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Now the target will be angled to take advantage of the full length of the field. The length of the field is 1 mile before it reaches any buildings or roadways. The target sets up facing the ground at a 20 degree angle. so the splatter is supposed to be fairly predictable. Should I worry about splatter either entering the road surface or even bouncing back in to the house? I will only be shooting handgun calibers on this target at this location. Any rifle rounds will be fired at a dedicated shooting range.
here is a layout of the shooting area. Currently I have a paper target setup and I want to place the steel in it's place.
Last edited by fumundachz on Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
I have had splatter hit me 75 ft from angled shooting steel. Didn't do anything to me but it didn't feel good. I would try to build up a backstop of dirt or better get a tandem load or two of fill sand (310) to catch any misses.
what about ricochet back at the house. Is that something I should worry about or is it a non issue?
As longs as you shoot traditional copper lead FMJ and not copper washed steel projectiles you should be OK. The steel stuff has been known to make bigger splatter (think mini shrapnel) that can draw blood. They will not let anyone shoot it at the steel at TDI. Last class someone had slipped some in and it was hitting folks and drawing a little blood. Not bad mind you but not a good thing to have happen.
jabeatty wrote:So, currently you shoot at a paper target with no backstop?
There is 1 mile of open fields behind the target. Before anyone has an issue I have had the sheriff's department come out and confirm that it was in fact safe. Mind you I only shoot handgun calibers out here and I do not shoot on windy days.
jabeatty wrote:So, currently you shoot at a paper target with no backstop?
There is 1 mile of open fields behind the target. Before anyone has an issue I have had the sheriff's department come out and confirm that it was in fact safe. Mind you I only shoot handgun calibers out here and I do not shoot on windy days.
Still not safe. No matter how many sheriff's departments come out. YOU are responsible for every bullet.
I do know where every bullet is going, secondly I am ordering 3 loads of fill dirt tomorrow to be delivered next week. I plan on building a "U" shaped berm to catch any misses and possible ricochets going out the back or off to the side.
fumundachz wrote:I do know where every bullet is going, secondly I am ordering 3 loads of fill dirt tomorrow to be delivered next week. I plan on building a "U" shaped berm to catch any misses and possible ricochets going out the back or off to the side.
We manufacture steel targets. The key is to have enough backstop/berm/containment to prevent a round from going where it does not belong. A u-shaped berm/mound is a good idea and we support that, but also suggest a solid wolmanized wall on top to make sure a ricochet cannot go where it is not wanted. The higher you go in berm/fence, the better off you will be.
Sounds to us like you will take the proper precautions - possibly, as a start, use smaller caliber rounds to get a "flavor" of where the splatter is going BEFORE you graduate to the larger calibers. Also, minimum distance away should be 10 yards or more AND no high velocity rounds over 3000 fps or armor-piercing of any sort should be contemplated.
Lastly - do not know how you will "mount" these but suggest either hang by chain so they "give" OR mount with some give on the stanchion you attach them to. The more "give" the better your control of splatter losing its momentum.
That's my 2 cents.
fumundachz wrote:I do know where every bullet is going.
If that is the case, hang the target on your garage wall.
Please tell us what road you live on so we can keep off of it.
S.W.
I will concede that was a poor way to word that.
Edit: I am going to have to retract all of my statements, I failed at my math and looking further in to my area while it may most likely be safe to shoot where I am, I realize I may be flirting with danger even in a straight line.
I guess it is time to join a sportsman's club in my area to do my shooting.
So foot in mouth on my part, getting this gift has caused me to look more in to my situation and may have saved me a huge issue down the line. I do trust the sheriff departments judgment on it being safe out here to shoot considering the conditions but looking at the NRA Firearms Fact Book I have here at home I am not going to risk anything. The last place I owned had over 10 miles of fields and trees to shoot safely towards before we ran in to any areas of concern. I thought with a mile of back drop I would be fine. With further calculations I am too close to the line for comfort.
Old convyer belt works great for hanging your steel plate, as long as your plate can swing you don't have to worry about angling it down. Cheap spray paint, $1.09 a can, from Walmarts is a blessing.
shooterwolf wrote:Old convyer belt works great for hanging your steel plate, as long as your plate can swing you don't have to worry about angling it down. Cheap spray paint, $1.09 a can, from Walmarts is a blessing.
Is your steel A.R. 400 or A.R. 500 ?
S.W.
its A.R. 550 and it has a stand with no exposed bolts or anything else it can ricochet off of besides the steel plate and the swinger plate.
