2 miles+ range in FL.

[BoltActionSean]

Hello SH, I've been educating myself on the HIDE since 2003 and became a member in 2010. Thanks to all members for sharing.

I'm no expert at this great craft, just an ELR shooter hopeful/wannabe and wish to be like some of the great members here, with your help and my enthusiasm, I'll

get there soon.

Anyhow, this thread is about a 2 miles+ private range I want to construct. As of this summer, I'll have full access t./o a very private ranch (4miles x 4miles)
I need some input on how to setup a range for ELR and shoot at various distances from approx. 500yds to 3800yds.

The property is wooded with lots of oak, cypress, pine etc. and flat with a few ponds, I will build berms made of shell rock aggregate and sand, hang steel

tragets on chain (reflective targets for night shooting if possible).

I'll also build a platform, was thinking 15-20 feet up and 20feet x 20feet.

I need ideas/opinions to make this a great ELR shooting facility.

When finish, I'll extend invitations to RESPONSIBLE shooters who would like to reach out to 2 miles+ and in the process hope to make a few friends with similar

interest in the sport.

I'm also going to setup a tactical carbine and handgun range for CQB.

These are some of the calibers I intend to play around with:

.308 Win
.300 Win Mag
.338 Lap Mag
.375 Chey Tac
.408 Chey Tac
.416 Barrett
.50 BMG



Thanks in advance,

Bolt Action Shooter.

NO TROLLING PLEASE.

 

[Hammertime]

Sounds like a great plan, wishing I lived in Florida! Thinking you will have lots of new friends!

 

[Cobra 1]

Sean;
Just read your post and got very excited. I'm somewhat of a newbie having just built my first long range rifle (a Savage FP-TR in .308 with a SS scope). I'm part of a small group of shooters in and around Sarasota (four of us); three are newbies and one is a long time, very experienced shooter who lived for awhile in Montana. He's got three exceptional guns and is giving us some quality instruction in both shooting and reloading. We now have a private range where we can shoot out to 300 yds. but are ready to 'move out' to greater distance. We would be willing to help you in any way we could to facilitate your project. I'm going to send you a pm with my contact info so you can get in touch if you are interested.

 

[Ren]

I think for starters I would visit Manatee gun club for a day to see what they have done there, and then a trip up to K+M to gather more ideas. Then lay out what your dealing with for your terrain and decide what kind of berms and targets to construct.

 

[ahhshoot]

BAS,

Where abouts in Fla? I live in Gainesville and work in Trenton. I have hoped to have someone open a range longer than Bradford's 850 yards in the area. I would be willing to lend some elbow grease or pay a reasonable fee to use the range, if it's nearby. I have a custom 338 Lapua that should be here this week and I'd really like to stretch the legs on it one day.

Anyway, it sounds like a damn good plan and I hope it comes to fruition.

 

[BoltActionSean]

Thanks for the positive input Guys.

I’m not interested in money to use the facility, it’s NOT a public range and NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ALLOWED. Invitation ONLY to RESPONSIBLE and RESPECTABLE shooters at MY convenience.

Anyhow, here is a sketch of what I had n mind, please feel free to add your ideas.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/images/attach/jpg.gif

 

[Accusource8541]

This would be great and I would love the opportunity to be able to shoot there! As another stated, I would definitely take a trip up to north Florida and visit K&M. Those guys don't have that kind of distance, but they sure know how to put a range together.

 

[velillen]

Im no expert but just a couple things that popped into my head.

You said the property is wooded. Your current pic looks like a good setup...but you have to remember all that area would have to be cleared and maintained as well. So a "corridor" type range might be a bit easier to do clearing wise.

As for a platform....since you would be clearing and probably have a bulldozer there, I'd go for a dirt mound to shoot off myself. Have them build up a nice area to shoot off of. Just an idea at least.

Either way it looks cool! Id love to do the same around my area but it would be to expensive for me

 

[BoltActionSean]

Velillen, Thanks so much for such constructive input, just the kind of information I'm looking for.

The trees are not going to be a problem, one of my neighbor has a small sawmill and has offered to harvest all the trees in my way, the rest on the ground is Saw Palmetto which wont be an issue.
I sure will go with the dirt mound you suggested, awesome idea.
Much appreciated Velillen.

 

[peaceatwar]

This looks great. If the targets are really aligned like that clearing out a path to drive and paint them all will prove to be invaluable. All I have to say is I'm in. IF you need someone to test I'm sure I can put a group of responsible shooters on a plane and be there!

 

[ahhshoot]

Instead of ALL the trees going to the mill, use some of the trees as fill for the dirt mound velillen speaks of...

 

[BoltActionSean]

Thanks for all the input SH. Here's a new layout, let me know what you guys think.


http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/images/attach/jpg.gif

 

[Jefe~]

This sounds spectacular and wish you the best for getting it together. I am only throwing this out there because your diagram seems to indicate that your targets will all be at known distances. It might be nice, if you were able to support unknown distance shooting between say the 500 and 1200 meter range. You wouldn't have to change any of your design, just clear and maintain the valley between the shooting mound and berm for that area.

 

[auto10mm]

Great idea, hope I'm invited

 

[BoltActionSean]

Jefe, what an excellent idea, I sure will do that.

 

[velillen]

Looks great to me so far!

The using logs to help build up is a great idea....well i think at leas. I have no idea but would they rot in 10-20 years or would they last forever? Either way a nice mound to shoot off that you could maybe do grass on would be awesome. Hard to say what the land was like but be even better if you were able to drive a truck up the flat area to shoot out of the back of the truck or something if need.

I like the idea of keeping the space between mound and targets clear for unknown distance shooting. With the known distance targets still up it would be a great way to practice. Could practice ranging and see what you think and then compare to what it looks like with a known target. Then if you got it right (or close if it was say 550 yards) take a shot. Least that way if you were way off youd save ammo

And again i have zero experience and am just tossing out what sounds good in my head. No idea if it would actually work or not

 

[ahhshoot]

Sean,

Please take this for exactly what it is, which is (hopefully) constructive input. I am looking at your plot and I can't help but keep wondering what the point of so many targets out past 1500 yards would be. I mean, I feel like you would end up using only a third of those targets, because what's really the difference of 100 or 200 yards when you are shooting 2000? I understand the drop becomes more significant at longer ranges, but you could probably save yourself a hell of a lot of steel, paint, and time by sticking a target at say, 1500, 1750, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500 and 4000. I just don't see where the others would realistically be used. Another idea would be build a berm around 1000, or 1500, behind the target where you could set up clays or water bottles or tannerite or whatever other cool little reactive targets you might like to shoot.
Additionally, no truly great range is complete without a junker car to practice your vehicle-stopping shots, ha (you could also drag this around to wherever).

 

[Solid]

As someone from South Florida where the longest (private) range is 500 yards, let me say this would be a dream. Florida (South Florida especially) needs more long distance shooting options.

 

[BoltActionSean]

ahhshot, all great ideas, as I'm still in the infancy stage at this point and the layout is just an idea to build around. All your ideas are much appreciated. Thanks and keep em coming

 

[BoltActionSean]

Thanks for the input.

 

[Ren]

Looks like your getting all kinds of good input. At some point though you may want to think about the future ability to add some kind of movers.

 

[BoltActionSean]

Thanks Ren, that would surely be a project for the future, I'll probably do that when I put in the tactical carbine and handgun range. Thanks again.

 

[excaliber]

Sean, PM sent.

 

[TheBelgian]

I'll def. let you know if I ever come your way

 

[BoltActionSean]

sure