New Private Range Set to Rock!
AZSATT

AZSATT

New member
I got a call today from the property owner who allows me to use their land and even their 4,000 sq. foot house to conduct my CCW and Handgun training courses.

The neighbor down the road with heavy equipment came and scraped the firing lane, expanding it from a single 'firing lane' with modest berm to a lane wide enough to easily accommodate 3 - 4 shooters at a time (with room between), and arced the huge berm at the end of the 25m "lane" to allow for multiple target engagement drills... I'm pretty jazzed.

My i-phone stopped downloading pics to my PC, so I'll get a hold of a real digital camera soon to get some pics up. Considering I run intentionally limited class sizes to focus on each student, this "back yard range' is going to rock!

The berm is high enough and deep enough that I should even be able to run some AR training through there - but all shooting would be the up close stuff... I'm seeing transition drills and CQB in my future!:dance3:
 

25 + meters long, 12 + meters wide

I'm not sure how to add pics within a reply or thread, so I'll just add some to my album...

But yeah - the new set up works exceptionally well!

I ran a one-on-one CCW"+" course this past weekend with the new digs, and had multiple target engagements running all afternoon, with plenty of more room for more placement and spread - it rocked.

Ideally, the berm could be another 3 feet higher so I could incorporate some ground-fighting, but for now and primarily CCW training - it's great.

As soon as I figure out pics in here, I'll add them in.
 
Well, there you go again (a la Reagan to Carter, 1979 debate)

AZSATT said:
It was a beautiful day for training, and I actually got sunburnt! :happy:
Click to expand...

Oh, you cheeky, cheeky bugger! :sarcastic:

Right now it is 17F. With snow flurries. Crap.

:cray:
 
I don't miss the cold...

Yeah, I hear you!

I lived in Michigan and NY for many years, and no - I don't miss it, not even a little.

I love not having to scrape ice off my windows before I go to work, and I love not dressing like the Michelin man to keep warm... unless I'm riding my motorcycle in the mornings when it's still in the mid 30's, on its way to 60's+! :dance3:

A couple more training sessions through the new range and I'm loving it. I do need to configure a better, more durable target frame though. Students that like to "wing" their target and destroy my wooden frames are creating a logistic issue for me.

I'm thinking angle-iron or possibly even rebar, like a local range uses in a simple frame set up.

Any suggestions guys??? Durable target frames??
 
Angle-iron or rebar will give something to create ricochets. A range here uses wood frames much wider/taller than the targets with cardboard backing, and just buys the lumber is job lots. Another range uses Rebar uprights, but uses 4" thick dense packing foam for backing.
 
Richocet concern

I like the idea of heavy foam backing, but I'm still facing the same issue with .45 ACP shredding my wood frame. The thick foam may keep the structural rigidity in place for a few more strings of fire, but the wood frame would still need to be replaced. If I could score a decent quantity of thick foam I'd certainly be leaning this way, especially if it's cost-effective intially.

True, firing at metal objects downrange (or rocks) creates a richocet concern, which is why angle iron (with the point of the "V" facing the shooter would minimize chances of debris or round fragments coming back at the shooter. After talking with a welder here, he brought up the point that a hit on the angle-iron would certainly deflect and redirect the path of the bullet, but a true bounce-back would be nearly impossible.

Ideally, shooters would hit the TARGET and not my target frames, and I'd have no worries. :cool:
 
There are arguments for using metal uprights. If I were to use them, I'd use rebar. It's cheaper than angle iron, and the small diameter will be a smaller "target" for your students.
 
There's a corrupt former governor in Illinois out of work... maybe I could get him to come down and enjoy some nice AZ weather and hold my target for me? :sarcastic:
 
Zachary disease!!!

wolfhunter said:
Like this?
View attachment 319


By the way, check out the bullet stopping berm....
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I had in mind for Blago!!....

That's a great pic - you gotta love the Chinese! No time to worry or be bothered with berms or safety, just shoot!

And you have to wonder what that poor SOB did to get THAT assignment... great photo!
 
AZSATT said:
That's exactly what I had in mind for Blago!!....

That's a great pic - you gotta love the Chinese! No time to worry or be bothered with berms or safety, just shoot!

And you have to wonder what that poor SOB did to get THAT assignment... great photo!
Click to expand...

He's not Chinese.He's an Asian-American residing in DC. He was caught voting for McCain. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks Capo!

It's working out quite nicely!

I've got new target frames (still wood framed for now) that are a few inches shorter, to ensure we're staying away from the top of that horse-shoe berm.

I've also got markers down at 5 yard increments, from 5 back to 25 yards... and there's at least another 15 more for staging etc. Most of the tactical exercises are done inside the 5 yard line though, so it's all good.

This weekend Saturday will be my first 'real test' at this range of running relays of 3-4 shooters at a time through various exercises. Should be plenty of room, and maybe more pics if the weather holds out. (Might get wet training this weekend.)

All in all, I'm loving the set up!:yes4:
 
New Private range

AZSATT, when I lived in Arizona, I built a couple of portable target holders out of PVC pipe. They are easy to assemble, transport and set up. If one of your students gets carried away and hits the holder, they are cheap and easy enough to replace. If you are interested, send me a PM and I will re-create the plans for you.
 
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