50 yard Range Design Help Needed

M

mistermike

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I've made a proposal to my club to host IR 50/50 matches this year. Before final approval by the directors, I need to provide a plan for a safe, portable backstop for the 50 yard matches.

We have 11 benches - 5 are on the 100 yard backstop and the other 6 are on the 200 yard backstop. Putting in a new earthen berm to cover 50 yards is not an option.

I need to design and build a portable backstop that can be moved in place for the IR 50/50 matches, and then put in storage.

Any one have a similar situation? Suggestions, plans and ideas are graciously appreciated.

Best,
Michael
 
Can you make the target frames high enough so that the bullets impact the existing 100 and 200 yd berms ?
 
Talk to Danny Kinney -Ennis Tx - about steel baffles that can be moved into place when needed. The Grand Praire Gun has some and so does the InDoor Shop Shoot
 
Deflector Plates

Our target frames contain a steel deflector plate, that deflects th bullets to the ground. Br advised, this makes the target frames very heavy and you need a crew to help put the up and take them down. We purchased a couple of Steel shipping containers to ehem between matches.
 
If you have to make them with a backstop then make them with wheels and tow them around with a lawn tractor.
 
mistermike said:
I've made a proposal to my club to host IR 50/50 matches this year. Before final approval by the directors, I need to provide a plan for a safe, portable backstop for the 50 yard matches.

We have 11 benches - 5 are on the 100 yard backstop and the other 6 are on the 200 yard backstop. Putting in a new earthen berm to cover 50 yards is not an option.

I need to design and build a portable backstop that can be moved in place for the IR 50/50 matches, and then put in storage.

Any one have a similar situation? Suggestions, plans and ideas are graciously appreciated.

Best,
Michael
Click to expand...
Michael,

We had the same situation here At the San Angelo Gun Club. It must be more common than I thought. We were able to use the 100 yard berm as a backstop but we have to move our target stands to storage after every match. That is not a bad thing because our backers last a very long time as we are the only ones who shoot at them. We installed pieces of 4"x4"x1/8" steel tubing in the ground in concrete. This large size works very well as we can clean out the hole from time to time. Our frames are 2x2 wood and we use a wedge system to tighten them up. We also have a plywood piece nailed on the back of the legs that stop the frames at a level position every time. (I will try to post some photos of this later. It is a very good solution)

I see a lot of advantage to the use of a metal deflector or even a full blown bullet trap. These "traps" could be set on garden wagons that could be pulled into place behind the target frame by one man. From my experience, 3/16" steel plate should work fine if nothing larger than 22 LR is ever used.

You may spend $100 to $200 a target position but there would be little upkeep in the future.

Concho Bill
 
cern's range
Louisiana
 

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Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the information.

Best,
Michael
 
I have a question for anyone who might know.

If you used a vertical flat piece of plate steel as a bullet stop behind the target frame, how far away would be the minimum distance to avoid any damage to the frame? Would it be 1 foot, 2 feet, 5 feet or what?

Concho Bill
 
shooting indoors at 60ft. fragments will come back and hit ya ..not hard enough to break the skin..so i'd say more than five feet
 
Angle to best

Bill:
I have found that the plate needs to be at an angle or the bullet will splatter back into the target. We experimented one night with different thickness plates and angles, and The angle and plate 3/16'' or more worked best. With one plate that was 1/8" we were able to put holes thru the plate were numerous shouts were placed during the night.
 
If you used a vertical flat piece of plate steel as a bullet stop behind the target frame, how far away would be the minimum distance to avoid any damage to the frame? Would it be 1 foot, 2 feet, 5 feet or what?

I built my target box out of 2x8's on edge. 1/4 steel plate vertical on the back side with two pieces of "horse carpet" between the front of the plate and the target backer. Horse carpet can be purchased in 4ft by 6ft sheets from Tractor Supply and I suspect most other horse type stores. It is dense rubber and about 3/4 inch thick. At 50 yards very few bullets reach the steel plate. None go through the plate. Cut rubber to size with a skill saw. Works fine on my home range....rubber will need replacement once in a while. bob finger
 
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