Thread: help setting up a shooting range

The grade steel you need for your targets is Bisalloy 400.

Depending on what you intend to shoot at it you will need it to be 10mm or more in thickness.

As for your range you have to consider what back stops you have in place and how large is the safety zone is behind and to the sides of the butts?

Is the safety zone your property or a neighbours or several neighbours or a combination of all of these.

Noise will get you lots of complaints from neighbours too, unless they also like to shoot and you invite them over.

Shooting down on a slight angle, 10 degrees or so, is a good idea as this may reduce the height of your backstop and size of your safety zone.

Shooting up is not a good idea as this may increase the size of your backstops and size of your safety zone.

Shooting steel will result in ricochets which will need to be taken into consideration.

This link will take you to the New Zealand Police Range Manual which describes the principles for the design and development of shooting ranges in New Zealand.

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/fi...nge-manual.pdf

Here's some ideas to build your bench rests. Make them strong with no movement.

http://benchrest.com/articles/benches.pdf

Good luck

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by P38

The grade steel you need for your targets is Bisalloy 400.

Depending on what you intend to shoot at it you will need it to be 10mm or more in thickness.

As for your range you have to consider what back stops you have in place and how large is the safety zone is behind and to the sides of the butts?

Is the safety zone your property or a neighbours or several neighbours or a combination of all of these.

Noise will get you lots of complaints from neighbours too, unless they also like to shoot and you invite them over.

Shooting down on a slight angle, 10 degrees or so, is a good idea as this may reduce the height of your backstop and size of your safety zone.

Shooting up is not a good idea as this may increase the size of your backstops and size of your safety zone.

Shooting steel will result in ricochets which will need to be taken into consideration.

This link will take you to the New Zealand Police Range Manual which describes the principles for the design and development of shooting ranges in New Zealand.

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/fi...nge-manual.pdf

Here's some ideas to build your bench rests. Make them strong with no movement.

http://benchrest.com/articles/benches.pdf

Good luck

Cheers
Pete

Really good advice this - even if you do not want to get your range certified.

16mm bisalloy is great for most calibers. I would consider 50m a bit close for a centrefire caliber gong. If you do put one at 50m have it angled to deflect bullet fragments in a safe direction - and be prepaired to repair or replace your gong often. As good as steel is i would still allow for paper targets at 100m and 200m.