ajm1979 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Hi Folks, A bit of advice needed as I'm picking up my first Centre fire rifle on Thursday a Ruger m77 in 22-250. Although I have a few good permissions cleared for it not many lend themselves to being suitable places to zero and practice mainly do to livestock at the minute. The field I zero the rimfire has a good mound of earth about 3 foot high,3 foot deep and 6 foot wide which I use as a backstop when shooting across the field but maximum distance to next field is 100 yards or less. The long part of the field slopes down over from a footpath so wouldn't risk shooting from the bottom of the field towards it just in case. I am thinking of some kind of artificial backstop towards the bottom of the field, which would allow me to be well away from the footpath and aiming away from it. The neighbouring field at the bottom is a field I have permission to shoot on but not been fac cleared so need to make sure bullets don't stray over the boundary to be safe. Has anyone made a backstop for something like this? Any Suggestions welcome otherwise its going to be a wait untill livestock is moved or an 80 mile drive to another suitable permission. Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 If you can't find a suitable backstop to shoot paper on then how you going to safely shoot, I'm quessing, fox's. I've seen backstops made from tyres filled with soil on the web but no way would I trust this idea. On one of my permissions I have an old oak trunk thats probably two and half feet thick,its against a bank as well but after a few hundred rounds my 243 has never managed to get through it. Its always better to be over safe than risk it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchester12 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Get a bale of silage or hay off the farmer. I used to use this for a .243 and a round never escaped. If you get one that is wrapped in black plastic you can check they aint exiting. For added safety you could put heavy timber behind or build a brick wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm1979 Posted May 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Most of the fields have decent backstops but they have livestock in them. I don't think my farmers would be too happy me Zeroing in these fields around cattle and sheep, however if the fox's start appearing there are plenty of places to take a safe shot. I'm just trying to set something up in one of the fields away from the animals so as not to cause too much disturbance. I have got some permissions with ample backstops but they are over an hour and half drive, seems a long way just to zero and practice when I have land literally 10 yards from my back door if I can find a safe point to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_in_the_midlands Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Tyres as backstops :unsure: ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Tyres as backstops :unsure: ? yep, just dont shoot rimfire at them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 i just got a large quantity of sand bags, which i plan to fill and use to beef up my new 50 yds rimfire range backstop - it has plenty but it does no harm to go over the top. could you do likewise and beef up what you have at home? i saw a picture on this forum of what looked like a poor backstop on a c/f practice range recently although pictures can be deseptive, its good your thinking. a few years ago an RFD showed me a very nice 22-250 that he had been given for free after a guys son made a miscalculation on backstop suitability. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Is there a way you can raise your firing point so that you are firing down, say from a scaffold tower or something. That way you can shoot anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm1979 Posted May 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Thats a possibility but even then I would prefer to have something solid behind the target for possible ricochet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowen20 Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 It's been said m8 buy a bail of hay or something and use that at the very bottom of the field or even 2 side by side if you want to be very cautious bit I think that would be the best and easiest way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 the only issue is if the proper backstop isn't good enough you have to ensure you hit the bale with the first shot from a rifle you have just put a scope on. Personally I'm only happy with a decent hill as a backstop for zeroing with no footpaths or hedges into the distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm1979 Posted May 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Thanks lads, going to pop round and ask the farmer to drop me a bale or two off, the gun has been roughly zero'd at the gun shop its just fine tuning and practice now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Best backstop I've ever made was a ton sack of sand. Nothing I've ever owned would go through that - not even the .375H&H! You could get one delivered by your local builders merchant for about £40 and your farmer could shift it to where you want it with the tractor. Bonus to that is it will never rot so you could leave it there for years and use it whenever you want, assuming your farmer doesn't mind it being there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 (edited) A 5 or 10 gallon water container filled with wet sharp sand will stop a soft point bullet from a .22-250 provided you are sure you are going to hit it. If all you want to do is stop the bullet going any further. But I don't think its good enough to be safe. On the zero range at Bisley you see SP bullets laying on the top of the sand. They are completely opened up and don't even go into the bank they just open up completely on impact. But I still think its far too dodgy. You need something more substancial. Edited May 9, 2011 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbust Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 A 5 gallon water container filled with wet sharp sand will stop a soft point bullet from a .22-250 provided you are sure you are ging to hit it. That is the problem but a very good statement "provided you are sure you are going to hit it". Unfortunately you cannot be sure of this. I get the impression you are being a bit over concerned about back stop. Even if you use any of the remedies suggested on this thread you will still need a safe back stop just in case you do miss the pre placed stops. As has been suggested try to fire from an elevated position, for example I sometimes use the roof of my pick up, the 7’ elevated position dictates that I can safely zero on most of the area that I shoot. I can generally shoot knowing that the round will be bedding into the ground just behind my target at a reasonably safe angle with a minimum chance of a ricochet. Good prior to shooting ground recce (use of soft ground with minimum stone/hard packed content) and selection will help in this situation. I hope this helps . Slangevar, Jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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