500 yard rifle range + farm improvement project

[Jim Boyd]

my buddy's has landscape material across it to keep the dirt more together/compacted so it doesn't scatter the dirt when it gets strikes. I have seen old tires stacked on top of the dirt/cloth too.

Well taken, sir.

 

[The Original Rooster]

I have two ideas.

Felled trees we don’t have……

First idea is simply use the FEL and pile up a 6’ dirt backstop. That will require occasional refresh but that is not a problem. This is what we did on our previous 200 yard range.

Second idea is to auger 4 holes and drop sections of telephone poles in them and use 2x8’s front and back - and fill with dirt between the boards - maybe 24” of dirt.

Second option is harder but sounds better.

Open to all suggestions!

Earth (not sand) filled plastic barrels works well or it worked well at my place anyway. You can stack them on top of each other 3 across and 2 high. If you want to layer them up, you can offset some barrels behind them to make sure nothing slips through between two barrels. If they start getting too shot up, you can rotate and alternate the barrel that gets shot the most.
With the price of lumber, it's a good alternative and will last virtually forever.

 

[basshappy]

I don’t have much clay but can make a berm.

The hill, I don’t have either.

May make some staggered smaller berms at 1, 2 and 300 etc.

Depending on time frame, how quick you need or want a backstop, you might find the dirt you need locally - someone building a pond, a home, etc. Buddy got dirt from a home being built they even loaded it up for him. Might be an option for ya.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Jo and I celebrated our birthdays and our anniversary last night in downtown Columbia - she headed home and I am at farm.

Full bore work day today.

This project and the starting of 2024 sawtooth project.

Pics to come!

 

[antharper]

I have two ideas.

Felled trees we don’t have……

First idea is simply use the FEL and pile up a 6’ dirt backstop. That will require occasional refresh but that is not a problem. This is what we did on our previous 200 yard range.

Second idea is to auger 4 holes and drop sections of telephone poles in them and use 2x8’s front and back - and fill with dirt between the boards - maybe 24” of dirt.

Second option is harder but sounds better.

Open to all suggestions!

I’ve seen a backstop made similar to this using cross ties . It was kinda like your telephone pole idea except he used the cross ties in place of the dirt

 

[Jim Boyd]

Getting some new ground roughed in as part of the project.

 

[Jim Boyd]

 

[Jim Boyd]

 

[Ihunt]

Not trying to hijack but I noticed a few people asked about operating costs on the mulchers. Attached is a picture of mine.

View attachment 1285830

The way I figure it out is you've got the cost per hour (I calculate based on a 3k hour lifespan. I will hopefully get more than that but I use that number to be conservative. They only warranty to 2500 last I checked).

Then there is wear parts, the biggest being teeth. There are two kinds of teeth. The "knife" style teeth I have, I count on them living for 40 hours. per side (they are reversible). They could live a good bit longer but that's what I figure on. The "carbide" teeth last a lot longer and I bank on those lasting about 200 hours. They mulch a little slower and final product is a little more coarse. What I used just depends on the job. My machine has 30 teeth. A new set is about 1800 bucks. You can get the chinese ones cheaper but the steel isn't the same.

Then there's diesel. If I run the machine for a full 8 hours, its about 35 gallons. I count on using a tube of grease per day. May not use it all but also might.

That's mostly it. Oil changes, new tracks, hydraulic fluid, DEF, that all happens at infrequent intervals

@Jim Boyd You've got a good friend leaving you the keys. I don't know if I could let my friends borrow mine. I'd be worried all day they'd roll it over or vacuum up a dog or who knows what

And then people wonder why you charge $300.00 an hour

 

[Ihunt]

Looks good Mr Jim!

 

[Jim Boyd]

Looks good Mr Jim!

My buddy is at $300/hr.

He does great work.

And he let me use his machine for two weeks.

Jo cooking him some rib eye soup and chicken soup which I will take him this week!

 

[Jim Boyd]

Measured it off 2x - roughly.

I have 520 yards stop to stop.

Ready to proceed. Just need plans and $$$.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Okay, so time to build.

Going with 8x8 floor base.

8 degree brackets on 10’ uprights, so I should be about 8’ tall.

4 vertical uprights under middle, all sides, want no sag of the floor.

36” counter left to right at front.

Built in seats on each side of the centered door at rear.

6’6” to roof.

I am the worst carpenter on the planet so I gathered these sections. Gonna weld them together and make a set of stairs with handrails on each side. Fab work I am good at.


Open for all suggestions!

 

[TheWildLife]

Built one for someone years ago for their 500 yd range. If I read your post correctly, you'll be about 8' off the ground. If so, I highly (no pun intended) suggest the addition of diagonal bracing to add torsional rigidity to your structure. The least little bit of movement makes a difference. The one I built was 12' x 16' and 7' off the ground if I remember correctly. We used 9 6 x 6's under that building, buried 4' in concrete. The posts were notched for the floor structure(2 x 10) to rest on them and thru bolted. 3/4" Advantech flooring and conventional 16" o.c. construction for walls and roof. RB & B siding and metal roofing. After all that, still had to add the diagonal bracing to reduce movement........but it worked.

 

[Jester896]

even if it is only raised 2' off of the ground you wouldn't want someone walking on the deck while you were shooting from past experiences

 

[Jim Boyd]

Built one for someone years ago for their 500 yd range. If I read your post correctly, you'll be about 8' off the ground. If so, I highly (no pun intended) suggest the addition of diagonal bracing to add torsional rigidity to your structure. The least little bit of movement makes a difference. The one I built was 12' x 16' and 7' off the ground if I remember correctly. We used 9 6 x 6's under that building, buried 4' in concrete. The posts were notched for the floor structure(2 x 10) to rest on them and thru bolted. 3/4" Advantech flooring and conventional 16" o.c. construction for walls and roof. RB & B siding and metal roofing. After all that, still had to add the diagonal bracing to reduce movement........but it worked.

I am an awful carpenter but yes it will be diagonally braced multiple ways.

I like metal fab work and triangles have proven their worth time and again on various projects.

Great heads up! Thanks

 

[Jim Boyd]

even if it is only raised 2' off of the ground you wouldn't want someone walking on the deck while you were shooting from past experiences

Agreed 100%.

This is not gonna be perfect, like laying on terra firma.

I understand that a platform has inherent movement.

Yep, I will tell everyone to hold still while I am missing…. Um…. Well… shooting at the target!


I have some buddies that are shooters, I will judge the project based on their feedback.


This joker will serve double duty as a high end deer stand where there will be lots of opportunities! Maybe we will make a notch system, flag system etc!!!!!

 

[TheWildLife]

Agreed 100%.

This is not gonna be perfect, like laying on terra firma.

I understand that a platform has inherent movement.

Yep, I will tell everyone to hold still while I am missing…. Um…. Well… shooting at the target!


I have some buddies that are shooters, I will judge the project based on their feedback.


This joker will serve double duty as a high end deer stand where there will be lots of opportunities! Maybe we will make a notch system, flag system etc!!!!!

Jim, you've got this. You've got the knowledge and know how. Do your thing and enjoy the outcome, or rather the out going.........bullets! Nothing like shooting at distance to test your skills and equipment. But please be careful, it's awfully addicting. Just saying.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Jim, you've got this. You've got the knowledge and know how. Do your thing and enjoy the outcome, or rather the out going.........bullets! Nothing like shooting at distance to test your skills and equipment. But please be careful, it's awfully addicting. Just saying.

Thanks Brother Wild!

I’m gonna have a ball, I am not afraid of the project in the least.

Jo has green-lighted the funds so all is good.

I am an entry level reloader and am looking forward to working into the loads.

We are moving to the farm this winter - so I can just ease over to my bench and tweak a few loads

Genuinely looking forward to it!

 

[Jim Boyd]