Shooting Range Setup

[BrandonH]

I'm planning to set up a shooting range for the family on my property and want to make sure I cover all bases. I know what standard things I need such as good shooting bench, targets, and berm. We have never really shot long range, so this will be primarily used for under 200 yard rifle shots and I would like to set up some sort of handgun range.

The area I am setting up has a clear distance of 750 yards before brush, then another 800 yards behind that before reaching another property or road. I have plenty of dirt already piled up, just have to move it across the place.

How do you calculate how high to build your berms? Any tips or tricks in general for setting something like this up? I would love to see pics of some of your ranges.

Thanks,
Brandon

[gumbl3]

If it's not just flat dirt, I'd be looking for some natural terrain features that help your cause.. Creek beds, hills, etc

[BrandonH]

If it's not just flat dirt, I'd be looking for some natural terrain features that help your cause.. Creek beds, hills, etc

Unfortunately it is about as flat as can be. The hills/tank dam would be where we are shooting from, otherwise we'd be shooting back towards the cabin.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[SaintBlaise]

Well, you are a long way from your neighbor...look at the ballistics on your guns. If you are shooting 200 yards, then 800 yards to your property end. How much would you have to raise your sight to get there? For my rifle, I would have to aim 48" high (sighted in at 100 yards) for a 500 yard shot(yours is a 1000 yards to the end).

I think if your dirt has a 2' border(top and sides) on your target, you will be fine. I've been wanting to build one myself. My idea was to use 8' crossties, cutting them in half, going two rows deep, and on a skid. I wasn't going to use any dirt behind it because we have cows and they will flatten the dirt hill.

[BrandonH]

Well, you are a long way from your neighbor...look at the ballistics on your guns. If you are shooting 200 yards, then 800 yards to your property end. How much would you have to raise your sight to get there? For my rifle, I would have to aim 48" high (sighted in at 100 yards) for a 500 yard shot(yours is a 1000 yards to the end).

I think if your dirt has a 2' border(top and sides) on your target, you will be fine. I've been wanting to build one myself. My idea was to use 8' crossties, cutting them in half, going two rows deep, and on a skid. I wasn't going to use any dirt behind it because we have cows and they will flatten the dirt hill.

Only reason for doing dirt is I have about 50 dump truck loads piled up. With my trailer and small front end loader it will take a while to move enough dirt, but it's free.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[SNKETR]

Here's DOEs guidance on range construction for consideration: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/fi...n_Criteria.pdf

And another one i found:

http://bancroftfishandgame.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Range-Guidlines-design.pdf

[BonesandArrow]

If you have cattle they will stand on the berm and knock it down. I had a 12’ wide by 5’ tall berm started that was knocked down to 2’ tall in about 3 weeks. Next time I’ll fence around the berm. While typing this I realized my berm was all natural sand so this might not apply to your area...

[McClain]

Another thought for your rifle range might be to build an elevated stand so that you will always be shooting downward. This will help also for shooting in tall grass. You won’t have to keep your line of sight mowed as short. Just build a sturdy stand though.

[Bassbuster]

For the back stop. Railroad ties work great. Stack them about 6 feet tall and three ties thick. And you can staple targets to them. Lots of places will give them away when replacing them.

[dimeboxbill]

I agree with bassbuster, railroad ties work good for backstop, for shooting rest I,d pour a 6x6 ft concrete slab, then 4 corner post and roof , shoot rest build a table saw a nice one on line ,build a table with a cut out for either left or right handed shooters. And a bench to sit on, can,t remember what site but shouldn’t.t be hard to find on line . As for the back stop you can screw a sheet of plywood to hold them together, using the ply wood will also extend the life of the ties should last for yr.s

[BrandonH]

Thanks for all the input.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[LHPanther]

If your family is anything like mine, they enjoy the short range stuff much more than the longer range stuff. Think reactionary .22 and handgun targets.

[RifleBowPistol]

Make sure you have a berm behind each target stand, probably no more than 30 ft. behind the target stand. Don't count on a berm, 200 yards or farther down range to stop bullets fired at a target at 50 yards.

At 100 yards, I would want a 15' high berm, the longer the range, the higher the berm.

If you do start shooting at longer ranges, set up some wind socks, probably every 50 yards.

Then hopefully you are not shooting towards the west. Hopefully you are shooting north and south. I do more shooting in the afternoons, usually. I prefer to shoot in the afternoon, over morning so the neighbors are not having to listen to gun shots early in the morning, incase someone is sleeping in. Our property is longer east and west than it is north and south. I have to shoot west, because, shooting to the east, would be shooting towards our house. So it works better for me to shoot in the morning and hope I don't **** off too many neighbors.

[Daddypants]

Build a really high berm. Much higher than you think you need. If you or one of your family members get into shooting ARs and pistols “tactically” then you are going to need a tall berm because you will be shooting while standing (and kneeling, behind barricades, etc.).