private range and sound reduction

Apollo

Apollo

Jason Stanley
I am currently in the process of "designing and planning" a private 200 yd range on a small parcel of land that I own. I currently have a private 200 yd range on somebody else's land, however he is going to put cattle back in there for the 2011 summer - which means I need to build my range this coming summer to be ready. After visiting with Mike B, Dave H, and RG yesterday they pretty much convinced me of not having an "indoor bench" and shoot through a "door" set up (like I was going to do.) So, I've decided upon a concrete slab with 2 concrete benches with a covered top. Problem is I bought this land for hunting and don't really want to scare away the deer and turkeys. The closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away - so want to show them respect as well. Is there any type of contraption that I could make to take the "crack" off of the shot? Mike said he has heard of tires stacked together - place the muzzle inside of the first and the rest act like a silencer system. Open to any suggestions/pictures. Thanks in advance

Stanley
 
I recall an extensive discussion of this subject a year or so ago; don't remember which forum. The solution at that time was to use vertical baffles on either side of the firing position. It worked better than any other device to attenuate the sound. I don't think anything can be done about the supersonic crack. As I recall, a roof over the firing position causes high sound level for the shooter. Sound insulation may be beneficial if a roof is desired.
 
Apollo said:
I am currently in the process of "designing and planning" a private 200 yd range on a small parcel of land that I own. I currently have a private 200 yd range on somebody else's land, however he is going to put cattle back in there for the 2011 summer - which means I need to build my range this coming summer to be ready. After visiting with Mike B, Dave H, and RG yesterday they pretty much convinced me of not having an "indoor bench" and shoot through a "door" set up (like I was going to do.) So, I've decided upon a concrete slab with 2 concrete benches with a covered top. Problem is I bought this land for hunting and don't really want to scare away the deer and turkeys. The closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away - so want to show them respect as well. Is there any type of contraption that I could make to take the "crack" off of the shot? Mike said he has heard of tires stacked together - place the muzzle inside of the first and the rest act like a silencer system. Open to any suggestions/pictures. Thanks in advance

Stanley
Click to expand...


Don't overthink it. I have my own private 1000 yard range and the deer and turkey are so use to the shooting they just stay in the field. Not uncommon to see a deer in the corner of my scope at 600 yards while shootin at a 1000 yard target.

Go see that neighbor. Talk about shoot times, offer to let them shoot. Win them over. In rual areas gunshot are not uncommon and people get use to them.
 
There was a thread on 6mmbr about "Man Caves" here is one photograph of a guys setup.

Tim
 

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critters and ranges

Howdy!
After a while, the critters very well may be somewhat used to it! I used to go to a range here in Ky that had a reasonable amount of traffic. People showed up shooting pretty much everything from target guns to you name it. Some folks shot slow, some shot as fast as they could waste ammo.

One day while zeroing a deer rifle, the place was pretty crowded. Folks were shooting a steady stream of ammo, and I yelled "CEASE FIRE!". They looked at me like I was an alien. 75 yards out, a doe and large fawn were slowly starting to graze their way accross the range. They paid NO attention to the racket. When I pointed at them, the other guys were stunned too. One genius said "let's shoot'em!" I said the game warden would prolly show up immediately, let'em go. We all decided to go down range and check/change targets. The funny thing was, we started walking downrange, and both deer started stomping and snorting and did not run off till we, and I mean a BUNCH of us, were close enough to throw rocks! Which we did, and they STILL didn't want to go, but they did.

When I was in the Army, different range officers made the comment that the animals were accustomed to the shooting and "YOU WILL NOT SHOOT MY DEER, GROUNDHOGS ETC!!"

As a side story, the most pitiful story of "marksmanship" I ever heard came from an Army range officer. He said that 130 National Guard soldiers were qualifying at the range when a deer started running across at around 100 yards. 130 National Guard soldiers went rock and roll and 130 National Guard soldiers missed said deer. 20 rounds per mag, 130 "shooters", 2600 rounds.

Glad I knew a bit about shooting before I went in, more glad that I had the privilege of working with some serious shooters who were willing to help me learn more than I was shown in basic training.

Your critters should be fine after awhile, enjoy your new range!

Greg
 
Jason:

Here's a few pics of Stan Ware's shootin' shack. He uses it year round and has target frames at 100, 200 and 300 yds. It has a small Mr. Heater, a wall A/C and a big enough service to run any electrics you'd want to run. I've shot in it many times...really makes load work nice, especially when it's cold or rainy. You might want to give Stan a call and get some ideas from him. Oh yeah....don't remind him of the time I changed out his Johnny Cash CD for Metallica. :eek:

The business end of the shack:
front.jpg


Side view:
west.jpg


Looking toward the shack from 100 yds:
southfrom100.jpg


Weather station features direct uplink capabilites to the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Sarah Palin's private cell number:
weatherstation.jpg


Bench setup. Permanent flag stands are covered with PVC.
window1.jpg


The lad himself:
stan.jpg
 
Wow! That looks like heaven. Heat and A/C. WWOOHHHOOO!
And music. Wow. I thought, a plug for my muffs were great. :)
At my local range. The ground hogs don't even notice.
 
FWIW we have to hold our fire quite often at several of the local shooting ranges in northern Wisconsin while waiting for the deer to clear out down range. And these are only 100 to 300 yard ranges with 10 or 15 shooting benches full of people shooting really noisy guns. With the smell of burnt gunpowder heavy in the air and several people shooting everything from 22 pistols to 50 cal muzzlestuffers, someone will notice a deer or 2 or 3 walking across the range and yell out. Everybody takes a short break until the critters eventually mozy off. I wouldn't worry about making them skittish at all. They'll get used to the gunfire and come to expect it. Same thing happens at my 100 yard range in my backyard. In fact, I've come pretty close to accidentally shooting a deer or two out of season. I really don't want to have to try to explain how the dern deer just happened to walk in front of my gun while it was plinking at targets. So if you find a way to keep them away while shooting, let me know. :D
One other item, you are right to listen to the person who advised you not to shoot through door or window. Unless you have a clear view all around and right up next to the building, it would be too easy to have someone come up un-noticed and have a dreadful accident.
Kevin
 
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Don't overthink it. I have my own private 1000 yard range and the deer and turkey are so use to the shooting they just stay in the field. Not uncommon to see a deer in the corner of my scope at 600 yards while shootin at a 1000 yard target.

Go see that neighbor. Talk about shoot times, offer to let them shoot. Win them over. In rual areas gunshot are not uncommon and people get use to them.

Tony is right.... The critters for the most part will become familure with the bangs... And with most important, a 100% reliable backstop, you more than likely can get cooperation from your neighbor. They must feel you wont endanger them or others.

One note.... On several ranges I shoot, the critters.... Deer, turkey, geese, even black bear just come right on the range during matches... Just milling around.....

Plenty that frequent this site have shot Raton NM. They too know PLENTY of critters have had to be run off this range EVERY match. Especially the Turkeys.... Birds that is...:D


cale
 
They kind of like to stand between the 100 and 200 yard line so they can catch the breeze of the bullets going by.

S3000021.jpg
 
While the Baffles may be helpful in the short term,I think that planting Spruce trees is a better long term plan
 
If the object is to reduce noise to nearby two legged neighbors spruce trees planted close together is a good solution since they not only deflect the sound upwards, but also absorb it. The problem is that they take a while to grow and 400 yards of them could get to be expensive. High dirt berms with evergreen bushes on them work well too. If the closest neighbors are 1/2 mile away and others are a greater distance, you might only have to plant or berm one side of the range.

As for deer and wild turkeys at least they don't seem to be bothered by gunfire. I've had deer stand within 25 to 30 yards of me just in front of the firing line and watch me while I shot. They will also stand in the line of fire without the slightest apparent concern.
 
Thanks to everybody for all the replies. Al - I'll be sure to mention that to Stan right before you two shoot at Webster - just to get your brains thinking.
Well, I will try and not worry about the sound and see what happens to the deer/turkey. Gotta be honest -hard to believe, but I will try it. I will go to the neighbords driveway and have someone shoot at my place to hear how loud it is. Thanks again.

Stanley
 
Funny but after I typed that first message I went out to my range yesterday to do a ladder test. I setup at 425 yards and went to work. About half way through three deer just walked in between me and target at about the 200 yard mark. I stopped and waited and they moved a little to one side. I was worried they would come back so I started shooting one of my steel plates to spook them off a bit. :)
 
My brother bought some land and set up a rifle range (100, 200, 300 yd). Before he set up the range, he went by the two or three nearest houses to introduce himself and ask if setting up a rifle range would bother them. They all said it was fine with them and most asked if they could shoot there. He said sure, as long as he was home.

I was at his house shooting at 200 yds one day when 3 or 4 mulies laid down in the shade of his 300 yd backstop. They went to sleep while I was shooting. Have also had deer wander in front of the butt while shooting at 100 yd.

Of course, as soon as the season opens, they are gone.
 
For What It's Worth

Tomball Gun Club is about a mile or so into the woods off of a semi-paved, (dirt) road. If you are the first one through the first gate in the early morning, you darned near have to "shoo" the deer off the road.

Last year, we even had a doe and a yearling walk out on the range down at 200 yards. We had to call a cease fire and run them off...........jackie
 
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