Safety Question...Distance....

Decision....

All,
Based on everything I have read and seen I think I will dismiss the idea of the firing range on my property at this time.

The reasoning really boils down to safety and the structure size/permanent nature that the range would require on my landscape currently. This investment currently pushes things well in the negative realm for me.

With that said I do have option for another 22 acres on the property this may change things ...maybe not... time will tell. Where I am located Urban sprawl probably will not occur for some time. Closest city is 20 miles away and closest interstate is 12 miles.

My original intent was a small range for my son and I to shoot at ...on occasion...Honestly it would be something we would do maybe a few times a year. Keep in mind my job keeps me from using my other toys (snowmobile,boats, and camper) down to if I am lucky one trip a year on average each at best.

With that said I have visited many hunters\conservation clubs in my area, with friends, that had less than what many of the described Berms should entail. This includes my local scout camp which just has horizontal stacked telephone poles with a small sand pile behind at the base. Many ranges in my previous locale just had small stacks of sand. Seems like some of the descriptions were more like the high Powered Rifles ranges I have been to and had the pleasure to shoot at but its better to error on the side of caution by any means.

In all cases I was surprised at the distances a 22 rifle can travel. At a straight out shot... it makes sense. The one point that really was not brought up much and I am curious about is how the angle of the shot affects things. More earthbound(downward angle) may explain why the ranges I have been at do not seem as robust as the descriptions given.

Another thing I am curious about is skeet/clay shooting...I assume for shot guns the distances/setup are less?

This has been a very worthwhile discussion!

Thanks everyone for the help,
Chris
 
What's the worst that could happen?
Click to expand...
posted by MTT TL in post #19.

Irresponsible gun handling for sure in that case. I took a look at quite a few of the comments to the article (I think there were over 600) and the anti-NRA vitriol is astounding!

(Vitriol-cruel and bitter criticism. That's kind of what I thought it meant but I looked it up just to be sure and that is exactly the word to describe the sentiments expressed in the comments about the NRA.)
 
Another thing I am curious about is skeet/clay shooting...I assume for shot guns the distances/setup are less?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, if you are shooting #6 bird shot and smaller you are looking at 100 yards or so for the dangerous range. At 100 yards small birdshot has lost so much velocity that it bounces off my jacket. Your neighbors may not want it raining down on their roof though.

Even Goose shot is not likely to kill a goose at a 100 yards, but if you are shooting clays there is no need for it.

This is in no way scientific and merely my opinion.
 
Another set of Questions...

How does chokes affect distance?

I have a old Winchester Ranger 120 with many if not all the different possible chokes....Last time I used it I was hunting rabbits...(The wife said I looked like Elmer Fudd...I had to agree)...Anyways does the choke affect distances greatly?


Also on the handgun question previously I found a gun/conservation club North of me about 20 minutes...how does one usually get involved?

I know they are accepting memberships...but I am not exactly experienced.

Thanks
Chris
 
SolomonMan said:
Also on the handgun question previously I found a gun/conservation club North of me about 20 minutes...how does one usually get involved?

I know they are accepting memberships...but I am not exactly experienced.
Click to expand...
Call or visit and talk to someone about joining, mention that you're a pretty inexperienced shooter, and see what sort of response you get. I'd bet it will be very positive. Any club that doesn't welcome newcomers to the sport with open arms -- isn't one I'd want to join.
 
SolomonMan said:
All,
Based on everything I have read and seen I think I will dismiss the idea of the firing range on my property at this time.

The reasoning really boils down to safety and the structure size/permanent nature that the range would require on my landscape currently. This investment currently pushes things well in the negative realm for me.
Click to expand...


Smart decision. As I said in my previous post, while having one's own range in their backyard is nice, sometimes the cost of the project, aesthetics, ordinances/local regs and neighbors, can make for an expensive, ugly and frustrating situation. This is where if one has access to a local range that is acceptable, the choice is easy.

As for the shooting of shotguns at clay targets, you have enough distance to be safe, one would only have to concern themselves with local ordinances and regs, and complaints from neighbors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top