Shooting Distances

J

JEC

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I am currently drawing plans for a "short distance" handgun range at the SPFGA facility and would appreciate some input regarding prefered shooting distances for handguns. This is important in order to design proper target placement and calculate backstop berm height so it can be CFC approved. My plan is for two target positions:
1) A "close up" position for placing shooter supplied (soft) targets on top of a railway tie. Recommended distance from the firing line?
2) An "end" position with a place for shooter supplied (soft/hard) targets and a plywood target board. This position would have a soil backstop berm immediately behind the target positions. Recommended distance from the firing line?

Any other suggestions regarding "features" would be appreciated.
 
Shooting distances

Nice to see a new range possibly being built. Distances vary for each discipline as you well know. They range between 3 yd, 5 yd, 7 yd, 15 yd,
25 yd and 50 yd. These distances cover the PPC shooting and the Duty Pistol distances. You probably already are aware of the above but what the hell, thought I`d throw it in.
 
Thanks for the info....I am trying to get a plan together that is relatively "cheap" and "do-able" ASAP. We had a "problem" on the new Rimfire/ Handgun Range recently built .. when some handgun shooters were observed placing targets on the ground about 10M from their shooting position(not in line with the backstop) and shooting across ... the result was that ricochettes were heard escaping the bermed area.... The consequence of which, is the prohibition of any shooter placed targets anyplace other than on the approved target boards.
I am not a handgun shooter, but understand that it is important for the Club to try to accomodate handgun shooting at short range(s)...and want to find a solution that will work in the short term....

Placing target boards (at least 2' above ground level) at short ranges ( 3-15M) in such a way that bullets will be contained by backstops is not a problem. The problem is, that the "target holders" must be made of (wood) to insure shooters are safe from "rebounds" and that ricochettes can't deflect above the backstop. The PROBLEM is that these frames get shot to pieces quickly and someone (a volunteer) must replace them... Since we don't get "volunteers" rushing to do this essential maintenance, we must come up with a "bullet proof" solution.
Using the grader blade target board holders (frames) we have up at 25m and 50M is acceptable and were recently inspected/approved by the CFO inspector.

So, we need a plan for the shorter range shooting, and the only idea that I can come up with to date, would be to have a "mid-range" platform of railway ties about 2' high (so shooters could place theit own tagets on top) ....directly in front of an 8' high backstop berm placed at 27M. At 25M, we could have a railway tie platform on which to set targets, and a grader blade frame to hold the plywood target board. Does this make sense? Please critique.
 
Range

Railway ties are great, in my opinion, for the actual backstop. As for target holders we use 2" X 4" frames, on 4" X 4" posts for all our shooting distances.
The 2" X 4" `s get shot up somewhat but are easy and cheap to replace. As for volunteers, good luck. We are lucky as all our members put in their time and effort, I`m retired so time is not a problem, cutting grass etc. If you are shooting back to 50 yds. I can`t see any purpose in having any type of target holders between the actual backstop and the 50 yd. line. If shooters only want to shoot from 15 or 25 yd.s walk up to that distance and shoot using your actual range backstop for all distances. The target holders can be made any width to accomodate bullseye style and PPC style targets, two of each, three of each or one PPC and three or four bullseye, depends on your shooters. Your idea of a mid range platform is solved by walking up to the distance you want to shoot. If someone wants to shoot at the longer distance they wait for the shooter up front to finish.
 
jaydeee said:
Railway ties are great, in my opinion, for the actual backstop. As for target holders we use 2" X 4" frames, on 4" X 4" posts for all our shooting distances.
The 2" X 4" `s get shot up somewhat but are easy and cheap to replace. As for volunteers, good luck. We are lucky as all our members put in their time and effort, I`m retired so time is not a problem, cutting grass etc. If you are shooting back to 50 yds. I can`t see any purpose in having any type of target holders between the actual backstop and the 50 yd. line. If shooters only want to shoot from 15 or 25 yd.s walk up to that distance and shoot using your actual range backstop for all distances. The target holders can be made any width to accomodate bullseye style and PPC style targets, two of each, three of each or one PPC and three or four bullseye, depends on your shooters. Your idea of a mid range platform is solved by walking up to the distance you want to shoot. If someone wants to shoot at the longer distance they wait for the shooter up front to finish.
Click to expand...
If you are using old railway ties, please be careful. See link below:

https://www.ec.gc.ca/toxics/wood-bois/over/creo_e.htm

The article talks about creosote impregnated wood.
 
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