I just wanted to know if someone has any idea what the boxes they have at police stations are called that they point their pistols into while unloading them?

Since most accidental discharges seem to happen during unloading it seems one might be a good addition to the home. I guess you could make one using sand as the stopping media.

Mike

In Iraq outside of the DFAC there where clearing barrells. It was just an old 55 gallon drum set at an angle into the ground and filled with sand. You had to put the barrel of your weapon into it and clear it.

I use a box filled with books to stop and re-claim my cast lead bullets. A box the size that copy machine paper comes in, filled with books will stop a .30 caliber rifle round up to 1700 FPS, so it will stop any pistol bullet.

I get thrift shops to save all of thier un-saleble books such as dictionarys, encyclopedias, telephone books, etc. I can put about 500 .38 Special rounds into a box until it starts getting soft, then I pull it apart and recover the bullets, melt them down and cast them again.

I will also start using one as a "Safe Area" back stop when teaching Basic Pistol classes, where we check and clear each students handgun at the door when they arrive for class.

In my past LEO life, I have heard them called, "Try Barrels". ....... Big Cholla

I believe they are called clearing stations. Quite expensive to buy but I think I will go with the barrel idea.

OR you could trade your pistol in for a revolver and eliminate the need for this (just kidding). The 1/2 barrel with sand sounds like the best and cheapest idea. I was in the MPs in the Army and wherever I was stationed that's what we used (for the old .45 auto).

In TEXAS they're called holding cells.

Do an internet search for weapons clearing barrel. Some are small enough to fit on your desk and will contain most pistol rounds....also info on how to make one at home.

It's a relatively recent gimmick used at some Army locations. I never saw then in use by Infantry or other combat arms outfits. These things are a sign of indiscipline, lax safety, weak leadership. while on active duty, if I had witnessed a soldier setting a round off into one of these a things I'd have taken his firearm, and chewed some serious chunks out of his chain of command. I unload my CCW and hunting guns without pointing them in some goofy armored box. I'd rather handle my guns safely.