Backyard ranges?

[big inch]

I have started looking for either land to build a house on, or land with a house already on it. One of my requirements is to have enough room on or very near the property to have my own personal range. I have a good place on my families' farm that I can build on, but I am still looking at other options.

My questions are:
1)What, if any, insurance or legal problems may arise from having friends or relatives shooting on my personal range?

2)What's the best backstop to use?

3)How cool is it to have your own backyard, personal range?

 

[Bear Gulch]

The best back stop would be dirt berms. I have shot on ranges with walls of tires filled with dirt. I can see where that would be a hassle at resell time. With plain dirt, dozer them down and grass seed. I wonder what environment issues would come out of lead contamination issues if a busybody wanted to get involved.

 

[Sunray]

"...insurance or legal problems may arise..." You'd be liable for any and all damages or injuries caused by you or your's shooting on your land. Including any grass or forest fires. You'd best make sure of what is behind the range out to 5 miles or so too. If a bullet goes through the window of a house a mile behind your range and hits somebody, you're responsible. You'd best find out of a private range is even legal in the municipality you're in. Hunting and target shooting aren't the same thing.
Like Bear says, the best backstop is a great big pile of dirt. Preferrably without any stones or rocks in it. Just be advised that you'll have to dig out the bullets periodically to avoid possible richochets. Up here, the CF keeps track of how many rounds are fired at every target position for this reason. Likely not as big a deal on a small private range as it is on a military range though.

 

[Bear Gulch]

The berms should be High (like 10 feet or more) to insure no round inadvertantly get over the backstop. It would be interesting to see if you could get grants to build one provided that you allowed public access or use. If you allowed hunter ed students you would qualify for Pittman-Robertson funds. These funds come from the taxes we pay on guns, ammo and archery equipment.

 

[big inch]

Sunray, I know about the liability of a stray bullet, but I was thinking about if someone got hurt while shooting on my property. Most likely it would be someone I know, but you can't be too careful in these letigous (sp?) days.

What about a pile of timber for a backstop? It could be rotated out periodically to remain fresh.