Setting Up a Safe and Effective Home Target Practice Area?

[gerryaz]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to set up a safe and effective home target practice area and could use some advice. I primarily shoot a .22 rifle and an air pistol and have some space to work with, but I want to make sure everything is set up properly for safety and longevity.

For those who have done this before, what are the best materials for backstops to prevent ricochets or damage? Do any recommendations for targets that hold up well over time? Also, what steps do you take to ensure neighbors (and property) remain safe?

I’d love to hear about different setups—whether indoor, outdoor, garage, or backyard—and any lessons learned from experience.

If you have pictures of your setup, that would be even better!

 

[gerryaz]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to set up a safe and effective home target practice area and could use some advice. I primarily shoot a .22 rifle and an air pistol and have some space to work with, but I want to make sure everything is set up properly for safety and longevity.

For those who have done this before, what are the best materials for backstops to prevent ricochets or damage? Do any recommendations for targets that hold up well over time? Also, what steps do you take to ensure neighbors (and property) remain safe?

I’d love to hear about different setups—whether indoor or in home target practice, outdoor, garage, or backyard—and any lessons learned from experience.

If you have pictures of your setup, that would be even better!

thanks in advance for any help

 

[jimbires]

I used to shoot a few indoor pistol leagues through the winter . these clubs all had bullet traps . I helped to clean out my local club trap . all it was , is a heavy piece of steel , probably 1/4" , placed in at an angle . the top of the steel towards the shooters . I'm not sure of the angle , but I'm guessing 45* . we had a piece of heavy rubber belting hanging in front of the steel . we had clips on the belting to hold the targets . the belting also kept anything from trying to come back at the shooter . when the belting got a hole shot in it , say like 1" diameter , we would move the clip to change position of the target . I'll guess the steel plate was about 18" or 24" high . other clubs I shot at did not have anything hanging in front of the steel plate . I never noticed anything coming back at the shooters . the steel plate was probably 4 or 5 feet high .on the floor in front of the steel plate they had a sand bed a few inches thick . the steel plates would eventually get a hole shot through them . I'd bring the plate home and weld it closed , and grind it off smooth .I'm not sure if my local club had the wrong angle , or if it was due to the plate being short , why we had to have the rubber belting hanging in front . you can probably find instructions on how to build a trap online . maybe on the NRA website . a bullet trap also catches all the lead . the lead can be taken in for recycling . it also keeps the neighbors from worrying about lead contamination .

 

[JD338]

I have berms behind my 100 and 250 yard gongs. The the 200 yard gong is set at the base of a ridge so the hillside acts as the berm. I have access to sand and used my tractor to place the berms. I have added 3-4 additional buckets of sand on the 250 yard berm since this picture was taken and use the bucket to freshen it up as needed. There is also a half mile of swamp and woods behind my targets should a shot ever get past the berms.

JD338

 

[clearwater]

My Granddad has a range in the basement that ran under the sidewalk to the stand alone garage. It also served as an escape from the basement. He shot 22 and air.

He did not have ventilation, unknown issue at the time. Local pistol range under the town pool was shut down due to high lead.

Check with cowboy action shooters. They have specific requirements for ammo (metal, velocity etc) and target placement.

 

[diverdown]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to set up a safe and effective home target practice area and could use some advice. I primarily shoot a .22 rifle and an air pistol and have some space to work with, but I want to make sure everything is set up properly for safety and longevity.

For those who have done this before, what are the best materials for backstops to prevent ricochets or damage? Do any recommendations for targets that hold up well over time? Also, what steps do you take to ensure neighbors (and property) remain safe?

I’d love to hear about different setups—whether indoor, outdoor, garage, or backyard—and any lessons learned from experience.

If you have pictures of your setup, that would be even better!

If you are shooting indoors make sure you have proper forced ventilation. When I was a range officer on the PD we had a brand new range built with air filters and other equipment that supposedly eliminated the need for ventilation going to the outside. We religiously kept the floor clean and cleaned the filters but three months later ended up with lead poisoning. (which was not fun) Double check on your ventilation!!

 

[TexasLife]

pictures of your surrounding area where you propose to shoot will help on what's needed

 

[salmonchaser]

It’s been a long time since I had much to do with the NRA; however, they use to have quite a library of range plans available designed to meet a wide variety of locations.
The best back stop materiel we ever used, at the time, was shredded tires. Department had an indoor range with a steel bullet trap about 30 feet wide as I recall. The trap was rated for pistol and shotgun only. In 1990 we traded in the shotguns for AR-15s. Through the NRA we found an outfit that would convert our existing trap to hold shredded tires, about 2feet thick, for minimal cost. They then demonstrated for our command staff and city attorney, how effective the material was by firing a 50bmg into the materiel and recovering the bullet.
Over the next ten years we fired upwards of a million rounds, rifle and handgun into the backstop before we started experiencing some bullets bouncing back out. Took me two days to find a recycler who took one look at the project, spent two days separating the material and reinstalling the shredded tires. We added vertical rubber mats in front of the trap as well. The range trap is still in use as far as I know.
If there is a tire shredder in your area a pickup load of the stuff shoveled in front of a dirt bunker would work great and keeping rounds from hitting rocks and richoceting over to the neighbors.
If your soil is clean, no or very few rocks I would think you’re good with that for a bunker/backstop.
If it’s just you and your neighbors can’t see what you’re up to, you’re probably good with a clean dirt backstop and wooden target frames. Might be worth letting your immediate neighbors know and perhaps show them your shooting range.
Good luck.

 

[grry10]

I have a dirt berm behind my 50 yard target and beyond that is the neighbors woods. The berm is dirt, with no rock and is about 5&1/2' high. I have stakes also set at 25 and 15 yards for shooting my pistols and .22. Because the range is only 50 yards range I avoid any type of steel targets to avoid ricochets. I would not try to setup a indoor range without some type of sophisticated ventilation system, unless it is being used strictly for air rifles and air pistols.

 

[TackDriver284]

I have two berms at my ranch that i had set up, one berm is 8 feet high and 15 feet wide, and its used for shots out to 1400 yards across a crop field, but can use after crops are harvested in Fall season until mid Spring. The 2nd berm is smaller and accessible all year round and shots are out to 1000 yards. It's a 30 minute drive to my place, but I usually use a buddy's shooting range to test shots at shorter ranges out to 400 and its a 10 minute drive there. There are 4 berms there as well.

 

[gerryaz]

I used to shoot a few indoor pistol leagues through the winter . these clubs all had bullet traps . I helped to clean out my local club trap . all it was , is a heavy piece of steel , probably 1/4" , placed in at an angle . the top of the steel towards the shooters . I'm not sure of the angle , but I'm guessing 45* . we had a piece of heavy rubber belting hanging in front of the steel . we had clips on the belting to hold the targets . the belting also kept anything from trying to come back at the shooter . when the belting got a hole shot in it , say like 1" diameter , we would move the clip to change position of the target . I'll guess the steel plate was about 18" or 24" high . other clubs I shot at did not have anything hanging in front of the steel plate . I never noticed anything coming back at the shooters . the steel plate was probably 4 or 5 feet high .on the floor in front of the steel plate they had a sand bed a few inches thick . the steel plates would eventually get a hole shot through them . I'd bring the plate home and weld it closed , and grind it off smooth .I'm not sure if my local club had the wrong angle , or if it was due to the plate being short , why we had to have the rubber belting hanging in front . you can probably find instructions on how to build a trap online . maybe on the NRA website for strikeman review. a bullet trap also catches all the lead . the lead can be taken in for recycling . it also keeps the neighbors from worrying about lead contamination .

thank you so much for your suggestion

 

[300WSM]

I have a range in my basement for rimfire although I've been itching to go at it with my 1911

My backstop is ....
I don't know if youve ever heard of this company but New Pig makes these oil spill mats that soak up oil. They come in rolls. Big rolls. I have 5 placed like bowling pins. Its way overkill.
My target is a post- it

5 shot groups.


The mat ....is overkill as I tested it outside first.
22 only goes in an inch or so. These rolls are about 18" in diameter.
They're almost self healing as well.
The rolls are around 36" tall


.22 is not terribly difficult to stop safely.

You'll find something.


The steel mentioned above works but it's a real pain in the ass as its very heavy.
Great for centerfire but rimfure steel is a bit much for just you...

You being in control of your safety and common sense.

A public range is different

 

[Blkram]

Depending on your location, and what is behind your target backstops, you may also consider having a roof structure out in front of your shooting bench location that will keep you from being able to shoot over your target backstop. Most people tend to forget that even a 22LR bullet can be dangerous for up to 1 1/2 miles; what is back there???
And check your local regs; what does it take to have your range certified or insured? (you want to ensure you are mitigating your risk and liability!)

 

[Todd NE WY]

Also make sure your homeowners insurance knows you have a range on the property. The time to find out you are not covered is not after there has been some type of incident.
Todd

 

[KinleyWater]

The absolute first question to ask is: Is this legal where I reside?
For example, I live in an unincorporated township, so county law and rules apply. There is no restriction on shooting in your backyard, as long as your bullets stay on your property (or you have understanding neighbors). However, less than two miles west of me, and you cross an invisible line someone drew on a map and you are in an adjacent - incorporated - town, where it is illegal to discharge a weapon within the town limits. Please, please, be sure what you are doing is legal.

That said, don't forget that elevation is the salvation (or the bane) of safety. If you set yourself up so that you are shooting from elevation down toward the target, you can get away with a lot more than if you are shooting horizontal. So, again with me as the example, my back porch is something like 12 feet off the ground, so I can and do shoot centerfire rifle using the rail as a rest. I tend not to do it a lot as I happen to get along well with all my neighbors, and like to keep it that way, but I can and have.

For 22 rifle, I have a spinning steel target which breaks apart bullets very effectively, so there's not a worry about ricochet. But, usually, I just use squirrels as my backstop

 

[Darkhorse]

I built this backstop at my place several years ago. It is backed up by really thick woods several hundred yards deep. I use it for my flintlock practice and handguns. Max distance is 50 yards and well shaded.
It's not my best idea. After awhile the area where the posts come together gets shot out and no longer stops the bullets. A dirt berm is much better.

 

[PJGunner]

About all I have is a box like affaie with a slanted piece of metal inside. I forget what it cast but I think I bought it at midway. It is supposed to be certified for air rifles and pistol plus .22 LR. I sometimes set it up at 30 feet and shoot a GAMO 1500 .177 caliber air rifle but the splash back is trerrible. More than once I've had lead particles splash ack aand hit me. Not hard enough to hurt but they do sting a bit when hitting bare skin, I do wear goggle when I use the thing. I seriously do not think it will hold up under .22LR, especially not any of the higher velocity versions.
THe GAMO is rated to do 1500 FPS with special lightweight pellets. Using the normal standard weight Crossman pellets they run about 1200 or so FPS over the chronograph and they're the ones that splash back badly.
Paul B.