Keeping sand on the backstop

[Catweazle]

This mornings work party at the club was surprising, torrential rain over the week had caused a landslide of the backstop sand and we had to shovel a few tons of it back up the slope. This range is built into a quarry, the target frames and sand are covered by a heavy steel roof but the hill rises behind the roof and this is where the tidal wave came down.

 

We're not allowed to put anything in the sand to stop it moving, even grass and reeds have to be removed regularly.

 

Is there anything we can do to stop this ? I'm wondering if there is a specific type of sand that is more resistant to washing away but still safe.

 

Any ideas ?

[wymberley]

Just think yourselves lucky it isn't a twelve lane gallery range on top of the cliffs bordering Lyme Bay and just get on with it.

 

Rest assured I know exactly how you feel...........x 12.

 

PS Come to think of it, aren't you used to shovelling the odd ton or two; how often do you do the de-leading or change the sand. The damned stuff will slip so it's out with the shovel. It's worse when the sand is pulverised and is very fine at which point it's due for a change.

Edited October 20, 2012 by wymberley

[Imperfection]

Unfortunately you'll never stop the sand slumping if rain water is allowed to get to it and more so if people shoot slug. In an ideal world putting mesh or some sort of holed rubber membrane would do the trick,but then bullets would rip it to pieces anyway and you're back to square one again. Without seeing your range layout-is it possible to direct the water away from the bullet trap?