Tips on building a bp home firing range

[elhombreconnonombre]

HAPPY NEW YEAR PARDS!

I have been given access to some acreage in a Texas county jurisdiction (no city) with no neighbors/residences downrange past the property line which is at least 100yds downrange.
For safety sake should I bring in sand and build a backup berm?, build some 6-12" thick sand filled panel walls faced/backed with 2x6s? I plan to shoot paper and steel targets at 15-100yd ranges.
Any design suggestions would be appreciated.
Ronnie

 

[Panzerschwein]

What is beyond the target? A sand berm would probably be nice regardless.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Scrub oak and cedars for a couple miles...undulating terrain.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Is it inhabited by the peoples?

 

[nettlle]

Mine is a 6' high dirt berm with sand dumped on the front of it. It was built in 1999 and it has help up well.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Uninhabited for a couple of miles downrange past the property line.

 

[Rex B]

NRA has lots of free help available for people looking to build a range. i believe they will help with private as well as public ranges. they even hold seminars on the subject. You might check on the upcoming national convention to see if they are holding a class there. Might be worth a weekend trip.
Another thought might be to check with your state association.

 

[4v50 Gary]

RR ties as backing with dirt piled in front. Keep the target low.

 

[Prairie Slim]

I use large firewood rounds. Easy to tack the target on the end, and can be burned to retrieve the lead. One for close targets, two row stack for long distance.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

+1 on the railroad ties and dirt pile.

 

[Noz]

I did the rr tie routine. Make it at least 6' high. May not be necessary but feels good.

 

[oldfogey4ever]

A person can often find discarded railroad ties stacks within 10-20 miles of each other along rr lines (most rr would apprieciate folks toten em off so they wouldn't have to pay - this refers strickly to the "pulls",) and a 'pinned' (rebar driven 4' the full depth of the berm into the ground every 4',) back-berm (along about 8' high would do it,) about 20' long with a sloped lead-in of built-up and pinned rejected ties and backed to a "repose" of sand (be close to 18'-20' of sand from top to ground in back of backstop, with same on sides) would be adequate for anything up to and including .338 Mag..

To recycle lead, could put traps up in front of berm (still important from safety and liability viewpoint - cops ever get called cause of "reported gunshots" would quickly surmise 'nuiscence' call with this set-up, other ones would vary)!

Plywood box 12" deep, 4' tall and 4' wide filled with shreaded rubber (get it at Lowes, HD, etc..) makes decent trap for pistols that can be placed in basement (several YouTube videos for "How-To")!