TX_Shooter
Member
Thinking maybe a pallet of grass 
Best back stop for Home range
- Thread starter Flyboy73
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Essex County
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- Mar 9, 2005
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I live in Vermont and my backstop is across the river. It's called the White Mountains of New Hampshire....Essex
I got something for ya
If you, and by you I mean your wife, are really worried about aesthetics, I have a good idea, but it might cost a bit more. How about building the shell of a shed? Maybe build your sand box, and then cover the sides with that textured sheathing that you can buy at home depot, paint it and put some barn type doors on it, and maybe a few 2x4’ and some more of that sheathing painted black for a roof. This way, when you are not using it, it looks like a shed from the house. When you want to use it, you just open the doors.
If you, and by you I mean your wife, are really worried about aesthetics, I have a good idea, but it might cost a bit more. How about building the shell of a shed? Maybe build your sand box, and then cover the sides with that textured sheathing that you can buy at home depot, paint it and put some barn type doors on it, and maybe a few 2x4’ and some more of that sheathing painted black for a roof. This way, when you are not using it, it looks like a shed from the house. When you want to use it, you just open the doors.
pdowg881
Member
Use tree trunks stacked up and two or three thick. If you really need to, you could probably make it look nice. You can also cover the logs in dirt after, that way the spaces between the logs will be filled with dirt.
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silhanek
Member
I'd think dirt would still be the best backstop and probably the cheapest too. Why not try to figure out a way to plant shrubs or flowers around and on it somehow? Just my 2c.
Limeyfellow
Member
I got a massive earthern dam to shoot in one place and a deep gully for another, so I am taken care of quite well. There used to be an almost vertical hill that used to go 6 feet high though my neighbour bought the land and flattened it out for a horse pasture. Shame as it was a nice break.
zero_chances
Member
I have got a question about the tires,
Will small, low velocity rounds bounce off of them? Say Subsonic .22's?
Cause thats what i would shoot the most into it.
Will small, low velocity rounds bounce off of them? Say Subsonic .22's?
Cause thats what i would shoot the most into it.
Rosie O'Donnell?
Seriously, though, I have used about 1.5" of tightly compacted newspaper laid flat in a computer keyboard box and taped shut, over a plank.
It stopped .22 CB Shorts from a revolver, though I originally meant it for 1000 FPS .177 lead pellets from an "adult air rifle." Neither the .22's nor the pellets reached the plank behind the newsprint, though the .22's penetrated deeper.
Don't crumple the newspaper, just lay the pages flat, as thick as you can make them, in something that holds them tightly compacted. A few inches of that, with VERY low power rounds like .22 CB's can work. I'd still back it with a plank, and set up the whole thing where it's generally safe. Replace the newspaper often; it's cheap anyway.
Seriously, though, I have used about 1.5" of tightly compacted newspaper laid flat in a computer keyboard box and taped shut, over a plank.
It stopped .22 CB Shorts from a revolver, though I originally meant it for 1000 FPS .177 lead pellets from an "adult air rifle." Neither the .22's nor the pellets reached the plank behind the newsprint, though the .22's penetrated deeper.
Don't crumple the newspaper, just lay the pages flat, as thick as you can make them, in something that holds them tightly compacted. A few inches of that, with VERY low power rounds like .22 CB's can work. I'd still back it with a plank, and set up the whole thing where it's generally safe. Replace the newspaper often; it's cheap anyway.
Molon Labe
Member
I shoot everything from .22 to .50 BMG on my property.
When I was building the range, I was wondering what to use for a backstop. I thought about hauling dirt in, but I figured that it wouldn't be a very good solution. Why? Well, you need quite a bit of dirt to get a height of even 4 or 5 feet. Secondly, the face of the mound is at an angle, which increases the chance of ricochet. Third, dirt freezes in the winter, which increases the chance of ricochet even more.
If it's not already obvious, the design of your backstop should minimize the chance of ricochets.
So here's what I did: I had a bunch of railroad ties delivered, and I stacked them up about 4 feet high and three ties deep. This setup has the following advantages:
- Simple... just stack ties using tongs.
- When ties get shot up, simply order new ones and/or make rearrangements to the existing ties using tongs.
- The ties form a wall that is approx. orthogonal to the direction of the bullet. This minimizes ricochets.
- Unlike tires, railroad ties are not an eyesore. And they don't hold water. (Tires hold water and become mosquito breeding grounds.)
- If you ever move, the railroad ties probably won't be a problem. But if your backstop is made of tires, you will probably have to dispose of them.
- When the railroad ties get shot up, they simply degrade.
- A wall that is three ties deep will stop a .50 BMG round.
When I was building the range, I was wondering what to use for a backstop. I thought about hauling dirt in, but I figured that it wouldn't be a very good solution. Why? Well, you need quite a bit of dirt to get a height of even 4 or 5 feet. Secondly, the face of the mound is at an angle, which increases the chance of ricochet. Third, dirt freezes in the winter, which increases the chance of ricochet even more.
If it's not already obvious, the design of your backstop should minimize the chance of ricochets.
So here's what I did: I had a bunch of railroad ties delivered, and I stacked them up about 4 feet high and three ties deep. This setup has the following advantages:
- Simple... just stack ties using tongs.
- When ties get shot up, simply order new ones and/or make rearrangements to the existing ties using tongs.
- The ties form a wall that is approx. orthogonal to the direction of the bullet. This minimizes ricochets.
- Unlike tires, railroad ties are not an eyesore. And they don't hold water. (Tires hold water and become mosquito breeding grounds.)
- If you ever move, the railroad ties probably won't be a problem. But if your backstop is made of tires, you will probably have to dispose of them.
- When the railroad ties get shot up, they simply degrade.
- A wall that is three ties deep will stop a .50 BMG round.
Chuck R.
Member
I was lucky and had a hill to dig into.
Well, actually I looked for a suitable piece of property complete with natural backstop (hill) for a while.
Chuck
Well, actually I looked for a suitable piece of property complete with natural backstop (hill) for a while.
Chuck
There are a lot of good suggestions here, but at least one that you should stay away from - hay bales. Compressed grasses aren't very good bullet stoppers - even if shot "lengthwise", anything larger than a .22 can emerge still at lethal velocity.
I use logs, minimum 12" in diameter, stacked four rows deep for a backstop. The logs are stacked against a vertical 3/4" plywood front. My targets are tacked to another log in front of the plywood sheet. So far, I have had only a few bullets even get through the "target log", (mostly 30-06 and .303) and into the plywood. None have penetrated through the first row of backstop logs.
I use logs, minimum 12" in diameter, stacked four rows deep for a backstop. The logs are stacked against a vertical 3/4" plywood front. My targets are tacked to another log in front of the plywood sheet. So far, I have had only a few bullets even get through the "target log", (mostly 30-06 and .303) and into the plywood. None have penetrated through the first row of backstop logs.
Chuck R.
Member
That's a hill, Chuck?
Hey, for KS that's practically a mountain! Next year I'm working on the "T" Bar and possibly a chair lift the year after
Chuck
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