# Setting Up a Range



## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Can someone suggest an online source for setting up a decent shooting range? I don't like Amazon.

Feel free to suggest what you would do if you had a clean slate to build a range.

I like shooting at steel targets, but I am not married to any type of target.

I expect most of the shooting will be less than 50 yards.

Thanks


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

it really depends what your land looks like 

into a hill is good 

no houses in that direction for a good ways 

at the farm I have a mile to a hill with no one on it on either side , so I just shoot that direction no backstop just some steel even 308 fired at a target waist high at 400 is down in the dirt before the 800 yards 

do you have a picture of the area your thinking?


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## WinonaRail (May 20, 2020)

I'd recommend a good backstop just in case. Never know who/what is running around just outside your scope. Dirt and/or old tires are good options.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> it really depends what your land looks like
> 
> into a hill is good
> 
> ...


I do not have a pic. It is backed by an old pond levee about 20 feet high. It is fairly level, with a slight downward slop, back about 50 to 70 feet.

No house anywhere near behind the levee. 

I am more interested in what kind of target setup folks like, and where to get them. I don't have a Cabela's or a decent gun shop within a hundred miles.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I didn't know that Amazon sold shooting ranges. 

I cleared a 100-meter lane through the woods. Then, I had a load of fill dumped at one end of the lane for a back stop. 

In front of the dirt backstop, I placed two T-posts in the ground about 6-feet apart. Between the T-posts, I stretched some chicken wire and attached the wire to the posts with cable ties.

We use spring-loaded clothes pins to attach targets to the chicken wire. Pretty cheap and simple. If the chicken wire gets all shot up, it's easy and cheap to replace.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Cabin Fever said:


> I didn't know that Amazon sold shooting ranges.
> 
> I cleared a 100-meter lane through the woods. Then, I had a load of fill dumped at one end of the lane for a back stop.
> 
> ...








KRATE Tactical


Owned and operated by a Marine veteran, KRATE Tactical manufactures the highest quality AR500 steel shooting targets that money can buy. All of our AR500 steel shooting targets are designed and manufactured in the USA.



www.amazon.com


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

HDRider said:


> KRATE Tactical
> 
> 
> Owned and operated by a Marine veteran, KRATE Tactical manufactures the highest quality AR500 steel shooting targets that money can buy. All of our AR500 steel shooting targets are designed and manufactured in the USA.
> ...


Your link goes to the supplier of targets, not the purchase of a shooting range.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

are you looking to build a range or for quality steel to put on your range to shoot at ?


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Cabin Fever said:


> Your link goes to the supplier of targets, not the purchase of a shooting range.


You didn't even read my OP


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> are you looking to build a range or for quality steel to put on your range to shoot at ?


More interested in an online supplier of good steel targets and hangers.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

HDRider said:


> You didn't even read my OP


You didn't read my post. 

You asked, "Feel free to suggest what you would do if you had a clean slate to build a range." 

I told you how I built my range...which is the exact way I would build it again if I had a clean slate.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

You did say shooting range, not targets.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

HDRider said:


> More interested in an online supplier of good steel targets and hangers.


If you have a decent welder in your area he should be able to make you some pieces from scrap.
We had a guy a few years ago that cut shapes of turkey, bear, deer, etc from thick gauge steel.


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

When we were setting up my 100 yard range in our back field, I overturned an old damaged 21' boat in the woods by our creek, I then covered it with 2 years worth of horse manure to build up a hill. We used a 4'x8' sheet of plywood (easily replaceable) as a backstop, and hang targets on the wood. We are shooting generally downhill towards the creek, so no errant flying rounds go beyond the creek. I have markers (red ribbons tied to the horse fence) denoting where 25 yards, 50 yards, 75 yards, and 100 yards are at.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

1/2" Steel Target 7.2"x 12" Gong


This gong steel target is built with the best materials and cutting methods! Are you a serious shooter? You need a serious target!




shootsteel.com





they don't recommend shooting rifle calibers closer than 100 yards and magnum rifle closer than 200 yards pistol closer than 10 yards

8 yards is the minimum safe distance in USPSA closer the pieces of the bullet that splatter are moving fast enough hurt you yet been there done that , no fun just set up at 10 yards or father and always wear safety glasses that wrap around when shooting steel

don't shoot anything that attracts a magnet at steel


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> 1/2" Steel Target 7.2"x 12" Gong
> 
> 
> This gong steel target is built with the best materials and cutting methods! Are you a serious shooter? You need a serious target!
> ...


I expect most, if not all the shooting will be handguns, mostly 9 mm. The shooting would be no closer than 15 yards.

Do you think that is OK? I have not shot a lot of steel targets, and am somewhat afraid of ricochet or fragment bouncing back.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

angle them down 

you don't need much for handguns shooting 38, 9 , 40 , 45 3/8 steel is fine ar500 will hold up a long long time 

it's the stuff you shoot where your above 3000fps or close to 3Kfps that beats up plates 

we have some stuff cut from ar400 that is holding up well to 9, 40 , 45 , one of the guys at the club works for a shop with a laser they had to bring in some sheets of AR400 for a project he convinced his boss after the remnants sat for a while that they let him by it for scrap , a couple cases of beer for the laser operator and a stack of targets were made 

if steel is cratered from some one shooting a rifle at it , stop using it , I made that mistake and have the scar as evidence in my leg 40cal bullet came back at me , I was a little close maybe 6-7 yards hit my calf went through my pants double thick denim or it may have gone deeper and I had hole about 3/8 deep then fell out and was lost to the snow I was standing in had I been 3 yards farther back it would have hit the snow and not me.

a cousin was shot at a bus stop almost identical looking wounds , drive by with a 38 snub nose bullet ricocheted off the pavement from across the street and hit him in the leg , he was wearing shorts and pulled the bullet from his leg

steel should be flat and free of deep dimples or craters 

pistol bullets don't beat up steel bad at all


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

X2. Do not use steel targets perpendicular to you. Angle them.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

Cabin Fever said:


> I didn't know that Amazon sold shooting ranges.
> 
> I cleared a 100-meter lane through the woods. Then, I had a load of fill dumped at one end of the lane for a back stop.
> 
> ...


That's brilliant 

We are getting ready to set up a 100 yard range. Pistols and .22 short rifle only. Too many neighbors too close for a rifle range.

I've been thinking if an old tire backstop in a u shape.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

GTX63 said:


> X2. Do not use steel targets perpendicular to you. Angle them.


But that takes all the excitement out of it.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

You'll shoot your eye out.


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## weaselfire (Feb 7, 2018)

CTStargets or shootsteel.com.

Jeff


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

weaselfire said:


> CTStargets or shootsteel.com.
> 
> Jeff


That was exactly what I was looking for, especially this page. I will order from them soon. Thanks

It is even better seeing the stuff is made in the USA.





__





About Steel Targets | ShootSteel.com







shootsteel.com


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

there are many idle lasers out there , these target companies if they don't have a laser of their own can rent time on a laser

the lasers at John Deere in Moline IL load from a cassette that goes near to the ceiling as high as the fork truck can lift , load the cassette and feed it again in 2 days , they have 1 operator check a row of 6 lasers 

the software nests smaller parts in what would be the waste of the larger ones it can even engrave the part number in the part so that there is no mistake what part it is


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> there are many idle lasers out there , these target companies if they don't have a laser of their own can rent time on a laser
> 
> the lasers at John Deere in Moline IL load from a cassette that goes near to the ceiling as high as the fork truck can lift , load the cassette and feed it again in 2 days , they have 1 operator check a row of 6 lasers
> 
> the software nests smaller parts in what would be the waste of the larger ones it can even engrave the part number in the part so that there is no mistake what part it is


I have worked in many places with laser, water jet and plasma cutters. Nesting is an economical necessity


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Well, I just made them folks happy. Super guy there on the phone. 





__





ShootSteel.com | The Industry Leader in Steel Targets, Target Stands, and More


AR500 and AR550 Steel Targets and Target Stands. Portable, Robust, CNC Laser Cut, and Proudly Made in the USA. Industry Leading Quality and Value Guaranteed.




shootsteel.com


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

I've got about 60 pieces of steel between a pistol range and 3 tgt berms that go out to 760yards for rifle. The majority of my plates are AR500 in 3/8ths. I've bought from:

Arntzen (love their portable stands)
Quality targets
Action target 
Challenge Targets
MGM

I've been happy with all of the above. As the others said, angle down, mount using springs, or chain for swingers. Make sure your steel has some 'give" to it and it will last longer. Buy steel that can be flipped, avoid welds on the plate and flip them annually. For the swingers I put spacers (larger nuts between the plate and chain to allow them to also hang at a downward angle. 

Some of my range:


























































Luckily I bought property where I shoot into a hill. The pistol range backstop doubles as 100 & 200 yd rifle. The other berms are also sitting on a FWD slope, the berms are there to spot misses.


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## JRHill02 (Jun 20, 2020)

Old pots and pans work well. Not cast iron of course. The salvation army store or equivalent can set you up with a lot of old stuff you wouldn't want to cook with. They make noise and you can always tape the holes.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

If you have somewhat close neighbors and are going to shoot frequently, and have access to a local gun club, I would strongly suggest you just join the gun club and shoot there.
If you have a remote property, are back off the road a ways, good distance from neighbors, etc. that's a different deal. 

I'm as big of a gun guy as anyone but find it pretty darned annoying when the close neighbors break out the weaponry and start blazing away hundreds or rounds. Seems like they always want to do it in the evening after work, about the time everyone wants to sit out on their deck, cook out and enjoy the peaceful countryside.

You are also covered by liability insurance at most gun clubs also.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

I'm just impressed that you guys can find the ammo to shoot with. Can't even find a box of quality .308 here.


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## Reloader (Nov 15, 2020)




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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

gilberte said:


> I'm just impressed that you guys can find the ammo to shoot with. Can't even find a box of quality .308 here.


My son is coming home for Thanksgiving and we have to shoot some.


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## Hossplay (Jul 21, 2012)

HDRider said:


> Can someone suggest an online source for setting up a decent shooting range? I don't like Amazon.
> 
> Feel free to suggest what you would do if you had a clean slate to build a range.
> 
> ...


 but I am not married to any type of target. 

I am sure she will appreciated that.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

gilberte said:


> I'm just impressed that you guys can find the ammo to shoot with. Can't even find a box of quality .308 here.



Some of us saw this coming, just like the last cycles. 

Instead of new guns etc. I put my money towards reloading supplies and bought even more than normal in bulk to save money. In the past 2 weeks I've taken delivery of 3750 9mm bullets to reload for next season. Normally this time of year I stock up on components anyway so I can load post hunting season, before match season begins. That combined with most of my normal matches being cancelled due to COVID this past spring, I'm sitting pretty well.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Fishindude said:


> If you have somewhat close neighbors and are going to shoot frequently, and have access to a local gun club, I would strongly suggest you just join the gun club and shoot there.
> If you have a remote property, are back off the road a ways, good distance from neighbors, etc. that's a different deal.
> 
> I'm as big of a gun guy as anyone but find it pretty darned annoying when the close neighbors break out the weaponry and start blazing away hundreds or rounds. Seems like they always want to do it in the evening after work, about the time everyone wants to sit out on their deck, cook out and enjoy the peaceful countryside.
> ...


I agree, no one wants to live next to a range!

My nearest neighbor is a 1/2 mile away and he shoots too. I make it a point to not shoot before 0800 on SAT/weekdays and no earlier than 0900 on Sunday. I also only allow guests when I'm physically present, which cuts down on the number of days for shooting. IAW zoning, I'm free to do whatever I want, as long as each projectile remains on my place, but I do try to co-exist.

The local club would be a good option, but not one has the setup for either distance, nor defensive/competitive practice that I do. Most are stuck in the square range, punch holes in paper mode, which honestly bores me to tears.


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