I built a range today!!!

[Kinsman]

Looks nice!
I have a lot of trees on my property, so it's not quite as open as yours but I have some 100-yd 'alleys'. It is real nice to be able to walk out onto the porch and shoot.

 

[Sharpie1]

Andrew

You're right - it does look that way from the pic, but from the shooter's viewpoint, there is quite a substantial ground backstop -- in fact, even more so than the lower range. The ground rises gradually behind the target up to about 40 feet or so above it (in elevation).

TD

 

[HerbG]

Nice setup! Like some of the previous posts mentioned, I'd be sure backstops are adequate and that you aren't likely to have ricochets.

I had a nice 100 yard rifle range on some family property for years, and it was great. It was not without problems however, so I'll mention a few that grew into big problems and that eventually led me to sell the property.

1) You're going to have lots of friends, relatives, and plain strangers who want to use your range - most without permission. "I knew you wouldn't mind."

2) Remember that as the property owner, you have a great deal of legal liability for what occurs there. If somebody is accidentally shot, you're probably going to be sued.

3) You will find yourself cleaning up messes left by those who use your range. I've picked up a ton of old targets, tires, broken bottles, cans, empty propane bottles, and all manner of junk. "Gee I just wanted to see if my .30-30 would shoot through this old washing machine."

4) No trespassing signs make wonderful targets.

5) Carefully constructed benchrests make even better targets. "Golly, reckon this 12 ga. will shoot a slug through that 4x4?"

6) Local law enforcement will automatically assume they have permission to use the range and will invite all their friends and acquaintances.

I'm not mentioning all this to discourage you about your range, but you may want to give these problems some thought before you face them.

 

[Dr.Who]

Wish I had the room to make a range as your...

Just an observation, your "high" target appears to be up a hill. Meaning the bullet will go through the chip board and continue till it hits somthing else or putters out. I know you said you have 150 acres, but most bullets can fly a few miles in the air, hate to hear you hit something you did not intend to...

Enjoy your range...:banghead:

 

[H Romberg]

Had a nice range out at my folks farm... Till they built an elementary school on top of my backstop, that is.

 

[waynzwld]

Nice little range!

If I could post the picture, I would show you my range. I have a 200 yard range, right outside the door of my cabin with a concrete shooting bench. I set it up so that from the bench it is 100 and 200 yards, from inside the cabin (for use when raining ot just too cold), it is 100 and real close to 200 meters.

 

[Sharpie1]

HerbG

Thanks for your advice, but I don't believe I will have any of those problems. This range can only be accessed with a four-wheel drive vehicle. It is inside a property that has two means of entry -- and both have gates that are padlocked. I am one of three people with a key. The other two people only go up there to tend to the cattle, etc.

Also, I have been using this land as a range area for years, using portable targets -- and a rangefinder to temporarily set up a "shooting area" -- aka hood off of a vehicle. And no-one ever goes up there to shoot without me anyway.

Also, regarding law enforcement using it whenever they want:

1. They don't know it's there.
2. If they did, they couldn't physically get to it.
3. That would be trespassing, which is punishable by law. They would be asked, then made to leave.

Thanks,

--tadyson

 

[Sharpie1]

Dr. Who

I appreciate your comments, and I can see how it does not appear clear that the higher target has a more than adequate backstop in the picture I provided.

The last picture shows the upper target from about a 7 to 8 o'clock perspective. It will be shot from a 5 to 6 o'clock perspective. This way, the shooter will be at the same elevation as the target at distances ranging from 100 to 300 yards. Also, there will be even a greater backstop there than at the lower target.

From the perspective in the picture, the upper target is about 100 yards away, and quite a long way up a hill. If you are standing directly in front of that upper target, there is about 200 yards of uphill land behind the target that rises gradually, and substantially in elevation.

Thanks,

--tadyson

 

[Gopher]

My setup is pretty much the same. I took 8ft 6 inch wooden poles and put them 3ft in the ground. Then lag bolted crossties to the wooden post with the front covered with a 4x8 sheet of plywood. The berm behind it is the dam of a dried up stocktank. The ties will stop most anything unless you hit where two of them come together. Cheap and effective.

Only have 50 yards though. Well you could shoot at 100 on it but we would have to open both doors in the barn and shoot down the hallway and across a four strand bobwire fence.

 

[general]

HerbG:
Thanks for the warnings..was gonna ask some buddies to help...maybe Dad & me will do it ourselves. Anyone can jump a barbwire fence....