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LavaRed
2008-11-04, 05:21
It seems that apparently the anti- gunners here managed to make a federal case out of a noise complaint at the range I am a member of, so that there is risk of it getting shut down. The 100 mts. rifle range is getting down for sure unless they ban so called "high power rifles" (anything above .22).
This makes it necessary for me to build my own 100 mts. rifle range at my country home.
So, ask you guys what should it have.
At the moment I am considering clearing a stretch of woods around 105 mts in length and 5 mts in width, then installing a small, thatch- roofed hut in the back, facing a earthen cliff for a backstop (about 3 mts high). And then having the whole area irregularly thatched and covered with vegetation above, so that it can not be seen from the air.
Your thoughts on the subject please?
Thanks,
LavaRed

Superdave
2008-11-04, 05:39
How important is it that It can't be seen for the sky and why?

LavaRed
2008-11-04, 05:40
How important is it that It can't be seen for the sky and why?

That last bit is mainly vanity actually :p.
Its far more important that the backstop is high enough actually.
Or noise control for that matter.
But I would love it to be a good, convincing cover. It will add to the cool factor.

The_Savage
2008-11-04, 06:02
Top cover could be a problem, either you need chicken wire or something like it to weave branches through (Which would then have to be replaced quite often) or you need camo net which whould cost quite a bit given the 100m length, either way it would be a giant pain in the ass. Depending on how much the trees spread out at the top you might be able to cut out a 3m or so wide range and still have the canopy covering you.

For a backstop, the best thing i can think of is if you have a buddy who does earth works get him to drop a truck load or two of dirt or gravel at the end of your range, probably only cost you a carton of beer if it's just crap thats been dug out of the sides of roads or w/e. Failing that, find somewhere there is a gravel pit or stock pile of the stuff they use under roads and get a car, trailer, few mates and shovels and help yourselves, probably not exactly legal but fuck it, they wont miss it.

LavaRed
2008-11-04, 06:07
Top cover could be a problem, either you need chicken wire or something like it to weave branches through (Which would then have to be replaced quite often) or you need camo net which whould cost quite a bit given the 100m length, either way it would be a giant pain in the ass. Depending on how much the trees spread out at the top you might be able to cut out a 3m or so wide range and still have the canopy covering you.

For a backstop, the best thing i can think of is if you have a buddy who does earth works get him to drop a truck load or two of dirt or gravel at the end of your range, probably only cost you a carton of beer if it's just crap thats been dug out of the sides of roads or w/e. Failing that, find somewhere there is a gravel pit or stock pile of the stuff they use under roads and get a car, trailer, few mates and shovels and help yourselves, probably not exactly legal but fuck it, they wont miss it.

Oh, no worries on that. Remember that within my farm there are numerous supplies of these materials, plus our own dump truck (60's vintage Ford) and Caterpillar ( Vintage WWII D4).
The air cover, I know out native workers build this kind of stuff like small mounds to protect the growing coffee plants during their first year (they need shade), but never anything as big as this.
Questions: How wide does my range need to be?
Do I need to have earthen mounds at the sides as well as the back?
Is my 3 mt. earthen mound high enough, or should I have it made higher?

Oh, and another thing. Is a hut or a trench better as a firing position?

Thanks,
Lava

The_Savage
2008-11-04, 06:15
How wide depends on you, if you're happy with one or two targets at a time then 3m should be fine. I wouldn't worry about making mounds down the side, but thats me. 3m high should be more than enough, if you're shooting at say 10y with a 9mm and the round hits the ground and skips you'd probably need a 50m mound to stop it, i'd just place the targets right near the mound and walk back to whatever distance you want to shoot.

hut vs trench i'll let someone else answer, i always just lay on the ground.

LavaRed
2008-11-04, 06:37
How wide depends on you, if you're happy with one or two targets at a time then 3m should be fine. I wouldn't worry about making mounds down the side, but thats me. 3m high should be more than enough, if you're shooting at say 10y with a 9mm and the round hits the ground and skips you'd probably need a 50m mound to stop it, i'd just place the targets right near the mound and walk back to whatever distance you want to shoot.

hut vs trench i'll let someone else answer, i always just lay on the ground.

Thanks man.
I definitely expect to be using this for the big rifles, as I can still take the .22 and the pistols to my usual range I expect.
The trenches and air cover might take lots of work and they're purely decorative in the end, but I might as well personalize my range a bit. I'll leave those for last. :D.
The trench would be kickass for the day I manage to get myself a real LMG or GMPG tho.

ThetaReactor
2008-11-04, 09:38
String a net across the top, with reinforcement every so often, and start your favorite creeping vines going at it. I don't suppose you have kudzu down there?

Of course, you shouldn't be surprised when the CIA determines you're growing drugs and firebombs everything for a square mile. ;)

LuKaZz420
2008-11-04, 09:57
That would be pretty awesome to have your own range, sounds good.

I say go for the trenches, they shouldn't be too hard to build and I'm sure it'll be really fun to use them as a shooting position.

The_Savage
2008-11-04, 10:13
I actually have 3 ranges soon to be four, to be honest it's the only thing keeping me where i am, I have a 50m range in the middle of some bush, kind of a 'jungle lane' if you will, The other goes out to 350y and the other goes out to 650y.

I've got to laser the 4th one to see how far it is since i haven't shot there yet, but it looks to be around 800y.

I shudder at the thought of going to a public range, i like doing my own thing and having the flexibilty of my own range (for example i can go there at 11pm at night and zero my rifles under a light before a shooting trip if i want.

Mantikore
2008-11-04, 11:34
if you throw a net over the top, it might be a bit dark in there

Bckpckr
2008-11-04, 13:45
Not only does covering the entire length and width of the range seem a little unpractical, it'd be quite dark! Why not just cover the backstop area and firing position?

somtec
2008-11-04, 19:15
Hi
Perhaps when cutting down the trees, vegetation etc you do it in a way that makes it look like a more natural clearing, ie dont have 2 straight sides. Nothing in nature is perfect or straight and a rectangle of 100x5 from above would definately look manmade. Keep the firing sightline straight but vary the width or snake the cut if you follow what I'am getting at.

LavaRed
2008-11-04, 19:27
Hi
Perhaps when cutting down the trees, vegetation etc you do it in a way that makes it look like a more natural clearing, ie dont have 2 straight sides. Nothing in nature is perfect or straight and a rectangle of 100x5 from above would definately look manmade. Keep the firing sightline straight but vary the width or snake the cut if you follow what I'am getting at.

Genius idea :D! Plus leaving leaves, charred stumps and other natural "waste" on the ground.
Perfect!

somtec
2008-11-04, 19:49
Maybe also leave a felled tree trunk laying diagonally across the range at say 60yds from the back stop,but not dead half way again wouldnt look natural, could then be used as a bench for closer shooting, just make sure not in the way of the targets from further back at 100 yds.
Sorry for my lack of knowledge of the vegetation in your home country but are we talking rain forest jungle or a more temperate climate wood/forest type. Not that it makes much difference to the discussion just curious.

LavaRed
2008-11-04, 21:01
Maybe also leave a felled tree trunk laying diagonally across the range at say 60yds from the back stop,but not dead half way again wouldnt look natural, could then be used as a bench for closer shooting, just make sure not in the way of the targets from further back at 100 yds.
Sorry for my lack of knowledge of the vegetation in your home country but are we talking rain forest jungle or a more temperate climate wood/forest type. Not that it makes much difference to the discussion just curious.

Its a temperate climate forest. You'll find banana trees (used for the coffee shade), together with coffee plants, pine, spruce and cedars, etc.

hazode
2008-11-07, 13:25
I hope you go through with this, send pics to keep us posted. I hope this thread doesnt go the same way as that underground base thread did.

LavaRed
2008-11-07, 16:36
I hope you go through with this, send pics to keep us posted. I hope this thread doesnt go the same way as that underground base thread did.

No, trust me. As soon as harvest is over next year I will definitely get down to it.

hazode
2008-11-07, 20:48
No, trust me. As soon as harvest is over next year I will definitely get down to it.

Cool, Remember, post pics and/or vids. :)

KeepOnTruckin
2008-11-13, 22:17
Post in DIY as well.

My thoughts:

My local outdoor range has a 10 meter high backstop. They built a mountain of boulders and then dumped a shit-ton of dirt on top.

Don't cut down any tree that makes up the canopy unless it is right in the middle of your range area, Survey entire property first to find place with most canopy coverage but has a 5 meter width between the large trees.

LavaRed
2008-11-14, 02:11
Post in DIY as well.

My thoughts:

My local outdoor range has a 10 meter high backstop. They built a mountain of boulders and then dumped a shit-ton of dirt on top.

Don't cut down any tree that makes up the canopy unless it is right in the middle of your range area, Survey entire property first to find place with most canopy coverage but has a 5 meter width between the large trees.

Very good idea.
Come to think of it I can use the trees to hang targets :D.

ilovechronic
2008-11-14, 03:20
Very good idea.
Come to think of it I can use the trees to hang targets :D.

Why can this range not be seen? Is it illegal to shoot on your own property? Or to have a range?

LavaRed
2008-11-14, 05:18
Why can this range not be seen? Is it illegal to shoot on your own property? Or to have a range?

You're supposed to get all sorts of permits to have a range here. And it has to have a log book of what weapons were fired, when, how many cartridges, etc., plus qualified range personell.
On the other hand, you are allowed to shoot on your property if it is outside city limits.
So far I have used a designated tree stump as backstop and it has been ok, but I don't want to risk legal hassle, so I prefer it being discrete.
You know me, I don't like to draw attention to myself.

ilovechronic
2008-11-14, 05:34
You're supposed to get all sorts of permits to have a range here. And it has to have a log book of what weapons were fired, when, how many cartridges, etc., plus qualified range personell.
On the other hand, you are allowed to shoot on your property if it is outside city limits.
So far I have used a designated tree stump as backstop and it has been ok, but I don't want to risk legal hassle, so I prefer it being discrete.
You know me, I don't like to draw attention to myself.

Well you are definetly going to need a large mound for the back stop. And i think you could build a private range, basically a backstop with mounds on the sides so no bullets get out at all. I mean if you and close friends and family are the only ones using it what can they do? As long as your not advertising it as a public range can they really even call it a range?

But you should not have to keep any books on it if it is not public. And if it is on private property and is for personal use what can they do?

Cloaked Dagger
2008-11-14, 06:38
But you should not have to keep any books on it if it is not public. And if it is on private property and is for personal use what can they do?

In his country, anything they want even if it is forbidden by the law. Corrupt government and all afterall. Of course the flip side to that coin is a big enough bribe to the right people and our friend here can do anything he wants even if it is forbidden by the law.

thorazine50x
2008-11-14, 15:03
It seems that apparently the anti- gunners here managed to make a federal case out of a noise complaint at the range I am a member of, so that there is risk of it getting shut down.

That is typical.

There was a great range semi local to me that was shut down the other year.

The range had been there for decades...

Newly developed homes go up near by...

The recently settled in home owners complain and the range gets shut down.

LavaRed
2008-11-14, 15:40
In his country, anything they want even if it is forbidden by the law. Corrupt government and all afterall. Of course the flip side to that coin is a big enough bribe to the right people and our friend here can do anything he wants even if it is forbidden by the law.

Indeed, but I am not in a position to dispense bribes like that. People with more profitable trades, if you catch my drift, definitely can, but my trade is honest, thus I don't have and endless source of money nor contacts.

But true, the government here is corrupt enough that they could call a public range for assault weapons the sandbags in my backyard where I shoot my air rifle if they so wanted.

About a year or two ago, the home of some god friends of mine who collect weapons also got raided without a warrant. That's right. Seems the police was going to raid a nearby house occupied by some drug people, but when they arrived the thugs had already been warned and taken flight.

So to spare themselves the shame they started questioning the neighbors, and were told that the occupants of that house on the other side of the street had a lot of weapons. Media gold. So they called up the media, then proceeded to enter the house by hitting the guy who opened the door (Owner's son, one of the best gunsmiths I know) in the head with the buttstock of their AK's.

These people are very law abiding, they have all their guns registered, which were mostly antique pistols, shotguns, rifles, and one AR15 target rifle.

So the police decided on the spot that was not a sporting rifle, but an evil black assault rifle as used by the organized crime network. And then they realized that the rifle was registered to the owner listing his address as his medical consultory. So they finally had something to fuck him with. And they did.

The result: A huge 'bust' of arms dealing criminals in the eyes of the media, and in exchange for dropping the charges they confiscated all their weapons, off the books. Obviously these people don't have the pull or money to pay off bribes like these either.

In this country if you are a law- abiding citizen, you survive by living under the radar. Only the corrupt can afford to pay bribes these days.

Bckpckr
2008-11-14, 17:54
Lava, where do you live?

If I recall correctly -- Brazil?

Mokothar
2008-11-14, 21:59
Guatemala.