the 22 junkie
Member
Part one of a three part series.
The title says it all, but for those of you who didn't bother to read it, I'll lay it out for you. Having been fed up with loud and uncomfortable indoor ranges, armchair commandos and morons at the outdoor ranges I frequent, and the blaring hot central texas sun, I have decided that I will be constructing a sheltered range at my farm sometime this summer with the help of friends and family, and would like some advice on it. This range *is not* I repeat *is not* going to be for long range target shooting or uber tacticool live fire drills, just plinking, so maybe 100 ft. at most. The firing line is probably going to be just a standard [sp?] wood and corrugated steel contraption, more just to keep us out of the sun than anything, maybe with the roof at about 8-9 ft. and a small counter to use a shooting rest running about 2/3 of the firing line under the sheltered area. The unsheltered area would be more of a speed draw area, as I wounld't want to shoot a hole in my brand new corrugated steel roof. Also thinking about maybe installing some drink holders and/or gun racks too. The whole firing line, unsheltered and sheltered areas both would run about 20-25 ft. As for floors, I think just well packed dirtwould do just fine, as concrete would cost way too much, could crack and cuase more headaches, and is just a richochet waiting to happen. The firing line would probably be raised a foot or two above the actual range itself. The Range itself would probably be out to 100 ft., maybe 125. Now here is where I face a dilema. I'm not sure wether I just want one back stop at 100 ft. or several other backstops closer in for closer ranges. Either that or I could just set the targets out at whatever ranges I want to shoot at and fire into the dirt, maybe mark the distances with different colored yardsticks or something like that. Anyways, the range would be sort of sunk into the ground (maybe 4-6 ft.?) so that there is less of a chance of a wild bullet flying off to the side and that all of our former bottles/milk jugs/microwaves/TV's/Bowling Pins/ would be contained and easier to clean up. The backstop would be probably constructed of loose dirt on packed dirt on old tires backed up by railroad ties, although the issue fo replacing these every (how long do you think said backstop could stand up against 200 rds every weekend or other) years comes to mind. I think about an 8 ft. backstop would be apropriate, especially if trees were able to take root.
And so that is my devious master plan, any questions/comments/flames/e-props would be welcome.
PS: This thing won't be done for a long time, considering that we have to wait for the new John Deere to come and get all the supplies ordrered and everything. Will update tomorrow with very crude hand drawn pictures and on sunday after the trip up thier (with measurements).
The title says it all, but for those of you who didn't bother to read it, I'll lay it out for you. Having been fed up with loud and uncomfortable indoor ranges, armchair commandos and morons at the outdoor ranges I frequent, and the blaring hot central texas sun, I have decided that I will be constructing a sheltered range at my farm sometime this summer with the help of friends and family, and would like some advice on it. This range *is not* I repeat *is not* going to be for long range target shooting or uber tacticool live fire drills, just plinking, so maybe 100 ft. at most. The firing line is probably going to be just a standard [sp?] wood and corrugated steel contraption, more just to keep us out of the sun than anything, maybe with the roof at about 8-9 ft. and a small counter to use a shooting rest running about 2/3 of the firing line under the sheltered area. The unsheltered area would be more of a speed draw area, as I wounld't want to shoot a hole in my brand new corrugated steel roof. Also thinking about maybe installing some drink holders and/or gun racks too. The whole firing line, unsheltered and sheltered areas both would run about 20-25 ft. As for floors, I think just well packed dirtwould do just fine, as concrete would cost way too much, could crack and cuase more headaches, and is just a richochet waiting to happen. The firing line would probably be raised a foot or two above the actual range itself. The Range itself would probably be out to 100 ft., maybe 125. Now here is where I face a dilema. I'm not sure wether I just want one back stop at 100 ft. or several other backstops closer in for closer ranges. Either that or I could just set the targets out at whatever ranges I want to shoot at and fire into the dirt, maybe mark the distances with different colored yardsticks or something like that. Anyways, the range would be sort of sunk into the ground (maybe 4-6 ft.?) so that there is less of a chance of a wild bullet flying off to the side and that all of our former bottles/milk jugs/microwaves/TV's/Bowling Pins/ would be contained and easier to clean up. The backstop would be probably constructed of loose dirt on packed dirt on old tires backed up by railroad ties, although the issue fo replacing these every (how long do you think said backstop could stand up against 200 rds every weekend or other) years comes to mind. I think about an 8 ft. backstop would be apropriate, especially if trees were able to take root.
And so that is my devious master plan, any questions/comments/flames/e-props would be welcome.
PS: This thing won't be done for a long time, considering that we have to wait for the new John Deere to come and get all the supplies ordrered and everything. Will update tomorrow with very crude hand drawn pictures and on sunday after the trip up thier (with measurements).
