My version of a gun range stand

[NitroDave08]

Right now its just a virtural dream. I found this great FREE software called Google Sketchup. It's a CAD/CAM designer. It's a lil "weird" to do stuff but after screwing around with it I can get what I want. You can design most anything and it use ti to figure out brace lenghts and other pain in the butt measurements. Anyway the dream is to get some land out about 10 miles from town and build for starters an outdoor range. Then if it gets profitable, a indoor range and a small gun shop. I know the indoors are very expensive to build but it is a dream. Here is a design. I kept in mind that us Mini shooters with the half acre ejections for the lattace sides and be re-enforced with chicken wire.

A few questions for you, the only way I can think to make this work safely is to have a military style shoot. Everyone shoots at the same time (the line is hot) and a then everyone checks the targets at the same time (the line is safe). I was thinking of 20 min hot and 5 min safe. This gives 3 shooting times an hour. This would be for when more than a single shooing party be there. If only the same group then it would be at their call. After the inital build a target track system would be the next thing. Then wouldnt have to worry about the hot/safe. How many of you would not even bother with a setup like that was local?

Last question what do you/would you pay to have a range setup like this. The closest public indoor range here charges $35 and hour. It's 50 miles away and just not some thing we do every weekend. We go about every 2 weeks when the weather is agreeable (usually 30mph sustained winds) to the park area 40 miles away and make a day of it. Off-roading, picnic, hiking and shooting. I have seen on the net that some parks have ranges on them through the special uses permit programs. Just might have to look at that.

Anyway, here are the renderings. I kept in mind that us Mini shooters with the half acre ejections for the lattace sides and be re-enforced with chicken wire. Tarps can be used in the winter times to block the wind. And the target stands would be at 15,25,50,75 and 100yrds.

[Ranb]

You may want to have something more sturdy on the target frame to hold that paper still in the wind. Extend the roof out father so that any rain might have a better chance at staying off of the guns on the bench.

The range I normally shoot at has 10-20 minutes shooting periods followed by a cold time to repair or replace targets.

Ranb

[jack404]

beats my tree stump and old pallets !!!

[Big ugly]

Originally Posted by jack404

beats my tree stump and old pallets !!!

Jack you shure you aint from Tennessee?

[Zane71464]

Nice looking setup you got going on there!!!
Good luck with your project!

[Alpo]

You're aware that if you make that target stand with those nice 4x4s, and set it up as a "pay to shoot" range, they are gonna get shot to pieces, right?

[Zane71464]

Originally Posted by Alpo

You're aware that if you make that target stand with those nice 4x4s, and set it up as a "pay to shoot" range, they are gonna get shot to pieces, right?

VERY good point Alpo, and they wont last long!

[larsf]

Something to consider in your design. My second permanent shooting bench has a U-shaped cut out to sit inside of. Gives support for arms of left and right hand shooters while sitting with an upright posture. This eliminated the need to lean forward to get good support for sighting in.

[wpage]

Hes right about the shots at the supports...
We set steel L brackets in concrete at our range with a 2 open top flanges to insert 2x4 or 2x6 horizontal supports about 3.5' apart. We then screw scrap 1/4" ply to staple targets to.
Even tho some folks still shoot the steel frames the 1/2" steel dosent seem to care unless its AP. By mounting at a angle most deflects off to back.

[carver]

Originally Posted by jack404

beats my tree stump and old pallets !!!

Dude, you're high tech! I just drove a couple of peices of pipe into the ground, and then screwed on a peice of plywood, and staple the targets to that. If it rains I use a 9X9 quick shade for protection.

[todd51]

Neat project Dave. I have a covered shooting bench similar to what you are considering. It works fine for handguns and all the "stuff" that you bring along but leaves something to be desired. The shooting tables in one of the pics. is at a Federal open to the public shooting range at Cave Run Lake, KY. I go there to meet with relatives at times and find those shooting tables to do the job for left or right handers. They have given up on target holders as their previous attempts have been destroyed over time.

The holders I am using have turned out to be the best so far. Paper targets are taped or stapled to two foot tall pieces of cardboard that are slipped in to slots on the two by four frames. The frames do get shot up over time but those pieces can be easily replaced.

I put that plastic vegetable netting on the sides of the shooting bench to catch the ejects. Even though it has half inch opening it still allows those pesky .22s to escape.

My experience has been that the shooting range is in a constant state of revision.

This is my private playground and any of you that in the area are invited to come shoot with me some time.

[Terry_P]

Nitro:

I know it's virtual but what is your backstop?

[dianalv]

If you're building this in Wyoming, I don't think your design will last very long, sorry to say, especially outside. Next time I'm at one of the outdoor ranges here I will take my camera so I can photograph what we do around these parts. It seems to last in our weather and to heavy usage.

Also that setup you designed looks like it's geared towards hand guns. If you are opening this to the public, you might want to look at setting up ranges for rifle as well, with proper dirt berms for safe shooting without ricochets. There are a lot of hunters/rifle shooters in Wyoming and wind would definitely be a factor.

As far as what you can charge, liability would be your biggest expense. You might get your county parks and recreation to partner with you, or your state Fish and Game department. You might check into Federal grants and donations from local sporting goods stores, as well as funding from NSSF and like organizations.

We have several ranges locally, some privately owned on leased ground and a new fancy schmancy shooting park put in courtesy of Parks and Recreation. Private clubs generally charge a yearly membership fee and get volunteers to help maintain the berms and improve the range. Prices run from $100 per year and on up to several $1000 per year, depending on the club. Some membership ranges also offer day use at an hourly/daily fee to non members. The Clark County Shooting Park charges a flat day use fee of $7.00. I was just there yesterday. Seems to be the right price to attract local shooters who used to shoot illegally in the desert. You can shoot from 7:00AM to 7:00PM. The place was pretty busy.

[NitroDave08]

Everyone thanks for the inputs,

Originally Posted by Ranb

You may want to have something more sturdy on the target frame to hold that paper still in the wind. Extend the roof out father so that any rain might have a better chance at staying off of the guns on the bench.

The range I normally shoot at has 10-20 minutes shooting periods followed by a cold time to repair or replace targets.

Ranb

The range on base here (I'm military) uses 2 wires running across the bottom-ish of the targets to stablize in the wind. Works out pretty good, until the "lucky" shot haha. Cardboard is what the targets are taped, clipped or stapled to. Roof extension will be added.

Originally Posted by Alpo

You're aware that if you make that target stand with those nice 4x4s, and set it up as a "pay to shoot" range, they are gonna get shot to pieces, right?

It is a fact of life. Might go with a rounded steel frame like in todd51's second pic. OR just thought of another idea haha.

Originally Posted by todd51

Neat project Dave. I have a covered shooting bench similar to what you are considering. It works fine for handguns and all the "stuff" that you bring along but leaves something to be desired. The shooting tables in one of the pics. is at a Federal open to the public shooting range at Cave Run Lake, KY. I go there to meet with relatives at times and find those shooting tables to do the job for left or right handers. They have given up on target holders as their previous attempts have been destroyed over time.

The holders I am using have turned out to be the best so far. Paper targets are taped or stapled to two foot tall pieces of cardboard that are slipped in to slots on the two by four frames. The frames do get shot up over time but those pieces can be easily replaced.

I put that plastic vegetable netting on the sides of the shooting bench to catch the ejects. Even though it has half inch opening it still allows those pesky .22s to escape.

My experience has been that the shooting range is in a constant state of revision.

This is my private playground and any of you that in the area are invited to come shoot with me some time.

Thanks for the pics, gave me a few more ideas. Revisions to come. Revision are certain. I figure I have about 5 years to get it together. With comments/ suggestions of you all, I might get it right the first time if I get the oppurtunity to put this dream into reality.

Originally Posted by Terry_P

Nitro:

I know it's virtual but what is your backstop?

It will be whatever the local/federal laws require. I think there is somekind of liner that is required because of the lead.

[Gabob]

Here is a picture of my range. Tables are conrete. We made a mould and a friend who owns a concrete company would put left over concrete in the mould when he finished a job. The tables are suitable for either right or left hand shooters

[todd51]

Gabob, I like those tables neat.

[NitroDave08]

Version 2, Added a shooter's bench style rest in the stall and extended the roof. Added a cross beam on the holder for can shooting and a T-bracket to hold the card board that the target is attached to. The bottom of the cardboard can also be attached to the cross beam for winds. The cross beam would be easily swapped out after being shot up. Or thinking of angled steel like in the last 2 pics.