personal shooting range

[Delmar]

How much land would you need to set up your own private shooting range? I would imagine it would depend some what county you are in and how close to town you are.

 

[localone]

on another forum i heard 10 acres.but not positive

 

[melensdad]

How much land would you need to set up your own private shooting range? I would imagine it would depend some what county you are in and how close to town you are.

1 acre is not very big, roughly 210 by 210 feet.

If you want to shoot shotgun you need about 900' for "free fall" of the pellets you shoot when clay shooting. So for shotgun figure you need 1000 by 300' to set up a basic "trap" or "skeet" type range. So just shooting a shotgun would require about 7 acres for a basic 300' wide range.

For handgun, if you are shooting at up to 25 yards you need about 90 feet by perhaps 20' wide, but you need a solid backstop at least 7' tall and perhaps 12' tall would be more comforting to your neighbors. A 7' tall earth berm will be at least 7' wide at the base and taper up.

In theory you could set up a pistol range on 1 acre but I think your neighbors will have noise issues. My range is on 8+ acres with a 32 acre field and my side neighbor has noise issues with me. Realistically, I'd suggest you'd want at least 4 or 5 acres to build a modest range and have some buffer from neighbors.

 

[Delmar]

I have an acre and a half, just outside the city limits and I have a mound I shoot into from time to time, to clear my cap and ball pistols. None of my neighbors have ever complained, but I don't shoot to much at home. Except for the 4th of July, that is! Then I'm shooting blanks.

 

[Farmerjon]

Neighbor down the road only owns a couple of acres but has a huge natural hill he shoots into. He shoots large caliber weapons but only about 8-10 times a year. Me, I own 40 acres, shoot out back into my waste pile from a pond I had dug. Shoot a lot of shotgun and 22's. Lot being to me, 1,000-4,000 rounds a month on average. We are 6 miles from any city limits/town. Hearing the occasional gunfire versus 4-10 people each weekend shooting thousands of rounds can become an issue quickly with neighbors, I know I have one irresponsible neighbor if I heard gunfire from his home, I would take cover! Not calling you irresponsible, just know your neighbors, invite them to shoot and help build. Ownership in the project will go a long ways towards positive relations.

 

[jp828108]

something else to consider aside from size, is insurance or being held personally liable if an accident were to happen. not sure if you are refurring to having a range for yourself and friends or if you were thinking of trying to set something up that may turn a profit. but with all the hack lawyers that will help people sue over anything they think they can turn a buck on... might want to look into that aspect also.

 

[Delmar]

or if you were thinking of trying to set something up that may turn a profit.

No, no, no! I agree, that would be a bad idea!

 

[spartan933]

I'd say 4 to five acres, and perhaps a neighbor with similar or great sized property bordering yours. That would allow a bit of a buffer zone. Although, at Kingsbury Range today, I did notice a guy that, everytime I go there, considers it to be his personal range.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I shoot into a berm 100 yards distant. I am on 5 acres. Neighbors on both sides. Only one is not a shooter - and he's the one who tends to think he owns the place.

The rest of us disagree, of course.

If it's rural and you have a good backstop, I wouldn't worry about how much land you have.

Josh

 

[sj kahr k40]

I have 3 acres but I'm inside city limits or I would have about a 100' range

 

[RomanDad]

Im very interested in this thread.... I suppose a few suppressors go a long way to keeping the neighbors off your case as well?

 

[one shot]

I only have 2.6 acres and shoot often on my place. I only have about a fifty yard range but it works for me. I do have the advantage of a nice natural hillside to absorb any fliers that might get past my bullet trap.

 

[451_Detonics]

As has been said a lot will depend on your neighbors. Also if a bullet does escape your property your home owners insurance will probably not cover it. (you will be the one blamed whether it is from your range or just some jerk in the woods...after all "you have a range")

Bear in mind also that after putting in a bunch of money, time, and sweat building your range it can be shut down...it will not be covered by the range protection act. Just takes one neighbor to sue.

 

[Jack Ryan]

How much land would you need to set up your own private shooting range? I would imagine it would depend some what county you are in and how close to town you are.

Kinda depends on how far and what you want to shoot.

 

[RomanDad]

Kinda depends on how far and what you want to shoot.

Say, for arguments sake, the answers are:

Far

and;

.338 Lapua Magnum.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Say, for arguments sake, the answers are:

Far

and;

.338 Lapua Magnum.

Guess it depends at that point how good a shot you are. I guess about a mile long and a couple inches wide should do it for me. Your results may vary.

 

[RomanDad]

This settles it.... Im definitely buying a property with room to shoot....

 

[Delmar]

This settles it.... Im definitely buying a property with room to shoot....

Are we having a cookout, after you get settled in?

 

[RomanDad]

Are we having a cookout, after you get settled in?

You bring the food!

 

[Eddie]

I got 21 feet in my basement.