Frequently Asked Questions

Is Black Iron Rubber Co. a manufacturer?

Yes, most rubber companies will do compounding OR molding of rubber, we do BOTH at one location in northern Minnesota since 2000! We are a woman-owned small business (WOSB) and a State of Minnesota certified Resource Recovery facility.

Do you make your own molds?

We do have a shop and have made most of our molds, but if it is a more complicated part we have machine shops near us that we have worked with.

Do you have distributors?

Not formally, but we have affiliates that we work with regularly especially in the ballistic control industry.

Do you use recycled raw materials?

99% of our raw materials come from post-industrial and post-consumer waste streams. Our formulas are unique and proprietary.

Who have you supplied ballistic control rubber to?

There is a partial list on our website. We have supplied individuals, private and public ranges, law enforcement agencies, the US and Canadian military and related contractors.

How many rounds do your panels take before needing replacement?

There are many variables that go into the longevity ballistic rubber including gun calibers used, shot pattern, rubber thickness, direct applied to backstop or gap system, target placement and mobility. The most important physical property of the rubber is the elongation percentage. When struck by a round the rubber must move and allow passage without breaking molecular bonds and then return to its original position. Vulcanized rubber has the highest elongation percentage, ours is around 200%.

What makes vulcanized rubber better in ballistic control?

A physical measurement called “ultimate elongation” is important in ballistic control performance. Elongation is measured by stretching the rubber until it breaks. When bullets hit rubber it should move and allow the bullet to pass through and then rebound to its original position. This allows the rubber to self close and accept hundreds if not thousands of additional rounds with minimum molecular bonds breaking. This attribute allows for performance longevity thus economic efficiency.

Do you make binder parts also?

No, but we have in the past. We have found that the resulting product are inferior and unsafe in the ballistic control industry.

Do you make colored rubber?

No. The raw materials we use contain carbon black which is what gives vulcanized rubber tensile strength. All of our product is black. However, our product has been painted with a Sherwin-Williams product called Sher-Cryl that has good adhesion and wear, but not necessary to the product performance.

Can you make a part with a logo?

Yes. Logos and lettering can be molded in to a product with additional tooling inserts or machining depending on the design.

Can you make custom sized parts?

Yes. We can either downsize from larger stocks or make new tooling depending on the design, dimensions, etc.

With your location isn’t freight an issue?

Freight can be an issue especially with heavy products, but we are centrally located in the continental US and we live right next to an iron mine with good roads and access.