Small Back Yard Range

[rca90gsx]

Done some searching, not much luck.... What would be some requirements if looking to purchase some property would there be to have a small back yard range? Thinking if I'm going to start looking at houses etc.... might as well see what all I can find!

Thanks!

[Jakeiscrazy]

As far as I know in most places there are no restrictions. There may be some from county to county. Just make sure you have an adequate backstop. O and if your going to set up a range I think steel targets are a must! So much fun to shoot!

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. I could be wrong.

[jdonovan]

Done some searching, not much luck.... What would be some requirements if looking to purchase some property would there be to have a small back yard range? Thinking if I'm going to start looking at houses etc.... might as well see what all I can find!

Most of the more rural counties don't have any firearms discharge restrictions; OTHER than you must contain the projectiles on your property.

Most every county has a noise ordnance of some kind, so locating a range on the property edge won't allow the sound to drop to an 'acceptable' level before it gets to the neighbors.

In today's litigious society you need to make sure you are making efforts to do things right in case something goes wrong.

Search the .net for range design manuals, surface danger zones, ricochet zones, baffle design etc... You need a HUGE amount of space for non-baffled range.

After doing all my reading, My new property will have a baffled range, and out to 25yds will have a "U" shaped berm. Its going to be a huge amount of earth moving to do it right, but I want to make sure I do my part so the county doesn't shut me down.

[larry3100]

I live in Spotsylvania and have a small range for personal use and have never been questioned about it..We used a large wall of dirt filled tires as a backstop and with all the other shooting that goes on around us no one has ever complained...sure beats having to drive somewhere to shoot,we can take our time to do whatever it is we are doing..

[rca90gsx]

Thanks everyone so much for the replies! I'm doing some searching online, a very large "U" shaped 25 yard pit is what I was thinking... Now for more sound ideas!

[jdonovan]

here's some links.

http://www.hss.energy.gov/SecPolicy/pfs ... iteria.pdf

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/info ... tr-eng.pdf

http://www.rubiconplanning.com/uploads/ ... e-IPBC.pdf

[Tweaker]

My idea - Buy two steel shipping containers. Use to make up the parallel walls (cover with dirt if you want) and use the space inside for targets/random storage!)

They seem to be only $600 per and that is cheaper than moving an equivilent amount of dirt.

[jdonovan]

My idea - Buy two steel shipping containers. .

Insufficient thickness/strength to reliably contain stray shots.

Use to make up the parallel walls (cover with dirt if you want) and use the space inside for targets/random storage!)

They will crush/collapse if buried as-is. They can be reinforced but it is quite a bit of work.

[Tweaker]

Damnit!

[Jakeiscrazy]

HESCOs would make some very nice range wall but I don't see them for sale and they are generally regarded as pricey.

[Diomed]

HESCOs would make some very nice range wall but I don't see them for sale and they are generally regarded as pricey.

Hescos are just gabions with modern materials, you can always make 'em the old fashioned way with sticks, wicker, and dirt.

[jdonovan]

Yep gabions with a fabric liner so you can use soil vs. rocks.

Local mfg Lane make them. http://www.lane-enterprises.com/gabions_overview.php

I don't know the cost, but heres the thinking...

a 1:1 height vs width is minimum slope for stability, so if we wanted a 10' high wall, which really is the min for a pistol range we would need a wall 10' wide, but 12' is a nice number for the lane units as they are 6x3x3.

Side berms, 2 units placed long to long for 12' wide base, 3' hight. Add a another at the same orientation for the middle layer and then top with another running perpendicular. For a 25 yd range, we would need just less than 100 per side. If you could get them for $10 each, that wouldn't be too horrible price wise for a VERY nice solid side berm range.

The gravel to fill will be expensive, but perhaps you could find brick from a demolished building, or concrete from a road being torn up etc... and rubble fill them.

Clearly earthen berms are the cheapest way to go, but if you've got a flat yard, with no where to borrow material to build a berm, it might be a viable option.