Yes, check with the authorities instead of "sum gy", regardless of how dependable he might seem. Even dependable people make mistakes and some simply don't want you to do what your suggesting.
How do I build a backyard range?
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Yes, check with the authorities instead of "sum gy", regardless of how dependable he might seem. Even dependable people make mistakes and some simply don't want you to do what your suggesting.
we are not amused
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Good for you!
Every time some has questions about building a range, everybody jumps in with some horror story about what is needed and so forth. There seem to be a lot of people who think you need a High priced architect and tons of concrete to even build a little one.
People from Florida are insisting that you need ten acres, despite the fact that you live in Tennessee!
Oh Well, free advice is worth what you paid for it.
Keep that in mind with my advice too.
I downloaded and looked at the advice for building ranges that one of the Administrators listed, and while I found them very interesting if I was going to build a commercial gun range, I quite frankly found little there for a small private range.
Without knowing the lay of the land and what lies beyond your shooting range, serious advice would be very hard to give.
Obviously the higher and wider the backstop, the better, but common sense and practicality must rule.
Dirt or sand make great backstops, but either alone tend to melt down under rainy conditions, requiring rebuilding from time to time.
From the various backstops I have observed, a retaining wall, made of wood, logs, railroad ties or stone, with several feet of dirt at the base, with at least one foot of dirt at the top works well. How High? That is a tough question, and depends a lot upon the lay of the land, and how good the people who will be shooting there are.
I have seen shooters that would require a completely enclosed bullet proof structure for me to feel safe about their shooting, Needles to say, I don't shoot with them.
If I was building the range for myself, I would probably go with a 4-5 foot berm, depending on the lay of the land downrange and what is behind it.
Personally, I use natural terrain features where I live as a backstop. A hill behind my target for rifles, and either the same, or a creek bank for pistol shooting.
husbandofaromanian
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Right now I am leaning toward railroad ties about 12' high for safety. Then small dirt berms behind the targets. Then if you here a clack, you know someone let a wild one go. Railroad ties should stop any rimfire shot IMO.
oneounceload
member
My info came from my friend who is an attorney that also is involved in real estate. IIRC, it has to do with proximity issues. He built an underground range in his basement (yes he has a basement in FL), that goes for 50 yards so as to avoid any hassles
My first thought was 2 acres seems pretty small for a range, but if you've already bought it that's what you've got. You own the bullets, though, so safety and consideration of the neighbors has got to be a priority if you want to keep it open long term.
As a high-priced architect myself, I'd look into renting a backhoe or bobcat and doing some cut and fill to make the berms a bit less apparent, and to reduce the amount of fill dirt you needed to bring in. Concerns in laying it out would be drainage and orientation. I'd prefer to shoot north, and the overhead baffles seem like an excellent idea both for shade and to physically eliminate the chance for stray shots over your backstop. Money well spent, I think. From a comfort standpoint, I'd want a concrete pad at the shooting position to aid in collecting brass (or cleaning up .22's I guess). Easier to keep clean and set up benches and such.
As to drainage, I'd consider trenching along the base of the berms and filling it in with gravel to create linear dry wells. That would help reduce ponding water inside your berms.
Not that much of this is the cheap or easy way. Having my own range has been a daydream of mine for quite a while, so clearly I've been over-thinking it.
As a high-priced architect myself, I'd look into renting a backhoe or bobcat and doing some cut and fill to make the berms a bit less apparent, and to reduce the amount of fill dirt you needed to bring in. Concerns in laying it out would be drainage and orientation. I'd prefer to shoot north, and the overhead baffles seem like an excellent idea both for shade and to physically eliminate the chance for stray shots over your backstop. Money well spent, I think. From a comfort standpoint, I'd want a concrete pad at the shooting position to aid in collecting brass (or cleaning up .22's I guess). Easier to keep clean and set up benches and such.
As to drainage, I'd consider trenching along the base of the berms and filling it in with gravel to create linear dry wells. That would help reduce ponding water inside your berms.
Not that much of this is the cheap or easy way. Having my own range has been a daydream of mine for quite a while, so clearly I've been over-thinking it.
TAKtical
Member
I would call the local PD and ask them. Where I am, you just have to be at least 100 yards from the closest neighbor.
I'd like to be able to build my own private range some day (need the $$ for it, unfortunately) but my first step, before I even started looking at lots, etc, was going to be to find an attorney and make sure I know all of the legal details I will need to know when setting up my range.
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