39TDS Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I would like to set up a target for rifle practice/zeroing. Rifle would be .22 and/or .22m. I'm probably ok without any backstop but with the theoretical risk of hitting somebody within a mile or so I want to be sure. Would a big bale of straw do the job? I mean one of those half ton bales or whatever they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I'm probably ok without any backstop I'll get some popcorn ready... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMcC Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I would like to set up a target for rifle practice/zeroing. Rifle would be .22 and/or .22m. I'm probably ok without any backstop but with the theoretical risk of hitting somebody within a mile or so I want to be sure. Would a big bale of straw do the job? I mean one of those half ton bales or whatever they are. Probably for the first few rounds but you'd be surprised how they work their way through after only a few rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Nah you don't need a backstop; just stick a couple of telephone books up behind yer target Ed, haven't heard from you for a while. Hope you are OK G.M. Edited August 14, 2014 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Soil / earth / sand is best as it'll run back to fill the void of the bullet path If your after something permanent how about 4 pallets nailed together on ends to form a square which can be filled with soil, careful placement of sod to line the sides or grass seed and some time would see the structure green up and become almost self supporting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amazed Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) Have you got any natural land contours to act as your stop ? It that chance some one or thing is lurking x yards behind your target. That you carnt see. Edit to sugest that you elevate your firing position to gain a slight downwards tragetory. Maybe shoot of the top of a bail ? Into a pit ? Edited August 15, 2014 by Amazed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMcC Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) Nah you don't need a backstop; just stick a couple of telephone books up behind yer target Ed, haven't heard from you for a while. Hope you are OK G.M. Or use some Argos catalogues they are thicker than the new type 'phone books. GM, New PC so lost a lot of my old contacts, besides, I'm not so interesting now I'm in the 'get me home mode' not half as active as I used to be. I rattle nearly as loud as a pill box these days !! Edited August 15, 2014 by EMcC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sand is the best material-calibres like 308 & even 12g slug wont penetrate more than a few inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Probably for the first few rounds but you'd be surprised how they work their way through after only a few rounds. I did wonder about that, which is why I asked. Railway sleepers and brick walls don't last long with the .22m, was hoping a big bale might be better. Soil / earth / sand is best as it'll run back to fill the void of the bullet path If your after something permanent how about 4 pallets nailed together on ends to form a square which can be filled with soil, careful placement of sod to line the sides or grass seed and some time would see the structure green up and become almost self supporting! Sand is the best material-calibres like 308 & even 12g slug wont penetrate more than a few inches. Looks like sand it is then. Hadn't thought of that. I had thought of soil but couldn't think how to shift that much or where I would be happy to have a great big hole in my field. Easy enough to buy a couple of ton of sand. Thank you for the sensible replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Have you got any natural land contours to act as your stop ? It that chance some one or thing is lurking x yards behind your target. That you carnt see. Edit to sugest that you elevate your firing position to gain a slight downwards tragetory. Maybe shoot of the top of a bail ? Into a pit ? Yes I do have natural contours which is why I said I probably don't need a backstop. Maybe I should have included the word "additional" to avoid doubt. I don't think there is anything or anybody likely to be lurking where I can't see but that's the problem, you just never know these days. I have tried the downward trajectory but it does mess with your hold under/over to shoot downhill. Seems to with me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 I have tried the downward trajectory but it does mess with your hold under/over to shoot downhill. Seems to with me anyway. Correct. If you zero down/up hill using, say, a range finder to give the straight line distance between your firing point and the target and you then shoot that same distance on the level, you'll shoot low. Reverse the procedure and you'll shoot high. When shooting up/down hill, it is the horizontal distance that should be used to assess the range hold over/under. Re your sand back stop, you will dig a hole - it doesn't all run back in - and you'll need to re-profile it on a frequency basis. Also and particularly if you take the same point of aim, you'll build up a solid lead lump over time which will require 'de-leading, again on a frequency basis. Just think yourself lucky that you're not talking about a 12 lane gallery range - it's back breaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 I know you're now going to build a backstop so this is just another possible reason to do it. If your natural rise to the land is not steep (or even if it is steep) there is the riccochet issue. With this in mind perhaps some side earthworks (baffles?) might be worth adding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 I know you're now going to build a backstop so this is just another possible reason to do it. If your natural rise to the land is not steep (or even if it is steep) there is the riccochet issue. With this in mind perhaps some side earthworks (baffles?) might be worth adding. Good point but provided the bullet catcher is properly maintained it should not be necessary. The only other point to watch is in the winter. If you don't want to get your own back, before shooting just ensure that the catcher hasn't frozen over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Thank you for the sensible replies. Oh dear http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sense-Humour-Verbal-Play-Correlation/dp/3640652851 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Oh dear http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sense-Humour-Verbal-Play-Correlation/dp/3640652851 I shan't argue, you gave good in your sig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) you missed out the word "Advice" Edited August 15, 2014 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Damn! Sorry about that, I edited my reply a few times in an attempt to avoid sounding too narky. Messed it up in the end after all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 My home range consist od a 3" thick frame of Cedar then filled with loose filled sandbags with a sloping section of round behind it. Behind the frame a have block work. You do as much as you can and test each stage ( I know the .22 lr will go clean though the cedar alone because I tested it) I can fire a deer rifle into the sandbagging and it wont get through (THOUGH I DONT USE DEER RILES ON THIS ONE) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 I have a sand/clay bank rising to about 12 ft that forms the right hand of my zeroing spot. At 90 degrees out from that I formed the back stop from a berm made from about 15 tons of topsoil from my neighbour breaking ground on some building works. On the left hand of the backstop I formed a wing coming out at 45 degrees. Added further height to the wing and berm with sand bags. The sandbags also tidy the ends of the wing berm. With the builders machine the berm only took an afternoon - they wanted rid of the soil quickly. The long forgotten joy of the filling bags took a bit longer - 5 each time I took the dogs for a spin which was my boredom threshhold. It's only a 200 yarder but very handy and other than time only cost the price of hessian. I used to have a pamphlet called something like 'Field Obstacles and Defensive Warfare' full of construction information and stuff about material combinations and penetration of various calibres. One of those very useful Crown publications that assumed troops would have access to a sawmill and be in one place for months ;-) I was always fascinated by the ice concrete dragon's teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Sorry if I seem a little flippant but some of these questions have been so done-to-death that sometimes I feel a bit like -------here we go again. A backstop is something that is going to stop your shot.............obvious!!!!!!!!!! Now that could be anything in real terms but obviously it wants to be something that isn't going to be dangerous in itself, such as a huge boulder that is going to either ricochet or bounce material straight back at you. Most of us shoot so that the bullet should hit a bank, or side of a hill etc which is the best backstop you can get... Unlike one lad I shot with who actually believed that his shots were safe ............because any bullets that didn't hit the target...........................were stopped by the woodland behind. I kid you not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAsh Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 How about digging a nice long trench with a jcb, it would even suppress the sound or even a part trench at the end, easier to dig in than fill ontop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 You mean a pond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Once you involve JCBs and the like I think you beyond the norm for run of the mill home / farm ranges. Heck find a safe spot with a good backdrop area and drop a dumpy bag still full of sand for a secure backstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Am I missing something here, how would you be able to look / fire into a dug out from any sort of distance ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Getting a bit silly now isn't it................... :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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