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misunderstood

misunderstood

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I know someone is going to complain about this question but I wanna ask. I see people going to the range on this site alot. I have only walked into one range in raleigh, nc. It was so full of people I couldnt stay in there. When I practice I am lucky enough to live out in the country and can shoot in backyard legally. Most time I ride out to the farm. Actually drawing up plans now to build a range on the farm. My question is, is there a benefit going to a professional range over a home made or make shift range?. Is there an element that I am missing out of at the range? When harvest season is over going to work on range on farm. Thinking bout starting blog. Plan right now is to have metal and paper target on one section and have a range up to 300 yds for rifle. I really would like to make this range best I can and if I am missing something a professional range has I would like to know. thanks.
 

I'm in the process of making a similar range out at my shop.

I plan on digging into the side of a hill and placing railroad ties in the back, sides and top.

Hope to work on it this weekend. Shoul be approximately 150-200 meters

I already have a good spot setup by the shop for shirt range shooting.

Just make sure stray lead can't get past and hit anyone or anything.
 
The ONLY advantages I can think of going to a public range is that you may meet people that can be very helpful. It has definitely been the case for me. Advice from others has really helped me on everything from safety to shooting fundamentals. Even if I had my own range on my own property, I would still frequent the indoor pistol range that I am currently a member of. Get's a little cold here in the winter and I like to hit the range at least once a month.
 
I'm jealous!
I wish that I could just go out into my own backyard with my wife and kid and just start target practicing...That would be very cool!
 
Closest house is 1/4 mile through woods. I got access to railroad ties and thought about making a stop. Waiting for harvest over, brother in law and me gonna take bulldozer to push up this old logging deck to make a stop then reinforce with railroad ties. Not worried about houses at all. Gotta fire one over trees to hit a house.
 
The_Outlaw said:
I'm jealous!
I wish that I could just go out into my own backyard with my wife and kid and just start target practicing...That would be very cool!
Click to expand...

Come on over.
I'll be breaking in the new AR-10 this weekend. However .308 ammo is kinda expensive so I'll only throw down $50-$100 worth :p
 
It is nice to go shoot whenever i want. Had one neighbor complain that here dogs start barking when i shoot. So I inspected situation and then ignore when i saw her husband shoot a deer from back yard. Hippocrates. Lol. Plus her house is down road from my house. Sounds less then a firecracker goin off outside her house. But law is on my side. As long as it is no night there are no restrictions for my yard.
 
misunderstood said:
It is nice to go shoot whenever i want. Had one neighbor complain that here dogs start barking when i shoot. So I inspected situation and then ignore when i saw her husband shoot a deer from back yard. Hippocrates. Lol. Plus her house is down road from my house. Sounds less then a firecracker goin off outside her house. But law is on my side. As long as it is no night there are no restrictions for my yard.
Click to expand...

All dogs bark :p
Are you going to setup any rotating type steel targets?
 
I personally would rather have my own range.. growing up on a farm, we owned almost 600 acres, many of which was very flat and made for some great shooting\hunting areas. Too bad I didn't exactly realize what a gem this was or was old enough to enjoy it. I go shooting because it's peaceful and relaxing to me, and don't usually want to be bothered although I will gladly talk to people or help them if they need it. You hear some good stories, but you also get the people who seem like their life is pretty lonely and just want to go there to talk, maybe shooting a box of ammo - at least at the old range I was a member of. Not sure about the new one, since I actually just received my card today.

The good thing about having your own range on your own property is you can set it up how you want to and leave it that way without worrying about people messing with it. When I get the land, time, and money, I'd like to set up at least a nice range for all the steel I own that I haven't been able to shoot yet.. I have a retired NY State Trooper friend who not only owns ungodly amounts of firearms and reloading equipment, he built his own 300 yard range out back, complete with indoor heated shooting station - which makes it very easy to police brass. The sky really is the limit when you're making your own range.
 
I hope to have dueling trees, some type of self reseting targets, and torsos. Got a quote from local metal shop on dueling trees. There was an old farm house in the woods i was hoping to make a shot house but after some clean up it is not worth anything. Got any suggestions on targets?
 
Your own range allows you to practice as you want, no fees, no rules other than safety, no time limit. You can practice drawing from your holster, double tap, quick shooting, all sounds good to me.

:dirol:
 
I created a pistol range on my land and the backstop is a natural berm on a creek bend.
I put down a tarp to make collecting the brass easier.
Here is my suggestion for you.
Start collecting the VOTE FOR _______ yard signs after the election. They make great target holders. Put a small covered bench rest in. Then you can shoot in the rain too.
 
The_Outlaw said:
I'm jealous!
I wish that I could just go out into my own backyard with my wife and kid and just start target practicing...That would be very cool!
Click to expand...
I'm with you on that. You'll be able to shoot whenever you want, Wouldn't that be a dream!!!
 
golocx4 said:
I created a pistol range on my land and the backstop is a natural berm on a creek bend.
I put down a tarp to make collecting the brass easier.
Here is my suggestion for you.
Start collecting the VOTE FOR _______ yard signs after the election. They make great target holders. Put a small covered bench rest in. Then you can shoot in the rain too.
Click to expand...

I go both ways, I belong to a beautiful outdoor range in SW Vermont, but can also walk across the road from my house and have 12 miles of forest. The range is great when I want to spend some quality time settin up a new gun, zeroing sights at long ranges, and when my kids and grandkids can join me. Across the road is a dirt snowmobile trail that is great for just plain having fun, and pistol shooting.
Ya can go both ways...
 
One nice thing about your own private range is... if you set it up correctly so your backstop is 3 sided... you can practice just about any dynamic scenario your agile mind can come up with. Generally... only on a private range can you practice defending yourself while falling on your arse... or running while shooting... or engaging multiple targets in different directions... or drawing after falling on your arse.... the only limitation is doing things safely so all your rounds stay inside the range... and you don't shoot anyone.. including yerself.

The best the wife and I could come up with was a dynamic range in our back yard for safety reasons limited to... airsoft guns.

By the way... sometimes we take those airsoft guns into the house and use our own home as a "shoot house".... gets interesting when one of us sets the targets and the other "clears" the house... in the dark.

A word of caution... carefully choose a fabric (even a towel or blanket) backstop if you set a target in front of drywall... airsoft pellets make cute little dents in drywall. Don't ask why I know.

And for those who would recommend against "clearing" a house I must ask... when you come home from an evening out do you call the cops to have them check it out before you go in or do you just walk into your house dumb and happy secure in the knowledge that because you left it empty it will still be empty now?

My wife and I work as a team and we clear our house every time we come home... including closets. Silly? It won't be if there is ever an intruder hiding in the house.

Although I must admit it is hard for my wife to get past the bathroom when we come home... women and bathrooms... -sigh-
 
I often dream of having my own shooting range, but I don't think it will ever happen. The only advantage I see to a public range is the availability of getting brass for reloading. I belong to an outdoor range where I am lucky to get back my own brass. I occasionally go to an indoor range where I can shoot 100 - 200 rounds and come home with 400 - 500 brass cases. I like that.
 
Suggestions on targets? Do you actually have the steel or do you need entire setups? I wouldn't really recommend trying to cut AR500 steel yourself - the most accessible way you'll probably have to cut it is to use a plasma torch and (skipping the metallurgy lessons..) will soften the edges, not making for very durable targets. The best way is either water-jets or a laser cutter. For a cheap (ie FREE) source for steel, do you have any railroad tracks near your house? Take a walk down them sometime and look for old rail ties the workers generally leave by the tracks when they replace them. They're usually 1-1.5" thick, 8x14" or so and HEAVY - plus, they're free so shoot the crap out of it then find more!

If you have some metal working experience or access to a welding machine, a falling plate setup is fairly easy to make. The last one I made used a rebar frame and had a pull-string to reset. A dueling tree would be easy to make as well, use a heavy pipe, some cams possibly and steel plates.

For do-it-yourself targets\stands, check out Link Removed . Most notably the Collapsible Plate Holder. A really easy to make stand is a bent piece of rebar, almost into an S shape at the top with a hook to hold the steel plate.

I got all my steel through a group-buy JC Steel was having on another forum. JC Steel Targets His prices are low, his steel is very, very top quality (laser cut) and all proceeds go to support a really great cause. I have a few 5" plates, 3x5" diamonds, 33% ISPC targets, and a couple others.. I really regret not buying the 100% ISPC and 8" plates as well. He also now has popper targets much cheaper than you'll find anywhere else.

EDIT: Oh, and shirtz1, would the range you're a member of happen to go to 500yds? :smile:
 
i have access to welder, plasma cutter, saws and all other equipment to use but water jet or lazers. i love working with metal but to be honest i think it is cheaper to order or talk to local shops. i thought about make a pinwheel type out of railroad plates.
 
Your own range? I'm one of many who is jealous. I live in the city limits where it is illegal to discharge a weapon, yeh even a pellet gun. So I try to shoot the damn rabbits and those pain the a-- squirrels when the neighbors are gone for the day. The local indoor range which is the closest makes the most sense for me to target practice with the big guns, I have had a very enjoyable time and have met several very interesting people. Your own, do as you wish gun range though, I'll say it again, I'm jealous. Have a great time.
 
The only time I ever shoot anywhere besides my home range is when I travel. I do NOT like public ranges. There is always some moron that sweeps everyone and usually with a loaded weapon. I can practice drawing and firing, fast fire or anyway I see fit
 
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