By means of the variational method and numerical simulations, we demonstrate the existence of stable 3D nonlinear modes, viz. vortex “bullets,” in the form of pulsed beams carrying orbital angular momentum, that can self-trap in a 2D waveguiding structure. Despite the attractive self-interaction, which is necessary for producing the bullets (bright solitons), and which readily leads to the collapse in the 3D setting as well as to spontaneous splitting of vortex modes, we find a critical value of the trapping depth securing the stabilization of the vortex bullets. We identify experimental conditions for the creation of these topological modes in the context of coherent optical and matter waves. Collisions between the bullets moving in the unconfined direction are found to be elastic. These findings contribute to the understanding of self-trapping in nonlinear multidimensional systems and suggest new possibilities for the stabilization and control of 3D topological solitons.

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• Angular momentum of light
• Bose-Einstein condensates
• Nonlinear optics
• Structured light