Safe Distance for Shooting on Private Property?

[Another_David]

I've heard it both ways. Is this advice from the NRA sourcebook?

Sorry, no citation to my "shoot downhill not up" comment. It just makes sense to me, so take it with a grain of salt I guess.

I've never had my hands on the NRA Sourcebook but it would be an interesting read. Doing some googling I did find this, which has some interesting range ideas:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/destinations/shooting_ranges/outdoor_shooting_best_practices.pdf

 

[BenDover]

You might also think about building a bullet trap with rubber landscape mulch (recycled tires). I have one for .22LR and it works great.

For a number of reasons I can't build a berm so I decided to limit my home range to 22LR. I have a double wall wooden backstop with fill inside and a 18x18x18 bullet trap filled with rubber mulch. All the lead is contained in the trap (very green?)....the bullets come out looking like bullets (very little deformation) ready to be recycled.

here is a thread on cast boolits:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=26627&page=7

Folks there are making traps that will stop rifle rounds. I have no doubt that the right sized box of rubber mulch will handle 9mm and .40....not sure I'd trust it with rifle rounds.

 

[Spanz]

If it was for "qualified" shooters" (i.e. no yahoos that will be shootin at the moon) I think A plywood box with a 4x4' front face, filled with maybe 3' thick of sand, would do just fine. When the plywood on the front gets looking ratty, just screw on another piece.

It has the benefit of containing all the lead, so it will not leach into your ground water.

I would, obviously, make the line of fire not point towards a house/road unless it was a good ways off.

Shooting shot in a shot gun....nothing special required there! Won't go far enough.

 

[atmay]

If there's trees around, you could always use plywood between trees to form a bunker, and pile dirt up against the wood.

 

[eric_07]

Noob question... if you are shooting clays you are aiming into the air. What sort of bullets are you using that are safe to shoot into the air if you miss the clay?

I am guessing birdshot, which I am also guessing only goes a hundred yards or so?

 

[M1911]

You use birdshot when shooting clays. The NRA range design book has the required distances. The NSSF recommends a 300 yard safety zone.

 

[Another_David]

I am guessing birdshot, which I am also guessing only goes a hundred yards or so?

Yup, at various clay ranges I vaguely recall seeing signs limiting shot size to 7-1/2 and smaller (e.g. 8, 8.5, 9). The smaller shot doesn't travel as far, generally speaking.

 

[atmay]

Yup, at various clay ranges I vaguely recall seeing signs limiting shot size to 7-1/2 and smaller (e.g. 8, 8.5, 9). The smaller shot doesn't travel as far, generally speaking.

Not to mention, by the time it comes back down to earth, you're not likely to get hit with more than a few pellets, and none of them have much kinetic energy due to their small mass.

 

[Burbs]

Well I'm up here at their property and after looking it over I just don't feel comfortable with shooting on it right now. They are going to be building a barn in the spring and they will need to dig out a foundation. Hopefully they can use that dirt to help with the berm.

 

[M1911]

Ideal material for a berm is screened sand. You don't want rocks in it that could cause a ricochet.