Building my shooting range

hendershot

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Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
64
I apologize for a long thread with lots of pics, but it's often how it happens to go when I start one.

Seeing another current thread here about indoor/outdoor ranges made me want to share what I've been working on for the last few years. It has been a pretty slow process for me. Factoring in young kids, work, and weather that often does not cooperate, my time to spend on it each weekend is not as much as I'd like.

The back story.... I've had a small pistol range behind my home for a while now, and nobody lived on the land behind it. That is, not until 2017, when someone did buy that land and built a house. I didn't know what I was going to do. My passion and hobby took a serious blow. I had looked at other land in my vicinity previously and knew that prices were insane for the area required to make a range.

One day while looking, I happened upon non-prime land for most buyers. It was about 30 acres and bordered by a river on 2 sides, with no homes close by. Tons of wildlife, secluded, and a close drive from home. I wasn't sure on buying it until the wife said go. She knows how much I truly enjoy shooting and the outdoors in general, so I tossed an offer out and bought it.

I took my gps and compass, and marked out a few different options for the range location and direction. I figured out which one was best, and began making trails and cutting down trees at the end of 2017. I did work for a while with my chainsaw and skid loader, but it was rough for the bobcat and slow going. While helping a coworker build part of his garage in Spring of 2018, I saw an old Link Belt excavotor in his yard. It was his dad's, who I also worked with, and he was done with it and looking to sell. It is old, slow, tired, and is basically a big POS, but it can dig holes and move trees. It could blow at any time, and I often have to give it rests after working for a bit, but it's getting the job done.

As of now, I have a pistol range that allows me to sweep a pretty wide angle, a small berm to allow shooting up to 200 yards, and a medium berm at the end to shoot up to 380 yards. I still have a lot of work to do. A guy could spend months just cleaning up and burning all the downed trees and undergrowth. I'd like to add another pistol range just opposite of the current one for full movement, and build up a large flat area at the rear for the longer range shooting. I foresee this as being a place to spend quality time with the kids as they get older, time with friends, and the much needed time to self. I absolutely love it out here and think it's going to be worth my time and effort.

Video of it in January, 2019


How it all began in late fall of 2017
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After some chain sawin'
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Time for real progess! Summer 2018
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Angle looks good! Now to make it taller and wider
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Making sure I'm lined up before adding the far berm
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Handgun range end of 2018
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Range a few weeks ago.
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John Galt

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Joined
Dec 11, 2018
Messages
1,091
Location
Idaho, kalifornistan
How FREAK'N NICE!!!!!!

Lots of work but a true labor of love. Do you get boaters on the water around you? Are you allowed to construct a shed for an indoor bench and some storage?

Any issues with dfg?

Congratulations....Have a ball!
 

hendershot

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
64
How FREAK'N NICE!!!!!!

Lots of work but a true labor of love. Do you get boaters on the water around you? Are you allowed to construct a shed for an indoor bench and some storage?

Any issues with dfg?

Congratulations....Have a ball!

Thanks, I really liked your range as well.
There are no boaters on the river. Lots of logs at and below water level, and it's not a wide river.. I could probably build a shed if I wanted, but don't foresee doing so.
 

hendershot

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Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
64
Hoping to do this next year, ....been looking at a place with two out buildings and 16 acres. One of the buildings would be great to have an indoor range in

Now that would be sweet!
 

FWoo45

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Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
224
This is my goal. Just have to get out of town a bit. Thought about putting up a berm in my backyard but I don't think the neighbors would appreciate it. Or the cops.
 

bsrcuda

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Joined
Nov 13, 2018
Messages
4
Nice ranges guys.
You guys are making me envious.
In Canada we're not allowed to shoot restricted firearms(any handgun & AR15's amongst others)
anywhere other than an approved range.
 

Buck Buck

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Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Messages
113
Nice ranges guys.
You guys are making me envious.
In Canada we're not allowed to shoot restricted firearms(any handgun & AR15's amongst others)
anywhere other than an approved range.
Color me green too :eek:
In S. California we have expensive homes everywhere - with too many rules / ordinances for everything. Just wanted you to know you're not alone!
The rest of you 'Home, home on the range' guys are totally blessed. And I admire all your hard work. So smile, think of us, and enjoy it every time you can!
:cool:
 
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