VPAM ARG tests a rubber lining in front of a 500 HBW plate of at least 6 mm up to 1,500 J and 10 mm from 1,500 J, but that plate is the test background, not an installation rule. For installed traps, the UK Ministry of Defence note RAN 1/11 (shoot-house walls and proprietary catchers, 2011) asks for through-hardened AR500 of at least 8 mm; in the US, UFC 4-179-02 asks for at least 9.5 mm for steel traps. BulletTrap Baltic configures its 200 mm block trap with a 500 HB plate per project.
What do 6 mm and 10 mm mean in VPAM ARG?
They are the minimum thicknesses of the 500 HBW steel plate placed behind the sample during a VPAM ARG test: 6 mm up to 1,500 J, 10 mm from 1,500 J (VPAM ARG Fassung 3, point 3.5).
VPAM ARG calls the steel a reference background material. A plate with a dent deeper than 5 mm is replaced so that it does not distort the result, and another background can be used at the client’s request after agreement with the range expert, which is then recorded in the test report and certificate (point 3.5). The same point leaves the installation and acceptance of tested constructions to the range expert, the Schießstandsachverständiger. The figures have changed over time: the 2012 edition used a single 12 mm 500 HBW plate for all classes, and Fassung 2 of 14.05.2014 introduced the 6 mm and 10 mm split.
A VPAM ARG report therefore tells you how the rubber behaved in front of a known plate. It does not set the plate for your range; that comes from the documents in the next sections. How ARG tests ricochet is on how to stop ricochet in an indoor shooting range.
How much energy do common calibres carry?
From 190 J for .22 LR to 3,498 J for 7.62×51 NATO, according to Sellier & Bellot data; 1,500 J is the line between the 6 mm and 10 mm VPAM test backgrounds.
| Cartridge | Bullet | V0 | E0 | VPAM ARG test background | Germany: steel on the back wall behind the trap (5.1.8), by weapon type: handgun / long gun; a 9×19 carbine counts as a long gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .22 LR | HV HP 40 gr (2.60 g) | 385 m/s at 5 m | 190 J at 5 m | 6 mm | >2 mm, ≥300 N/mm² (up to 200 J) |
| 9×19 Luger | FMJ 124 gr (8.00 g) | 360 m/s | 518 J | 6 mm | >5 mm, ≥300 N/mm² (handguns up to 1,500 J) |
| 5.56×45 | SS109 62 gr (4.00 g) | 945 m/s | 1,786 J | 10 mm | >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² (long guns up to 7,000 J) |
| 5.56×45 | M193 55 gr (3.60 g) | 1,006 m/s | 1,822 J | 10 mm | >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² |
| 7.62×39 | FMJ 124 gr (8.00 g) | 740 m/s | 2,190 J | 10 mm | >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² |
| .308 Win | FMJ 124 gr (8.00 g), training | 905 m/s | 3,276 J | 10 mm | >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² |
| 7.62×51 NATO | FMJ 147 gr (9.55 g) | 856 m/s | 3,498 J | 10 mm | >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² |
Muzzle data from Sellier & Bellot product pages, read 26.10.2026; other makers and lots differ. The S&B product card for 7.62×39 gives 738 m/s and 2,179 J. VPAM ARG uses its own test cartridges: .223 is tested at 860 m/s in the 200–1,500 J class for authority ranges and at 950 m/s in the 1,500–7,000 J class, and 7.62×39 is not in ARG table 1, so a certificate for it needs a cartridge from the VPAM AND-SoM list. For cartridges not in ARG table 1 the background is assigned here by muzzle energy only.
Two upper limits frame the table. RKIK Annex 2 (Estonia) admits weapons up to 4,500 J of muzzle energy in an indoor range (point 2 a). In the US, UFC 4-179-02 covers weapons up to 2,500 ft-lbf (3,390 J) (4-1.1), which 7.62×51 NATO at 3,498 J slightly exceeds.
What do range rules require for the plate behind the trap?
The UK RAN 1/11 asks for through-hardened AR500 of at least 8 mm that neither deforms nor is perforated (paragraph 5); the Estonian and Latvian regulations give no thickness for an indoor trap.
| Document | Applies to | What it requires | Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPAM ARG Fassung 3 | Testing a lining or trap material, not installation | 500 HBW background plate, at least 6 mm up to 1,500 J, at least 10 mm from 1,500 J; replaced if dented deeper than 5 mm | 3.5 |
| Estonia, Regulation No. 39 | Indoor ranges | Material, thickness and properties of the trap must ensure all bullets are received; no number | § 12(5) |
| Estonia, Regulation No. 39 | Open and semi-open ranges | Bullet-resistant back wall covered with a steel plate of at least 8 mm, with a bullet trap in front of it | § 10(4) p. 2 |
| RKIK Annex 2 (Estonia) | Indoor ranges procured by RKIK | The steel plate behind the trap is part of the protection zone (point 26 c); bullet resistance of structures refers to table 6 of Annex 1, which is not in the document checked; no thickness stated | 25, 26 c |
| Latvia, Regulation No. 494 | Indoor (closed) ranges | The trap matches the type of ammunition used; no number | 7.9 |
| Germany, Schießstandrichtlinien | Back wall behind the trap, indoor ranges | Steel lining on the shooter’s side: >2 mm (to 200 J), >5 mm (handguns to 1,500 J), steel ≥300 N/mm²; >10 mm, ≥1,200 N/mm² (long guns to 7,000 J) | 5.1.8 |
| Germany, Schießstandrichtlinien | Steel bullet traps | Handguns to 1,500 J: deflecting plates at least 10 mm, ≥500 N/mm², inclined 30–45°. Long guns to 7,000 J: plates at least 15 mm, ≥1,000 N/mm², faced with conveyor belt, rubber mats or similar | 2.8.5.4.1, 2.8.5.5.1 |
| Poland, Dz.U. 2022/848 | Police, Border Guard and State Protection Service indoor ranges | Main bullet trap with a safety factor of at least 2.5; no materials named | § 19(2) |
| UK, RAN 1/11 (2011, outside the EU) | Shoot-house walls and proprietary high-velocity bullet catchers | Vertical plate of through-hardened (not surface-hardened) armour steel AR500, at least 8 mm; must not deform or be perforated under the stated conditions | 5 |
| UK, JSP 403 (2012 edition, outside the EU) | Bullet catcher plates, military ranges | Rimfire 6 mm (or 4 mm armour); centrefire pistol/carbine 8 mm (or 6 mm armour); jacketed pistol/carbine 12 mm (or 8 mm armour); centrefire rifle 12 mm (or 8 mm armour), proprietary system only | Ch 2, 02099 a, table 7a |
| In the US, UFC 4-179-02 | Steel bullet traps, Department of Defense ranges | AR500 at least 0.375 in (9.5 mm), Brinell at least 470 (MIL-A-46100); 12.7 mm recommended | 4-17.1.1 |
| In the US, UFC 4-179-02 | Granulated rubber traps | AR500 base plate at least 0.375 in, behind at least 0.60 m of rubber measured perpendicular to the face and 1.20 m horizontally | 4-17.2.1 |
| In the US, DOE | Bullet traps in shoot houses | Steel at least 3/8 in (9.5 mm), 500 Brinell or equivalent, at least 7° from vertical, a certificate for each plate, protective cover between plate and shooter | Section A, 2 |
RAN 1/11 is a UK Ministry of Defence note for shoot houses and proprietary high-velocity bullet catchers; it is not a general rule for every indoor range. The UFC granulated-rubber trap is a different system from a 200 mm block trap and its rubber depth does not compare with block thickness.
Why does a rubber bullet trap need a steel plate?
Because the rubber block alone does not stop the bullet: in report ES-240131 the 200 mm block without steel was perforated, and with a 500 HB plate behind it every projectile was stopped and the plate stayed intact.
The UK documents describe the same division of work. RAN 1/11 notes that rubber panels, or a combination of panel and blocks, are normally used to hold the bullets that strike the plate behind them (paragraph 6), that the system must capture and hold all shots and stay safe without regular user intervention apart from planned maintenance (paragraph 4), and that short-term tests do not prove long-term performance (paragraphs 2 and 3). JSP 403 warns that 5.56 mm may penetrate armoured steel “when extreme close grouping is achieved and with impact velocities in excess of 920m/s” (Ch 2, 02099 a). In the US, the DOE note excludes standard 5.56 mm rounds from such traps without additional testing (Section A, 2).
How is a BulletTrap Baltic block trap built?
In two layers: 200 mm BRB-200 rubber blocks in front, four per square metre, and a 500 HB armoured plate behind, configured per project; in the test the plate was at least 6 mm for 9×19 and at least 10 mm for the rifle calibres.
Each BRB-200 block measures 500 × 500 × 200 mm and weighs about 42.5 kg, so the rubber face weighs about 170 kg/m² before the steel. In report ES-240131 (Royal Military Academy, Brussels, 02.02.2024) the system was fired with perpendicular (90°) shots, with VPAM ARG Fassung 3 (Stand 15.03.2021) as the reference, using 9×19 DM41, 7.62×39 M43, 5.56×45 SS109 and 7.62×51 DM111: no ricochet, and every projectile was stopped. The plate was 500 HB steel, 500 × 500 mm, in contact with the rear face of the block: at least 6 mm for 9×19 (up to 1,500 J) and at least 10 mm for 7.62×39, 5.56×45 and 7.62×51 (above 1,500 J). Plate thickness for your site follows from the governing document above. Send the calibres fired and the document that governs your site, and BulletTrap Baltic returns the block count and the backing-plate bracket for your energies. The product is on bullet traps; rubber against steel traps is compared on ballistic rubber vs steel bullet trap.
Questions about the steel plate behind a rubber trap
Does VPAM ARG require a 10 mm plate in my range?
No. VPAM ARG uses a 500 HBW plate of at least 6 mm up to 1,500 J and 10 mm from 1,500 J as the background when it tests a sample (Fassung 3, point 3.5). Installation and acceptance in the range are the range expert’s responsibility, under the national rules that apply.
How thick must the plate be under UK rules?
At least 8 mm of through-hardened AR500 armour steel that neither deforms nor is perforated, under RAN 1/11, paragraph 5. The note covers shoot-house walls and proprietary high-velocity bullet catchers of the UK Ministry of Defence.
How thick must the plate be in the US?
In the US, UFC 4-179-02 asks for AR500 of at least 0.375 in (9.5 mm) with Brinell hardness of at least 470 in a steel trap, and recommends 12.7 mm (4-17.1.1). A granulated rubber trap sits on an AR500 base plate of at least 0.375 in (4-17.2.1).
What does the German Schießstandrichtlinien say?
They set steel for the back wall behind the trap: more than 5 mm of steel of at least 300 N/mm² for handguns up to 1,500 J and more than 10 mm of steel of at least 1,200 N/mm² for long guns up to 7,000 J (5.1.8). Steel traps themselves use plates of at least 10 mm or 15 mm (2.8.5.4.1, 2.8.5.5.1).
Do Estonia and Latvia set a plate thickness?
Not for indoor traps. Estonian Regulation No. 39 asks that the trap receives all bullets (§ 12(5)) and sets 8 mm of steel only for the back wall of open and semi-open ranges (§ 10(4) p. 2). Latvian Regulation No. 494 asks that the trap of an indoor range matches the ammunition used (7.9).
Can 5.56 mm go through an armoured plate?
UK JSP 403 states that 5.56 mm may penetrate armoured steel with extreme close grouping and impact velocities above 920 m/s (Ch 2, 02099 a). Sellier & Bellot lists 5.56×45 SS109 at 945 m/s at the muzzle. In the US, the DOE note excludes standard 5.56 mm rounds from shoot-house traps without additional testing (Section A, 2).
Which plate does BulletTrap Baltic specify?
BulletTrap Baltic configures the 500 HB plate per project from the calibres fired and the rules of the site. In report ES-240131 the block-and-plate system, with at least 6 mm of steel for 9×19 and at least 10 mm for the rifle calibres, stopped every projectile from 9×19 to 7.62×51 NATO and the plate stayed intact.
How heavy is a rubber block trap?
About 170 kg per square metre of trap face before the steel: four BRB-200 blocks of about 42.5 kg each. BulletTrap Baltic calculates the block count and delivery weight from the width and height of the trap face.
Sources
- VPAM ARG, Fassung 3, Stand 01.10.2024, point 3.5, table 1 — checked 26.10.2026
- VPAM ARG 2012, point 3.5 and Fassung 2 (14.05.2014), point 3.5 — checked 26.10.2026
- UK, RAN 1/11 «Shoot house wall specification», 06.01.2011, paragraphs 1–6 — checked 26.10.2026
- UK, JSP 403 Vol 2, Chapter 2, 02099 a, table 7a — checked 26.10.2026
- US, UFC 4-179-02 «Small Arms Ranges», 05.03.2020, Change 1 of 13.03.2025, 4-1.1, 4-17.1.1, 4-17.2.1 — checked 26.10.2026
- US, DOE «Use of Bullet Traps and Steel Targets», June 2012, Section A — checked 26.10.2026
- Germany, Schießstandrichtlinien of 23.07.2012, text as reproduced in the 9th edition of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Schießstandsachverständige (2022); check the Bundesanzeiger for a newer BMI version; points 2.8.5.4.1, 2.8.5.5.1, 5.1.8 — checked 26.10.2026
- Estonia, Regulation No. 39 of the Minister of the Interior, 05.10.2026, § 10(4), § 12(5) — checked 26.10.2026
- RKIK, Annex 2 «Siselasketiirude nõuded», 05.11.2025, points 2 a, 25, 26 c — checked 26.10.2026
- Latvia, Cabinet Regulation No. 494 of 28.07.2020, point 7.9 — checked 26.10.2026
- Poland, Dz.U. 2022 poz. 848, § 19 — checked 26.10.2026
- Sellier & Bellot muzzle data: 9×19, 5.56×45, 7.62×39, 7.62×51, .308 Win, .22 LR — checked 26.10.2026
Request a bullet trap specification
Send the calibres fired, the width and height of the trap face and the country of the site. BulletTrap Baltic returns the block count, the backing-plate bracket for your energies and the delivery weight, with report ES-240131 for your file.
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