76 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [OCTOBER 2019]
range of that munition could possibly put the round on a neighbor’s property, their consent to
your planned range is critical.
Often, there are also noise ordinances that may prevent you from discharging a firearm or
limiting the caliber projectile or the type of weapons you are able to discharge at your location.
All this information can normally be found with a simple internet search or when you contact the
appropriate local authorities.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Every case and location is different but, as a general rule, if you are planning to construct an
outdoor shooting range, then you will usually need to have the amount of property and a level of
seclusion to avoid infringing on nearby neighbors. Another factor in site selection is choosing an
area that provides an obstacle-free line of sight from the point of discharge to the point of im-
pact, and possibly beyond. In most home range scenarios, this is accomplished by using a back-
stop that is a physical barrier capable of stopping any projectile you plan to fire on your range.
While a natural or artificial backstop such as a steep hill or large berm are ideal areas to set up
a range, they are not always practical, depending on the type of terrain available to you. You can
also build targets that have a bullet catch or an absorption layer integrated into them. I don’t
advise using this type of backstop unless you are in a location where a round that missed the
target would have a clear path to the ground up to or beyond its maximum range. I prefer a range
site with the terrain needed for a multipurpose range because it will give you the flexibility to do
all of your flat range work at the 0-25 meter range and push out to greater distances in order to
practice longer range shots.
DETERMINE THE LAYOUT
The way you lay out your range is totally up you. That said, make sure all of the potential angles
to impact on their property. This can be
particularly important when you are planning
to construct a known-distance (KD) range
designed for firing high-powered hunting or
sporting rifles with ranges out to the max-
imum effective range of whichever type of
munition you plan to shoot. If the maximum
› Left: Having your
own range is a way
to give yourself a
location to work
on improving or
maintaining your
own perishable
shooting skills. It
also can give you
a chance to pass
those skills on to
the next generation
so that they too
will possess the
ability to protect
themselves and the
ones they love.
› Below: I try to
get no closer than
15 meters when
shooting steel. Any
closer, and you
can start feeling
the splash of
projectile fragments
from the target
Photo courtesy of
GunWarrior.com
“WHILE A NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL
BACKSTOP SUCH AS A STEEP HILL OR
LARGE BERM ARE IDEAL AREAS TO SET UP A
RANGE, THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL,
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF TERRAIN
AVAILABLE TO YOU.”