Harnser Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 What do you concider to be a safe back stop for a centre fire rifle in the field . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 Lots of mud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 Lots of mud? Good shout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 On a serious note I'm interested in this, I have real hang ups being a new shooter about backstops, its easy to find my protracted questions! My land is flat, really flat so the only indice I go on is that I can see no sky through the scope and that I'm not pointing towards any nearby roads and obviously nothing of interest in the background. Some of the land I can shoot 'downwards' but I certainly don't have levies or banks or mountains to stop any wayward bullet. I only have rimfire at the minute so my comments don't really add to the topic, but I'll be watching with interest. Harnser, what are your views? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 On a serious note I'm interested in this, I have real hang ups being a new shooter about backstops, its easy to find my protracted questions! My land is flat, really flat so the only indice I go on is that I can see no sky through the scope and that I'm not pointing towards any nearby roads and obviously nothing of interest in the background. Some of the land I can shoot 'downwards' but I certainly don't have levies or banks or mountains to stop any wayward bullet. I only have rimfire at the minute so my comments don't really add to the topic, but I'll be watching with interest. Harnser, what are your views? :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineshooter Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 I`ve seen deer stalkers try and take a shot that puts a large bank or hill behind their target, but if it`s not safe then I dont think you shoot. There`s only the hill that the castle is on in Dudley and I`m sure thats in the opposite direction to the proposed site and I think an A10 wouldn`t get down low enough to be accurate, friendly fire on the zoo would take some explaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 I'm finding it quite hard to think of a way to explain it really. I know that if I word it badly I'll get jumped on, but here's my best effort! I think when shooting a large calibre on flat ground I like to know that if the bullet takes a straight line through the target or misses, it will hit the ground within maybe 15 feet of passing it. That's unless there is a good hill behind it, in which case that distance can be increased by a vast amount. If shooting something on the side of a hill near the skyline I like to have at least the animals height above the top of it's back still looking green, and a lot more if the backstop isn't steep. What's your take on it Harnser? I have to say it's pretty hard to explain on here without a picture to draw a dot on! I guess the best way to put it is if it feels at all marginal, it's best left! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 In my opinion the first thing towards a safe backstop is common sense . If you are out stalking or lamping foxes then you can assume that it is the part of the day when there are less people about in the country side , meaning that you are less likely to accidently shoot some body than at any other part of the day . You have got to have expert knowledge of the land that you are shooting over , where are the farm buildings and houses that are near where you are wanting to take the shot ,where are the roads and footpaths near where you want to shoot . What fields have livestock in them and is the stockman likely to walk around the next hedgerow . Its surprising how many angles that you can shoot a safe part of the farm from if you know your way around well enough . Obviously the safest way to take a shot at a deer is from a high seat ,but it is not always convieniant to shoot this way . Most bought days for deer are from high seats and this allows the guest to shoot comfortably with out worrying about the problem of knowing were the natural backstops are on the land . Very few farms were I shoot deer have many natural back stops as such , so I have had to over the years decide where the safest places on the farms are to shoot the deer . I have on many occations not taken the shot because I did not think it was safe to do so on that part of the farm . So my way towards a safe back stop is common sense and knowledge of your shooting land . Most of us seem to be getting it right as I know of very few accidents being caused by wayward bullits from sporting rifles . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 caliber is important .22lr will be different to .308 or .416 rigby or .50bmg or .700 nitro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safetyfirst Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 My land is flat, really flat so the only indice I go on is that I can see no sky through the scope and that I'm not pointing towards any nearby roads and obviously nothing of interest in the background. Some of the land I can shoot 'downwards' but I certainly don't have levies or banks or mountains to stop any wayward bullet. I find with .22 that I get a lot of ricochets if I consider a safe backstop to be a field. If the round hits the ground at a shallow angle, it often bounces off it and flies off. I've only managed to get a zero bounce position with a good solid bank behind it. If you're after building a little firing range, a wooden frame with some sandbags in it or packed with 6 inches of sand should stop a .22 round, you'll ned to empty it out from time to time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 I find with .22 that I get a lot of ricochets if I consider a safe backstop to be a field. If the round hits the ground at a shallow angle, it often bounces off it and flies off. I've only managed to get a zero bounce position with a good solid bank behind it. If you're after building a little firing range, a wooden frame with some sandbags in it or packed with 6 inches of sand should stop a .22 round, you'll ned to empty it out from time to time though. I don't use .22lr for that very reason, there is a lot of old drystone walling that has been buried and ploughed in. I did try the lr but it was getting silly, so it got replaced with the fac air. Only had one .17 bounce out of maybe a 1000 shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 Its an interesting one and like most I'm happy shooting my HMR or .223 at a reasonable angle at the ground using common sense as to what is behind it to allow for ricochet's, I like lamping from the top of a 4x4 for the simple reason it increases the angle you are shooting at. Thinking about it though I actually would use my .223 in places I probably wouldn't use a .22lr simply because i've known the round to skip off uphill with a whiz when fired at a bank whereas the .223 at 3000fps tends not to be in one piece after it hits the ground Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ST3V3 Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 Something like this should work up to .50 cal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 (edited) I think harnser and njc summed it up perfectly, COMMON SENSE and SAFETY must be paramount, it doesn't matter what calibre you use, as long as you use your noggin first. Edited April 23, 2010 by GRAM71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the running man Posted April 29, 2010 Report Share Posted April 29, 2010 i agree with gram,just use ure common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Its an interesting one and like most I'm happy shooting my HMR or .223 at a reasonable angle at the ground using common sense as to what is behind it to allow for ricochet's, I like lamping from the top of a 4x4 for the simple reason it increases the angle you are shooting at. Thinking about it though I actually would use my .223 in places I probably wouldn't use a .22lr simply because i've known the round to skip off uphill with a whiz when fired at a bank whereas the .223 at 3000fps tends not to be in one piece after it hits the ground Yep, and the added height reduces the chance of the round ploughing through any undergrowth that you didn't see in the dark. Also (where appropriate) you can see further. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Struggling to get a safe shot over flat land? Then you need "the bad boy" The raised rear shooting seats means it's like a portable high seat and a nice downward trajectory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 isn't it somewhat lower than that with two substantial essex boys sitting on the back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Recently on a farm shoot I decided to build a backstop (butt) purely for zeroing, first attempt was sandbags, 20 of them it looked impressive for a while but after awhile the bags got pretty chewed up and started collapsing, latest thought was old car tyres staggered on top of each other and filled with earth to form a wall maybe 3ft high by 8ft, what do you think has anyone tried this idea? Rgds Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Recently on a farm shoot I decided to build a backstop (butt) purely for zeroing, first attempt was sandbags, 20 of them it looked impressive for a while but after awhile the bags got pretty chewed up and started collapsing, latest thought was old car tyres staggered on top of each other and filled with earth to form a wall maybe 3ft high by 8ft, what do you think has anyone tried this idea? Rgds Rob. Wouldn't shooting at rubber increased the chance of the bullet coming straight back at you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 sorry to everyone for bringing up a year old thread but this is something i'm interested in and partcularly kyska's view's one year on and how he now feels about backstops. i too have very very flat land with footpath's along the edge of some fields and roads passing others. i'm mainly interested in backstops needed for rabbit and fox calibres so .22lr, .17hmr and .22 centrefire as larger deer calibres aren't something i'm really even considering just yet. if i get a ricochet just how far will it travel before it runs out of steam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 sorry to everyone for bringing up a year old thread but this is something i'm interested in and partcularly kyska's view's one year on and how he now feels about backstops. i too have very very flat land with footpath's along the edge of some fields and roads passing others. i'm mainly interested in backstops needed for rabbit and fox calibres so .22lr, .17hmr and .22 centrefire as larger deer calibres aren't something i'm really even considering just yet. if i get a ricochet just how far will it travel before it runs out of steam? Nobody can answer that for sure, potentially the maximum range of the gun though very,very unlikely but it depends on the angle the riccochet diverted off towards and how much enegy was expended on initial impact, bullet deformation effecting the BC on and on. Some land is just a nightmare for rifles, perhaps thats why its always worth having a shotgun. If its just flat land that creates the issue you need to become elivated via high seat or the likes if it simply must be a rifle but on frozen or rocky ground or even drout hardened land your still going to have some issues. Just remember once you deside a shot is safe and you take it you cannot ever call that bullet back and as an inanimate object it does not care what it collides with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 What do you concider to be a safe back stop for a centre fire rifle in the field . Harnser . munglers backside, that'll stop most things in their tracks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 That has Suffolk overtones young man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 That has Suffolk overtones young man Then again, after the wifes stirfry i'd pity anyone who was down wind from me even if they are from suffolk as adi can testify. i did a cracking "ugly duckling" round the field last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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