I'm sure most of us have always wanted our own range at some point. Earlier this year I bought a house that has 12 acres attached. 9 of the acres were completely wooded with over 3-4 miles before a road or house behind it. It is a hunting camp so its likely to stay that way. I did have to agree to renovate the house to get my wife to agree to purchase the house but that is done enough that I finally get to work on the range. This thread is probably more for me to have a place to keep up with progress pics.
I'm a 95% pistol shooter (USPSA etc) and the rifles I shoot are mostly pistol caliber or rimfire. My plan is for a 30 yard pistol range with a 24 ft wide berm 8 ft high. And then a very small berm at 100 yards to shoot some rifles for grouping or sighting in. But I still prefer to shoot my AR's at multiple targets at 25 yards when I go to a range anyway. The option is always there to build up the 100 yard range years from now if I really decide I want it.
So I began clearing about 3 weeks ago. This was fairly heavily wooded area. I decided on a location about 300 yards into the woods to buffer some noise for the neighbors. They have assured me that they have no issue with it being close to them but why take the chance?
The first step is to clear a road into the range area to be able to get equipment and my truck back there. It will be a dirt road so if its semi wet I won't be driving but how can I complain.
This was the first day.
I got about 100 yards cleared by hand. Axe, weedeater, machete. I'm trying to avoid as many big trees as possible.
This is looking back on day two. You can see my truck in the distance.
I ran into this guy on day three. Do not hit a snake with a weedeater contrary to what I've heard people say. It will throw the snake in god knows what direction. 870 to the rescue and he is gone.
This is a panorama of the range area. Just trees etc.
I finally got some help last weekend to cut down trees that were over 3" in diameter that I didn't want chop down. Big help from Geaux Shooting on the chainsaw and some help from two friends to roughly clear and cut down all the trees in the range area. So far I have a 35 yards by 25 yard area cleared out. I'm still working on the turn around at the range area so I don't have to turn around like Austin Powers.
Next up is to hire a guy with a bushhog to really clear the brush out and then spray the hell out of the area with a herbicide to keep it clear until I'm ready to build the berm. This is going to be a slow project as I don't have heavy equipment available and I was shocked at some prices I was quoted.
Anyway, I'll post up new pictures if nothing else than to have a diary of the build. I'm sure I will be great at showing people what not to do.
I'm a 95% pistol shooter (USPSA etc) and the rifles I shoot are mostly pistol caliber or rimfire. My plan is for a 30 yard pistol range with a 24 ft wide berm 8 ft high. And then a very small berm at 100 yards to shoot some rifles for grouping or sighting in. But I still prefer to shoot my AR's at multiple targets at 25 yards when I go to a range anyway. The option is always there to build up the 100 yard range years from now if I really decide I want it.
So I began clearing about 3 weeks ago. This was fairly heavily wooded area. I decided on a location about 300 yards into the woods to buffer some noise for the neighbors. They have assured me that they have no issue with it being close to them but why take the chance?
The first step is to clear a road into the range area to be able to get equipment and my truck back there. It will be a dirt road so if its semi wet I won't be driving but how can I complain.
This was the first day.
I got about 100 yards cleared by hand. Axe, weedeater, machete. I'm trying to avoid as many big trees as possible.
This is looking back on day two. You can see my truck in the distance.
I ran into this guy on day three. Do not hit a snake with a weedeater contrary to what I've heard people say. It will throw the snake in god knows what direction. 870 to the rescue and he is gone.
This is a panorama of the range area. Just trees etc.
I finally got some help last weekend to cut down trees that were over 3" in diameter that I didn't want chop down. Big help from Geaux Shooting on the chainsaw and some help from two friends to roughly clear and cut down all the trees in the range area. So far I have a 35 yards by 25 yard area cleared out. I'm still working on the turn around at the range area so I don't have to turn around like Austin Powers.
Next up is to hire a guy with a bushhog to really clear the brush out and then spray the hell out of the area with a herbicide to keep it clear until I'm ready to build the berm. This is going to be a slow project as I don't have heavy equipment available and I was shocked at some prices I was quoted.
Anyway, I'll post up new pictures if nothing else than to have a diary of the build. I'm sure I will be great at showing people what not to do.
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