep it drained and keep it restrained in place and it could offer many years of faithful, faultless service. Collect the spent bullets regularly and that's all the care it needs.

Using rubber mulch as a backstop for a shooting range is a novel but very clever way of using rubber mulch. If you own such an establishment and would like to learn more about the advantages of our product, contact us today. We're here to help.