Rifle range at home?

[Rapier]

KSUBUCK,
Just finishing my 200 yard rifle range. It is 50 yards wide and 200 yards long with a 10 ft berm at the end. I had my contractor build it when he dug the new pond at the farm.

I have been around ranges for about 50 years in various capacities. There is a reason that the stops are mostly dirt and that is because it works best. I have seen a 458 cut a pine log 18 inches in diameter in half with 6 shots, so do not count on any wood laid across the impact area to stay. In the old days the USAF used RR ties on end as an inpact area to sight in 50 Cals on fighters. They had to change the ties out on a regular basis.

As you shoot the dirt tries to level out, so the top tends to run to the bottom with rain and ploughing by bullets. Watch your blocks, once shattered they are a pain to put back in place.

The best I have seen so far is old tires staggered in two rows, stacked up and filled with dirt as they are stacked. You can shoot a tire all day long without much effect and a bullet will not go through two layers of dirt filled tires. But they are ugly.
Best,
Ed

PS: Invite the neighbors to use the range whenever they want, without bottles or leaving junk. End of problems. They will watch it for you also.