Anyone have their own backyard range?

[JD31]

I ask the question to see how many people shoot from their own backyards, and if they do, I would like to see some pictures and descriptions of the downrange area and the improvements made to ensure that they are being responsible and safe while practicing.

I live in the country, and I have a neighbor that I hear shooting quite often. While putting up hay this summer, I discovered a bullet hole from a 9mm or larger bullet through the metal siding of my new barn. Might have been a drive by or a stray (came from the opposite direction of the well practiced neighbor though). If I am shooting in the back 40, I want to ensure that I am doing so safely and not endangering the neighbors like someone around me is doing.

Pros and cons welcome....just looking for information.

 

[melensdad]

I do. I didn't build a berm to shoot into, instead I have a natural hill that is about 12' tall in the area we use as a backstop. It is also heavily wooded. I don't trust the trees to stop a bullet, seen too many times when bullets traveled long distances through woods, but I do trust the hillside.

 

[Tim-g19]

Im currently looking for 10+ acres in Clinton or Carroll County and thats a priority, or the ability to safely construct or use natural terrain.
Im in Whiteland City limits now but have nothing keeping me down here in Johnson county anymore, So north between my Wifes parents in Lafayette and Kokomo. But Id love to be able to step outside and relieve some stress instead of driving to a range.

 

[Backwoods]

I have a 300yrd range in back. The 100yrd targets are 1.5 thick steal plates held by log chains. 200yrd is a 3x6ft board. 300 is a post for hanging paper with the hill right behind it. The range sits down in the bottoms with 40-50 foot steep hills on three sides and woods on top. The 4th side is about 6-8ft high with trees. The closest house down range is about 3/4 mile away,and sits more at a side angle then down range. I try to always shot at a object that will flatten a bullet or at least deform it, and take away its energy. No cans sitting on the ground or any room that the bullet can skip before hitting a berm.

 

[rhino]

Party at Backwoods' place!

 

[Backwoods]

Party at Backwoods' place!

That doesn't count the jungle walk area thats off to the side, but its just set up for pistol cal.

 

[rhino]

That doesn't count the jungle walk area thats off to the side, but its just set up for pistol cal.

It just keep getting better!

The last time I did a "jungle run" was during a 3-gun match at Deer Creek CC back in the late 1990s. The last part of the a stage had you put your rifle on a rack, retrieve your shotgun, and go into the woods along a path to kill some treacherous steel!

You, sir, have a cool thing.

 

[Fenway]

Pictures please!

That doesn't count the jungle walk area thats off to the side, but its just set up for pistol cal.

 

[Backwoods]

Going down to the range later and will get you some pic's. I hold a shoot once a year. If you ever see a T-shirt that has a Mil dot on the front with the words BackWoods Shoot out on it, and a Pic of a AR15 on the back that say's Take a hundred yard walk on the wild side. That would be here.

 

[Panama]

Going down to the range later and will get you some pic's. I hold a shoot once a year. If you ever see a T-shirt that has a Mil dot on the front with the words BackWoods Shoot out on it, and a Pic of a AR15 on the back that say's Take a hundred yard walk on the wild side. That would be here.

Geez, how would a guy go about gettin' an invite to a "BackWoods Shootout" and "Hundred yard walk on the wild side" purchase a shirt and, and...........sorry got caught up in the thought there for a moment.

Sounds seriously cool!

 

[esrice]

lovemywoods is very fortunate to have enough room in his "back yard" to have his own private range. I try to get down there a couple times a month. (for Mom to see the grandchild, of course. . .)

We use the lake dam as our backstop. The range is in a bit of a "hole", with a berm on 3 sides. Then we built a simple 3-post "target holder" and added some fun reactive stuff. Just recently Dad constructed some portable stands from PVC, and we built a heavy-duty "shelf" for shooting off bowling pins. There are also 3 super-thick industrial metal flanges that we bolted to posts and put at various heights on the dam. The range is about 75 feet deep. If we want to shoot out to 206 yards, we sit ON the dam and shoot down the length of the lake into another hillside.

As Dad likes to cook and I like to plan events, we are happy to have people coming down tomorrow for the first ever INGO NFA Day! Can't wait!

Pics:

 

[muncie21]

esrice: anyone ever get the strings holding the bowling pins?

 

[esrice]

esrice: anyone ever get the strings holding the bowling pins?

Not yet. Maybe that will change with the M16 on NFA Day!

 

[Panama]

esrice,

VERY VERY NICE!
I hope to be able to attend next year?
Found out about this years after the guest list had already been filled and had a prior "family" commitment for tomorrow, shucks!
Oh well Mom only turns 76 once in her life, I probably shouldn't miss it since she was nice enough to be at my "birthday" 55 years ago.

But looks great, everyone attending have a safe fun day, as I am sure you all will!

 

[Paul]

Man, now im really excited for tomorrow!!!

 

[JD31]

esrice-Looks like a great place to relieve stress.
Living in a flatter area of the state with no dam, I will have to move some dirt to have something as nice. I've got 80 acres to wander around in to find just the right spot. I will probably build up an area with the woods beyond it just in case. Right now I have a 4'x6' 3/8' sheet of steel angled to deflect anything into the ground, with the woods behind, but I wanted to get some idea of what others had before I put a lot of effort to improving an area.

Keep the pics coming.

 

[Backwoods]

here is some pic's No order part jungle walk and part range

 

[esrice]

Panama- this is just a first trial run for us. With any success, I think we'll continue to host INGO events. The NFA guys, especially VUPDblue, have done a great job making sure this thing works out well. lovemywoods just isn't sure how he's going to top this one, as we've really went over the top on this one.

JD- it sounds like you've definately got the right idea. Having a 3-sided "box" of big dirt berm would be excellent on a flat space. I've also seen where people have laid out railroad ties vertically along the berm. Keep us posted as you progress.

Backwoods- your place looks awesome! I think I would have to smudge black shoe polish on my face if I was shooting there, just for effect. I like the steel setup on the other side of the door.

 

[Backwoods]

Those are them targets on a stick that you buy at rural king. I just mounted them to a platform with gate hinges. It works by hooking a cable to the door that runs to a eye hook on the back target to lift it when you kick the door open. When it comes up it also has another cable on the same eye hook that pulls the bowling pins off the platform you see in the back, which inturns acts as a counter weight pulling a cable hooked to the front target pulling it up. You have about a second or two, to shoot the back target before the front no shoot target gets in your way. You can change which target as no shoot by placing different things to
recognize before you shoot.

 

[fastheads]

Very nice set-up guys. If I had a place that easy to go and shoot at I'd have to get a second job just to afford ammo.