Suitable Back Stop/Bullet Trap for Open Pit Mine Range

[CmdrSlander]

I am constructing a home in Northern Nevada in what had been a medium size open pit mine (they never found much there, so the land, which happened to include the giant hole, was very cheap). It is in the middle of nowhere so I am okay to shoot all I want. The hole is large enough that from what will the back patio of my home, which is backet into one side of the hole, there are several hundred vacant yards, all the way to the far side of the hole, which I intend to use as a rifle range and and general shooting sports area. I will be shooting up to .308 Winchester regularly, but I will probably have friends with .338 Magnums and .50 Cals come over and shoot as well. I was planning on the sheer stone cliff face being the backstop, but I am worried about ricochet. Can I use the cliff face and expect it to stop projectiles from coming back at me or do I need a softer earthen bullet "trap" to avoid ricochet? What should these be composed of?

Here's a graphic we worked upped during the planning stages of the compound:


Where the labeled lines end is where backstop's may be needed.

 

[Art Eatman]

I don't know as I'd worry about it, particularly at that distance. I shoot into a pretty solid rock mountainside quite often at around 200 yards with no problems of bounce-back or ricochets. The bullets pretty much splatter and "drop dead".

 

[CmdrSlander]

@Art Eatman

That's what I was initially thinking, good. Thanks.

 

[A-FIXER]

However just for your peace of mind and I will say go and get tires they are free and abundant stack'em at your desired targets heights and depth and fill them with sand. And with the exception of a round going through 4' to 6' of rubber/sand and hitting the current backstop you could feel confident that any bounce off would be minor. This is not my orginal idea as I read this on one of my gun forums. As this is just an idea that appealed to me and maybe yours. Enjoy your new range '' by the way what will the family say about the brass everywhere on the patio?

 

[rcmodel]

350 yards into a vertical rock wall and bullets are not going anywhere except very short distances in small splatters.

The only thing that might would be .50 cal armor piercing cores.

Even then, I would not expect them to make it back 350 yards.

If your friends with .50's don't shoot AP ammo, no problem.

rc

 

[CmdrSlander]

by the way what will the family say about the brass everywhere on the patio?

I mostly shoot single shot or Bolt Action precision rifles so most of the brass goes right back into the reloading tray. I guess will have to get some suppressors for early morning practice though