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Hdpe bucket mortar rack


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I see alot of bigger shells have mortars that get buried can the same be done with 1.4g sized mortars? Say instead of a wood mortar rack can i use a hdpe 5 gallon bucket to hold my mortars and fill around them with sand or dirt? My thinking is that the sand will make it so the mortars cant move around or bounce or tip over and also make it harder to blow a mortar out if a shell flower pots.
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Guess the question is do you think a flowerpot from a 1.4g shell will break the bucket open and throw loaded mortars everplace Edited by tacticalnoodle
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I just screw my consumer mortars to a pallet. Even if one goes in the tube it won't do much damage if any to the tubes next to it. I only use the Excalibur HDPE mortars with the double thick base though.

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My main thing (past safety) is that I need my "rack" to be able to fit in my car lol. I go to club shoots and some racks dont fit in my car...and getting a 2x4 in my car to build them in the first place is also a problem.
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I'm sure you've seen those class C "racks" made from milk crates.

 

If a shell truly went off in the mortar I could see them portentially splitting the bucket and dumping mortars. I've seen 3" guns split 55 gallon drums filled with sand at least. They were probably salutes that did that though. Nothing is impossible. I don't even know if it'd be likely. Class C mortars are also surprisingly resilient if they're not cardboard.

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Yeah Iv seen people use milk crates to hold mortars before but im not quite sold on the idea of having an unknown plastic hold mortars.Just seems like it could be brittle and turn into frag if you got a blow out. Im pretty curious how a mortar in sand would hold up now. Id assume that the amount of force needed to split a Hdpe mortar, push dozen pounds of sand, and split a hdpe bucket would be pretty high. I think if it was a baby b salute that come in some kits it would tear it up good though...but then again the rack breaking after a shell goes off only becomes a concern if your chaining them together. A "rack" falling apart when firing singles sucks but a rack falling apart with 24 shells chained really sucks. Guess it comes down to what would hold in the blast better and give off less frag. I feel like wood and plastic might be worse than a hdpe bucket filled with sand. (Screened for rocks of course) but I am new at this thus the questions. Does any one know of any testing that has been done on mortars being racked or buried? Edited by tacticalnoodle
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Doing more research apparently the proper name is a mortar trough and is is pretty common...apparently some states for 1.3g all mortars must be buried or in a trough covered atleast 2/3 of the way by sand or dirt.So im assuming it is a safe practice and wont be looked down on for 1.4g? Edited by tacticalnoodle
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  • 2 months later...

If you do go with a bucket at try to be sure it's HDPE. 5 gal Grey Shirwin Williams paint buckets are a good example.

Some buckets are nylon 6/6 and other brittle plastics.

Most dull black milk crates are recycled HDPE milk jugs btw. There are however the shiny colored or white ones with square holes and thin spindles, those are nylon so be wary.

Edited by Wolverine
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Noodle, I've tried the 5 gallon bucket route and I give it a big fat thumbs down. The bucket with sand did not have enough mass to keep the whole set up vertical after firing. I used a 4" gun and it recoiled enough to bounce the bucket over at least 50% of the time. I never had a flowerpot in it but I don't think it would end well.

 

I also tried screwing the bucket to plywood then filling it with sand. After a few shells even the screws pulled thru the bucket and it still tipped over.

 

Jason.

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NJ Here's a thought for you drive a post in the ground and put a ratchet strap around it. No bucket necessary.

Edited by dynomike1
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+1

That's the easiest way to set single mortars. Just put the post in the back. I've seen ratchet straps, tape, or zip ties holding the gun. If you a just shooting it once it really doesn't matter how secure it is. If the ground is soft it's gonna move even with ratchet straps depending on how big a mortar you are shooting out of.

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I am going to shoot a 12" on top this year.

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  • 4 years later...

Could cut down a 50 gallon plastic drum. Or use thick plywood. Fill with sand, NO rocks.

 

 

Idea is that instead of throwing pieces of mortar, a detonation throws sand. Need a thick enough layer of sand.

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For consumer mortars and shells, a five gallon bucket works fine. Use a few inches of sand in the bottom (preferably sharp sand so it will pack dry and hold its shape) or it will punch holes in the bottom (like a cookie cutter, I've heard). Putting a 4" mortar in a five gallon bucket is nuts.

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