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Elevated shooting platform

Coyote Kev

Coyote Kev

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 12, 2018
177
44
Pierre SD
My brothers and I are building a rifle gong range. We need an elevated platform to see all our targets especially since we will be shooting over soybeans or corn. We plan to make it 10 to 12 feet high with 6x6 posts. The idea is to make it as solid as possible. I’m just wondering if anyone has good advice like we should definaelty make it so long and wide, or tricks to make it more stable. We will be shooting prone off of it and will have 2 to 3 people up there at a time. Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
THEIS said:
Hi,

Do you require it to be fixed or relocatable?

Sincerely,
Theis
Click to expand...
This will be a fixed structure. It's in a tree line and won't need to be removed for any reason. We plan on 6x6 posts that will be 4 feet in the ground with lots of concrete in the holes. Probably 6-8 bags per post.
 
If not the conex-type box, then I recommend using concrete. Lots of concrete. 8x8" posts wouldn't be too much either...but that would depend on how high it will be.

Look up "Perma Columns" and ponder that, if you mean for this structure to last a long time. Probably wouldn't add much expense for just a few like you'd need.
 
THEIS said:
Hi,

Have you given any consideration to using used shipping containers?
They are cheap, easy to get, plenty sturdy enough and you can store your targets inside them when not using them.

Sincerely,
Theis
Click to expand...

Can you flesh this out a bit? Every time I look around the net for these, the prices are not that palatable.
 
Shipping containers arnt readily available where we live and I think would be too long. We don't really want to cut down any trees. We have about a 15 foot opening in the tree line to work with.
Another idea is to use an old gravity wagon and fill it halfway with gravel and build a platform on top. This idea wasn't all that well received by the brothers. Apparently since this is back behind a brothers house, it cant look totally ghetto.
 
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I have a 10' x 10' platform 11' high. Used 16' 6x6 posts, one in each corner. Can easily accomidate 3 shooters. It was very wobbly until i added 2x6 cross members from ground level to platform, one on each side. Very happy with it.
 
Best pic i have on my tablet
FB_IMG_1531363193452.jpg
 
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Looks good. We were thinking 8x12. Any reason that wouldn't work? We would be laying pointing in the 8 foot direction. 12 wide would be good for 3 maybe 4 shooters.
 
That’s bad ass! I envy you having the place to built your own long range place to shoot.
 
I think 8ft would be a little tight. Figure most people are 6ftish and when prone the gun sticks out a good 2ft.
Coyote Kev said:
Looks good. We were thinking 8x12. Any reason that wouldn't work? We would be laying pointing in the 8 foot direction. 12 wide would be good for 3 maybe 4 shooters.
Click to expand...
 
Eight feet might be long enough. The best way to tell would be to lay down behind your rifle. Have someone mark where your Bipod feet are and where your feet are and see what kind of length that is. You probably don’t want to be shooting with your feet hanging off the edge.

As said before, diagonal braces will add strength and rigidity. Remember, triangles are strong. Also, add a small lip all around it. It doesn’t have to be huge. 2”x3” or even 2”x2” will work to load the Bipod against as well as keeping Your brass or other stuff from rolling off the edge.

Good luck and update with pictures with the final results.
 
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That's a good call on the "lip".
We did some measurements and found that 8ft was just barely enough. 3ft wide per-person is ok as long as you're always shooting the same direction. However, we will likely have targets from 10 o'clock to 3 o'clock. In the end we decided to 'go big or go home' and it will be 10x12, 11-12 ft off the ground, and 6x6 posts running up to a roof. Hope to get the posts set and maybe some framing done this weekend.
 
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Once you build the structure you should post a list of your supplies and pictures. I have been trying to talk my shooting buddy into this for a while.
 
We got the poles up last weekend.

WP_20180804_001.jpg


As soon as the concrete truck showed up, it started to rain. Poured a half inch while we did it. I was soaked and covered in mud and concrete. Complete shit-show, but we got it done. Had extra concrete, so we scraped it into a impromptu pad of sorts. Should have had a form set up for that, but we didn't expect to have that much extra.

I can post a list for reference, but I suspect you could do it a lot cheaper than we are. We got 24' 6x6 poles to go all the way to the roof. Ours is also a bit over-engineered, but we tend to not mess around. It's going to be all of $1500, maybe more.
 
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We got it pretty much done this weekend.
Just need to get the steel for the roof and a few other odds and ends.
I'll say that the 2x6 cross-members (the X's) make a huge difference. Without those, it was pretty wobbly when moving around on the platform.

WP_20180818_001.jpg


So far we have targets as 200, 325, 450, 500 and 800 yards. We plan on adding a few more, including one at nearly 1200.

Here's our 8 inch at 200 yards for checking zero:
WP_20180818_005.jpg


And here's a view from the top with a couple of targets pointed out:
ShootingRange1.png


Didn't get to shoot too much after the work was done, but we rang them all.
 
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That's bad ass! Nicely done, looks like a great build. You could even use your "X" supports for makeshift shooting rests. Enjoy
 
Yeah that’s got me green with envy. Are you envisioning some stairs, or stick with the ladder? I’ve got a piece of land that can go 1200 yards if I was 12-15 feet off the ground and cut some trees for shooting lanes. Your setup has me more motivated to try something like that.
 
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Stairs have been discussed, and would be very handy. That gear elevator I rigged up is just ok. You can't really haul a rifle up with it.
One problem is this is 100 miles from me, so every time I'm there I want to be shooting and not building stuff.
 
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once you start...its NEVER gonna finish...I thought I was done building crap years ago!!
 
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I've never thought about building a elevated platform at our place.... till now... thanks guy you just cost me money! LOL


On a real note, that looks great and is a great idea!
 
SamichWayne said:
I've never thought about building a elevated platform at our place.... till now... thanks guy you just cost me money! LOL


On a real note, that looks great and is a great idea!
Click to expand...


You've never thought about this???

I've always thought about building something like this and been wanting to. I just have to get a place first lol. ???
Hopefully I can buy a few acres very very soon!
 
Where I have setup to shoot now is only 540 yards and a flat cow pasture, so there isnt much need, but we recently bought the property next to us, I would have to do a considerable amount of path clearing across the old property lines(creek involved).

But we also havent had this property very long either.

But no, i havent thought about it, which makes me now feel the dumb, LOL.
 
SamichWayne said:
Where I have setup to shoot now is only 540 yards and a flat cow pasture, so there isnt much need, but we recently bought the property next to us, I would have to do a considerable amount of path clearing across the old property lines(creek involved).

But we also havent had this property very long either.

But no, i havent thought about it, which makes me now feel the dumb, LOL.
Click to expand...

Man!!!
You're lucky, I wish I had enough land to shoot 540 to 540. My current deer lease gives me access to about 1300 but I have to make sure the other hunters are not around, and I practically have to hide from the landlord or make sure he doesn't catch me shooting cuz he doesn't like it.
 
stello1001 said:
Man!!!
You're lucky, I wish I had enough land to shoot 540 to 540. My current deer lease gives me access to about 1300 but I have to make sure the other hunters are not around, and I practically have to hide from the landlord or make sure he doesn't catch me shooting cuz he doesn't like it.
Click to expand...


Lucky for sure man, no need in trying to hide that.
 
SamichWayne said:
Lucky for sure man, no need in trying to hide that.
Click to expand...


He owns 1000 acres but my lease is only on 80 of them. The area where I can stretch out is not part of my 80. So I guess I'm really not supposed to be shooting there lol and that is why I prefer to only do it when he is not around. The other hunters that lease the rest of the land are really cool with me shooting. But out of respect, I prefer to do it when they're not around so

I wish I could find a place where I could shoot freely without having to worry about someone trying to stop me from it, etc.
 
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