Building a Private Gun Range

[Texas_Cowboy]

Is there someone who might have "Gun Range Building knowledge" that I could gain knowledge from?

Want to build on my property in Texas.... I plan to dig out a hillside 20 ft deep, to shoot into the hillside with soft dirt backing.
Is there a "lead" problem I need to plan for? Most shells are copper jacket, but then some are pure lead. I do not want to create a problem in the future. There is a stream about 100 feet from site.

Problems or Ideas, What did you do on yours? Please share.
Thanks,
Glenn

 

[Lupinus]

I wouldnt see to much of a problem seeing as people have been using earth berms for....well a really long time.

As for the stream depending how much shooting you will do and how any rain water run off travels I am not sure if you might have a problem with that but for the most part I'd think you would be ok.

Words of caution-
Make use you have enough earth left, don't underestimate how much a bullet can go through.
Keep in mind that eith a berm that simply stops and colelcts bullets but doesn't trap them for easy collecting you may have to eventualy dig it out and turn it or what not, some people have reported after time the bullets can build up and lead to fragments coming back. For casual shooting dobt it to be a problem and I think you'd need to do a lot for that to ever become a problem.
And lastly check your local laws first. It would be a shame to go through so much work only to be shut down by the law or a complaining neighbor fairly quickly.

 

[Flak_Jakett]

My uncle built a firing range at his home. He also dug out the side of a gently sloping hill. He dug a flat face and then shored it up with a wooden wall with 4x4 supports every 5 ft. The face of the impact zone was about 25ft. I believe and about 18ft tall. My uncle didn't build it to prevent penetration into the hill side, however. The bare wood was about 4'' thick so there is still quite a bit of penetration into hill behind it. You could try thicker wood and maybe some sand bags as well. That would stop enough of the lead to keep the hill fairly lead free.

 

[Radagast]

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/53519/range_users_guide.pdf

http://itrcweb.org/Documents/SMART-1.pdf

http://www.pistolnz.org.nz/pdf/rdmsec01.pdf

http://www.pistolnz.org.nz/pdf/rdmsec02.pdf

http://www.pistolnz.org.nz/pdf/rdmsec03.pdf

http://www.pistolnz.org.nz/pdf/Police Range Manual 2005.pdf

 

[Texas_Cowboy]

Thanks

Thank you Guys.... This really helps.
Glenn

 

[1 old 0311]

The NRA has a publication on this.

 

[hso]

rangeinfo.org, the NRA and even OSHA have good information on setting up ranges

 

[jaysouth]

Check with your insurance agent. The 'state' insurance companies usually will not insure your property if you have a firing range.