Building a Range

Spekter

Spekter

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Bought a new house with about ~12 acres of land, building a range for myself. I'm thinking about how to build it and everything that i want, so i thought I'd get some details from people who have done it before and try to learn from your experiences.

I want a close range for pistol, etc. and another little section beyond for longer range.

What do i need to know, what's good, bad, etc.?

Lot is heavily wooded and flat. Not much overgrowth, etc. Just trees and some small bushes. Also, an old car way out in the property...plymouth sundance i think. Could be fun for shooting at...assuming there is no gas, etc. in it.
 
well from my experience here with the officers coming out to check it out where I shoot you'll need a decent berm behind where you're shooting at and, to be honest, I wouldn't use car as a target, explosives possibly but not firearms. Check with local ordinances about shooting ranges either for personal or commercial usage, there may be none if so then you'd be fine on that part. If you set up steel don't make the same mistake I made and let anyone shoot rapid fire at it as it is more dangerous than you'd think. The main thing is you need to have a decent berm behind and to the sides of where you're shooting. You can pm me if you want to ask me anything I've learned about do's and don'ts and I have learned from mistakes. Least no one got hurt, always remember safety first
 
JBoyette said:
Impact berms needs to be 20 ft tall at a 1 to 1 scale ( 40ft wide)

Side berms 10ft talk 1_to 1_scale (20ft wide)

I would have it graded to allow drainage
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I've read that before, and it seems like 20ft tall is excessive... anyone actually build a berm 20ft tall before?
 
eddie0225 said:
well from my experience here with the officers coming out to check it out where I shoot you'll need a decent berm behind where you're shooting at and, to be honest, I wouldn't use car as a target, explosives possibly but not firearms. Check with local ordinances about shooting ranges either for personal or commercial usage, there may be none if so then you'd be fine on that part. If you set up steel don't make the same mistake I made and let anyone shoot rapid fire at it as it is more dangerous than you'd think. The main thing is you need to have a decent berm behind and to the sides of where you're shooting. You can pm me if you want to ask me anything I've learned about do's and don'ts and I have learned from mistakes. Least no one got hurt, always remember safety first
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Thanks Eddie, ill be hitting you up with some questions soon.
 
Spekter said:
I've read that before, and it seems like 20ft tall is excessive... anyone actually build a berm 20ft tall before?
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it isn't as hard as you'd think. If you're cutting any timber to clear out shooting lane you can pile brush up and cover with dirt. Also if you wanna go cheap but it is a bit of work you can get cardboard and make a loose berm of sorts you can get an unlimited amount of free cardboard from Walmart. Or build you a temp wall of sorts from any type of wood then pile up dirt against it to make a berm. I got lucky county dug out creek where I live and made berms for me unintentionally but I still will use them
 
Get on Google maps and check whatā€™s downrange from your property within range of whatever youā€™ll be shooting. If you let one get away what could happen?

There are a series of 20ā€™ tall berms under construction at my club right now. They are taller than anything Iā€™ve seen at other clubs. Major earthmoving going on. A 20ā€™ tall berm with 1:1 sides and a 5ā€™ top has a 45ā€™ wide footprint. But there is a subdivision 300 yds past the berm so...

Depending on what condition the car is in it might make a better range prop than a target, as in shooting over, around, under etc.
 
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If you got a lower berm you put targets on or as close to the ground as you can to help add to the height of berm. If you got a tractor supply nearby they get styrofoam in big blocks they'll give you for free if you ask. There is a number of ways to make a berm easy and not cost a ton of money, unfortunately, most do require a bit of work lol
 
Catfish said:
Get on Google maps and check whatā€™s downrange from your property within range of whatever youā€™ll be shooting. If you let one get away what could happen?

There are a series of 20ā€™ tall berms under construction at my club right now. They are taller than anything Iā€™ve seen at other clubs. Major earthmoving going on. But there is a subdivision 300 yds past the berm so...

Depending on what condition the car is in it might make a better range prop than a target, as in shooting over, around, under etc.
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or just cover with dirt to add to berm height no cost just drag to where berm will be
 
For my small pistol range, I was fortunate to find a rather deep gully crated by water flow. Shooting at the bottom of it gives me a tall, natural berm.
 
Spekter said:
I've read that before, and it seems like 20ft tall is excessive... anyone actually build a berm 20ft tall before?
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You've been given some very good advice.
Unfortunately you don't seem the have a terrain advantage to exploit.
Ultimately, the choice is yours- How inexpensive you go now could affect your freedom and another's health- so what's it worth to you?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J120AZ using Tapatalk
 
I have been shooting daily on our range for 15 years without any occurrence of injury. Many 100s of thousands of rounds fired. 99+% on steel. We have a 100 yard and 300 yard dedicated rifle range all steel targets. A CQB range where we shoot steel from 3 feet to 50 yards. Again, without any injury in 15 years and hundreds of thousands of rounds. We have a 900 yard buffer from our impact area to the next possible place a round could land. Use common sense, you'll be fine. Hope you can come for the gathering in October and shoot here with us.
Our berm might not work for you but it has never been defeated by up to a 50 BMG. We have stacked 600+pound big equipment tires 5 high [about 10 feet] and staggered them. Old Bear is arriving soon to stay a few days in the Bunk House and SHOOT. I'll get him to post some pictures next week if it will help my poor description. Shooting steel is simply a matter of NOT shooting your handgun targets with a rifle. I had some folks from FN visiting 2 weeks ago and in spite of my directions, they shot a pistol target. Needless to say they got to hear me clearly the second time.
 
Spekter said:
I've read that before, and it seems like 20ft tall is excessive... anyone actually build a berm 20ft tall before?
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When your bullets ricochet causes you to be in court, and you are asked why you do not have a approved design for your range?

Whats your answer? You think the US military and NRA specs for a enclosed pistol range is excessive?

Good luck with that .

Before someone says, well at camp / fort x we never had a 20fy berm. Please inform them you do not have enough land for maximum flight of a 9mm impact area .

John
 
JBoyette said:
When your bullets ricochet causes you to be in court, and you are asked why you do not have a approved design for your range?

Whats your answer? You think the US military and NRA specs for a enclosed pistol range is excessive?

Good luck with that .

Before someone says, well at camp / fort x we never had a 20fy berm. Please inform them you do not have enough land for maximum flight of a 9mm impact area .

John
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I wasn't saying it was a bad idea, overstated or ridiculous. I simply stated I've heard that before...and was ASKING if anyone had built one before that was that tall. Since I assume you must have, I'd love to hear how you did it. If you have nothing constructive to add, then thanks for your post and enjoy your day.
 
This machine is a screen. They are dumping loads of excavated earth into the hopper and it gets separated into three piles, large, medium, fine. large rocks will be used to make the core of the berm, then a layer of the medium material and finally the fines make up the outer 24ā€ layer. Thatā€™s how you do it if you have anything like the rocky soil we have to deal with.
 

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Catfish said:
This machine is a screen. They are dumping loads of excavated earth into the hopper and it gets separated into three piles, large, medium, fine. large rocks will be used to make the core of the berm, then a layer of the medium material and finally the fines make up the outer 24ā€ layer. Thatā€™s how you do it if you have anything like the rocky soil we have to deal with.
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Cool. Is that going on at CRPC?
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
I have been shooting daily on our range for 15 years without any occurrence of injury. Many 100s of thousands of rounds fired. 99+% on steel. We have a 100 yard and 300 yard dedicated rifle range all steel targets. A CQB range where we shoot steel from 3 feet to 50 yards. Again, without any injury in 15 years and hundreds of thousands of rounds. We have a 900 yard buffer from our impact area to the next possible place a round could land. Use common sense, you'll be fine. Hope you can come for the gathering in October and shoot here with us.
Our berm might not work for you but it has never been defeated by up to a 50 BMG. We have stacked 600+pound big equipment tires 5 high [about 10 feet] and staggered them. Old Bear is arriving soon to stay a few days in the Bunk House and SHOOT. I'll get him to post some pictures next week if it will help my poor description. Shooting steel is simply a matter of NOT shooting your handgun targets with a rifle. I had some folks from FN visiting 2 weeks ago and in spite of my directions, they shot a pistol target. Needless to say they got to hear me clearly the second time.
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Steel at 3ft?? :eek:

Interesting you have earth moving equipment tires. I was going to recommend earth filled regular tires in two interlocking rows. This is what I'm planning to do. The old tires can pretty much be had for the asking. This builds a very solid wall. Efrid's range had this confirmation for some pistol bays and addresses the level terrain issue without traditional berming.
 
Berms. The bigger the better. Steep hills or deep ravines are great, but sounds like you are out of luck there. Use the same berms for long and short range, just not at the same time. Just back up from the berm to the range you need. This works great for an individualā€™s range. Not so much for a public or club range with multiple shooters/groups.

As implied above but maybe not stated: you can use nearly anything to build the bulk of your berms. Donā€™t use anything with pebble or larger rocks, or any metal or other materials that could ricochet for a couple feet thick on the face of your berm.

Do pay attention to drainage. Their is no practical difference between a dirt berm and an earthen dam if there is running or runoff water that comes through (or used to).

Shooting down into the ground is NOT a good way to fake a higher berm. It is a great way to ensure that most of you shots will ricochet and go right over your berm.

The NRA has lots of materials on range design, construction, maintenance, etc... Even if you choose not to go as far as their standards you should know what they are and what compromises and risks you are taking. It isnā€™t all obvious and they have accumulated a lot of know-how about ranges.
 
Bailey Boat said:
Wait until the first shots go off and you'll have neighbors coming out of the woodwork.....complaining.....
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Or looking for a place to shoot for free. ;)
 
eddie0225 said:
it isn't as hard as you'd think. If you're cutting any timber to clear out shooting lane you can pile brush up and cover with dirt. Also if you wanna go cheap but it is a bit of work you can get cardboard and make a loose berm of sorts you can get an unlimited amount of free cardboard from Walmart. Or build you a temp wall of sorts from any type of wood then pile up dirt against it to make a berm. I got lucky county dug out creek where I live and made berms for me unintentionally but I still will use them
Click to expand...

Don't use anything under the dirt that can rot, once it decomposes, your berm will collaspe.

Find a local septic or excavating company and start getting quotes once you have a design. Having dirt/clay on site they can mine will save a lot of money vs. hauling it in. You will want to seed/water it quick to stop erosion.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
I have been shooting daily on our range for 15 years without any occurrence of injury. Many 100s of thousands of rounds fired. 99+% on steel. We have a 100 yard and 300 yard dedicated rifle range all steel targets. A CQB range where we shoot steel from 3 feet to 50 yards. Again, without any injury in 15 years and hundreds of thousands of rounds. We have a 900 yard buffer from our impact area to the next possible place a round could land. Use common sense, you'll be fine. Hope you can come for the gathering in October and shoot here with us.
Our berm might not work for you but it has never been defeated by up to a 50 BMG. We have stacked 600+pound big equipment tires 5 high [about 10 feet] and staggered them. Old Bear is arriving soon to stay a few days in the Bunk House and SHOOT. I'll get him to post some pictures next week if it will help my poor description. Shooting steel is simply a matter of NOT shooting your handgun targets with a rifle. I had some folks from FN visiting 2 weeks ago and in spite of my directions, they shot a pistol target. Needless to say they got to hear me clearly the second time.
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I happen to have a picture of the tires.

BO Range.jpg
 
Spekter said:
Ive heard to not use tires as depending in caliber, abgle, etc. thr bullets can bounce back, etc. Anyone experience this?
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I have put a lot of rounds down range at BO and I've seen many more rounds fired. I've never seen any bounce back. I'm sure that it has happened before under the right circumstances.

Those tires have a lot of bullets embedded in them and there is a lot of bullet fragments laying at the base of the tires. Just last week one of the guys dug a .308 projectile out of one of the tires.
 
JBoyette said:
When your bullets ricochet causes you to be in court, and you are asked why you do not have a approved design for your range?

Whats your answer? You think the US military and NRA specs for a enclosed pistol range is excessive?

Good luck with that .

Before someone says, well at camp / fort x we never had a 20fy berm. Please inform them you do not have enough land for maximum flight of a 9mm impact area .

John
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John is right...

You can shoot zillions of rounds safely for a zillion years, but the one that gets out can cause major problems.. Think "Proactive" instead of "Reactive" when you design and build your range..
Its all good till a round gets out of the range, causes a problem, and you are in court.
The court will require you to show your approved design... If you don't have one, the court can find you negligent. NRA range specs are not that great in my opinion... If one follows Dept of Energy range specs as a guide to build a range, you should be fine. DOE range specs far exceed the NRA stuff...

As a side note, Im not saying you HAVE to have a 20" berm... But a little extra planning and $$ before construction, can save headache and liability after the range is built

DOE compliant 20' berms = no problem for Mr. Deere...! lol!!


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