Shooting setup for in-garage shooting practice?

I'm curious to see how this works out for you. Do you have any city noise ordinance codes you would need to be looking into? My neighbors would call the police if they heard shots coming from my garage.

Is this like the guy that built a range in his basement? And the cops came and shot target practice after being called for a noise violation?

Good luck with your project...be sure to post pictures when you're done

sounds.......unsafe........honestly

if you really want to shoot indoors.......ide spends a bit of money and get a rated .22 bullet stop....you can typically find those for around $50-60......

the problem with the magazines is.....it will get torn up in no time....youll have to replace the entire box within a few dozen to a hundred or so (depending on how thick you make it)

second, make sure the bullet stop is against a concrete wall......i can guarantee you a heavy blanket wont cut it.....ive seen an air rifle shoot through heavy carpet....a .22 will most likely zip right through it....

and finally, you may want to have a fan, just to keep some air moving.

I use Aguila Colibri with my Marlin bolt action. Very Very quiet, and quite accurate at short distances (accurate for me, with my rifle, out to at least 75 ft, but I haven't had it out any further than that with Colibri).

They WILL break windows and they WILL kill squirrels and other small animals, could conceivably be fatal to a human. Use a good bullet trap that is at least twice as big as you think you'll need.

I use an old wooden crate about 3ftx5ftx2ft layered with carpet scraps and dirt. The colibris rarely penetrate past the second layer of carpet.

You can also consider CB shorts and CB longs, both are around the noise level of an airgun when they're shot from a rifle. With a pistol, the Colibri are a little louder than a pellet gun. the CB shorts and longs are fairly loud out of a pistol or revolver, and I would recommend ear protection if using a pistol with any of those rounds.

Check local ordinances first. If that checks out the next step is a proper backstop. A good bullet trap and a decent back wall design is mandatory. The other thing to look into is proper ventilation, splattered lead can be a health risk.

Thanx, Russ

Why not get a GOOD air rifle? It will shoot rings around your .22, it is nice and quiet, you dont need much for a backstop (magazines work fine,) inexpensive to shoot even with match grade pellets, no lead in the air to worry about, MUCH MUCH more safe for everyone involved.

Will you post how close your nearest neighbors are? Most jurisdictions dictate a certain distance from the nearest dwelling, 150 yards being pretty typical, in unincorporate territory. I'm not judging you or what you're attempting. I'm curious.

There probably is no legal issue with noise, it's proximity. No matter how quiet I could make it, I wouldn't do it if it were aginst the law. Conversely, if legal, I wouldn't care how much noise it made.

Why not get a GOOD air rifle?

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What's your idea of a good air rifle? I haven't seen anything under $125 or so that wasn't pretty much complete garbage... I paid $60 for my first .22, a marlin model 60 that was VERY accurate.

Also, the OP may not have the finances to fund a good air rifle... Sure the ammo for a .22 costs more (especially when you're buying the primer only or low noise rounds) but it's certainly no less accurate than an air rifle, and when using a backstop or bullet catch that is both large enough to cover the entire target area with plenty of overlap, and filled with enough material (dirt, sand, anything dense enough to stop the bullet without causing lead spray or splash back from the bullet hitting a solid surface. Sure targets like these require some maintenance, but mine will not only stop high velocity and even full load .17hmr, but has also survived quite well through many many rounds. If I can find my camera I will post pictures of the box when I get it out of storage.

There is some risk involved any time you shoot, it's up to you to follow the four rules of firearms safety at all times. Follow the rules and it shouldn't be difficult to safely shoot in your garage.

While my nearest neighbor is about 100 yards away, I use my gaarage for working up loads and chronographing. Wooden box about 3'x2' with dog food bags filled with catalogues, magazines, and other material. The box sets on a wood bench about chest level at the back of the garage. There is a metal plate behind the box with a slant just in case.
The chrono is set up in front of the box and to gain 25' feet, I stand a couple of feet outside the garage.
22LR, 9MM, 45ACP, 38Spl, 32 Auto, and cowboy light loads from Blackhawks and Winchester 1873s.

I would suggest an Airsoft or pellet gun, as you would be much less likely to have difficulties (break or shoot something you shouldn't) and then the neighbors can try to call the PD for discharge of a firearm. There are some very nice indoor 'galleries' for both airsoft and pellets.

You WILL want some good ventilation to keep all of the smoke/dust/lead particles away from you - more than just a fan behind you' preferably more like an exhaust system

Whatever "set-up" you finally decide on, I'd add a 45 degree steel plate deflecting the bullet downward rather than shooting straight into a backstop.

Over a period of time, a wood or phone-book backstop will eventually wear out, resulting in a bullet continuing on it's journey. Whereas, a 45 degree steel plate will reduce the bullet's energy (I'm sure some physics minded folks here can tell you the specifics) and redirect it downward where, if the backstop ever wears out, some folks in China will be greatly surprised.

jnyork said:

Why not get a GOOD air rifle? ...you dont need much for a backstop (magazines work fine,)...no lead in the air to worry about,...

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Well....sort of.......it depends on the rifle. I have a higher power pre-charged rifle that will shoot through a pellet trap in 3 shots. Lots of power. It also completely splatters a pellet so the lead risk is also there. My Olympic air rifles are much lower velocity and much easier to stop. For indoor use somewhere around 600 FPS is good, get up over 800 FPS and the things start getting more like a 22LR.

Thanx, Russ

I'd recommend a Mother-In-Law for in-garage shooting practice, but since I am a plank-owner around here, and therefore am supposed to lead by "mature, responsible behavior", I best not.

*innocent-wittle-boy-wook*

I'd be real sure to check your local laws as to what constitutes "illegal discharge of a firearm". Years ago when I lived in the Bay Area, that regulatory definition quashed any desire of mine to "practice" at home using wax bullets.

It looks like someone needs to start shooting gluelits. Bullets that are cast from hot glue sticks and shot using only a primer. A cardboard box full of old rags will stop them just fine. Here's a link to the proper way to make and load gluelits.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=17577

I made a .22 target backstop for my basement shooting range.

It's basically a box made from 3/4" particle board. The front has a 6"x8" window cut into it with a jigsaw. I built channel guides on the left/right side of the front so that I could slide a piece of standard carboard over the front. It covers the window and keeps newspaper fragments from getting all over the floor.

The top is removable and held on with short dowel rods. I built the entire thing, screwed and glued, in less than an hour.

It sized to hold your average folded newspaper as backing material. It's 12" deep and I can take a 14" stack of newspapers and compress them inside the box.

NOW... with that out of the way... I change the newspaper ONCE A YEAR. I figure that's about 1200-1500 rounds. The newspaper will have a shot-out crater about 4" diameter and 6" deep. I've even shot a .38 into it, and it did not go more than 4-5" into the paper.

Loosely crumpled newspaper will not work. Tightly compressed folded newspaper will. Some people soak them in water and compress them for more density.

You don't need to spend money on a .22 bullet trap. I did and I never use it.

I'm assuming that you live within some city limits (or you'd be letting fly outdoors). Many, if not most, cities have ordinences forbidding the discharge of a firearm within city limits. That usually includes inside of your home/garage. Better check before you shoot.

Check local ordinances first.

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Besides the noise, and danger, there will be lead and ventilation issues. If you are in a city, zoning will drive you crazy.
If you are in the country, with neighbors who don't mind, (I may not want to be in the line of sight) good luck. Personally, If I were in the country, I'd set up an outdoor range.

I bought a .22 LR bullet trap at a local sporting goods store. Using a Gemtech suppressor it is still loud, but it's the sound the the bullet hitting the steel. Sounds like a hammer hitting a steel plate, which is ok since it is not a gunshot sound, but it still draws attention.

Don't forget ventilation. Those lead particles can be heck on your health.

Mine,

Coastal Passport.
A few different twenty twos.

About sixteen inches of paper and magazines inside a box to keep the mess in check.

Suppressor takes care of the volume issue.

I however only fire about a magazine or two (ten to twenty rounds) every now and then when bored -- limited due to lack of ventilation. Garage door stays shut when shooting with just a fan running.

Most Impotant Tip...

I have an indoor range in my Garage. Get a rifle that shoots CCI CB rounds. They are extremely low noise. Problem is they are shorts. For the Long Rifle Round I do believe Winchester "subsonic" Rounds are low noise but I never fired them. The CB's make less noise than a top-line BB gun .177 or .22 caliber. As far as a backstop I have LARGE barricade of old piled up newspapers that line my back wall plus the house is made of cinder block. My targets are the metal swing type that you find in any sportsman catalog or local gun store. The targets are set at different heights and levels to avoid boredom. I do have a lock on my side of the garage entrance door and on the house side of the door a large sign that reads "THE RANGE IS HOT." That sign keeps my wife and kids away even if I'm not shooting. I leave the garage door open half way for ventilation. As far as County codes, if the sound isn't there no one can complain. I have mine set up for months now and I have no trouble with complaints But again USE ONLY LOW NOISE ROUNDS OR DON"T BUILD ONE.............