My new range

[Guest tngw1500se]

Here's my new gun range. There's trees piled up behind it that have been there ten years. Must be 20 logs that are 15 feet deep. Look safe? The trees are rotten. The holes in the trees are from a .223 round.

 

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[owejia]

Looks good. From the photo looks like you are shooting downhill. The logs make a good backstop for recovering lead . Just have to burn them to get it out. How long is you range?

[A.J. Holst]

Looks good to me, what's beyond the logs?

[Guest tngw1500se]

Looks good to me, what's beyond the logs?

A hill that goes up 30 feet behind them.

[Guest tngw1500se]

Looks good. From the photo looks like you are shooting downhill. The logs make a good backstop for recovering lead . Just have to burn them to get it out. How long is you range?

A little downhill. It's maybe 40 yards. Great for the XD & LC9. Way to easy for the AR.

[Hershmeister]

I'm planning a range on some property as well - is there a preference to up or downhill?

[Guest tngw1500se]

I'm planning a range on some property as well - is there a preference to up or downhill?

I would say flat with hill behind targets. Mine has hill behind but hill has rocks. That's why I like the log pile.

[Luke E.]

I'm planning a range on some property as well - is there a preference to up or downhill?

 

 I guess it really depends on the type of shooting you do. If you are shooting long range rifle then flat would be preferable. Shooting down hill into a bottom or shooting flat +/- with a hill in the background is nice because it offers a natural backstop. For most folks shooting needs the grade doesn't make to much difference so long as there is a safe backstop or hill to catch the bullets somewhere between the shooter and the closest thing that you don't want your bullet to reach.

[Hershmeister]

My land will allow for about 100yards- max 200. Can shoot downhill (30-50 foot drop in that distance). Can shoot down, or up - down will be more convenient, but want to be as safe as possible.

[peejman]

Ricochets are much more likely with logs.  I understand you said they're rotten, but bullets could still easily skip off the surface.  If it was mine, I'd bury those logs with a dump truck load of fill dirt. 

Edited June 23, 2014 by peejman

[Luke E.]

My land will allow for about 100yards- max 200. Can shoot downhill (30-50 foot drop in that distance). Can shoot down, or up - down will be more convenient, but want to be as safe as possible.

I will pass along words of advice from multiple Rutherford County Sheriffs Deputies, "if a neighbor calls and reports any kind of gun fire they MUST come out to pay a visit. If they get there and there is no backstop then they will look at the lay of the land and make a judgment call as to whether or not you are exercising due safety. If they pull up and you are shooting into a reasonable backstop (they really like to see dirt mounds) the automatically tell you that a 'concerned' neighbor (nosey bastards) called but that it appears that you have a safe range and to enjoy your shooting."
A friend of mine has a 50yd range behind his house and his neighbor would call the law EVERY TIME people would shoot back there just to be asshats. On more than one occasion the responding officer has stuck around just hanging out for more than an hour and once he even joined in on the shooting.
I guess my point is, as long as you know that your bullet will not leave your property then you should be fine but if you even suspect that you may have one or more of the nosey bastard neighbors then I'd say you'll be saving yourself some trouble by having a load or two of fill dirt brought it.
For what it's worth, sand is a great choice if you can contain it. I just had a pool put in at my folks place and shot 55gr and 62gr bullets through an AR into the sand pile and I found all the jackets were shed and laying on the surface and all the lead I looked for was no more than 1"-2" deep.
Magnum cartridges may take a bit of extra thought but not much.

[owejia]

Started to build a range in 2012, but was so hot and dry here decided to wait. Was going to use chain saw  to cut down  the overgrown junk down an old logging trail. Decided too much work and was going to rent a dozer for a couple of days and really do it right but rained all year in 2013 here, this is in a low spot between hills with a big ditch across it.Built a small shooting shack on skids , in my barn in 2011 ,to shoot from and pulled it to the range and have only shot out of it once.Hopefully will get the range done this summer. Will post pictures when finished.