What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

[collegeboy]

Hi there everyone. I am new to the forum, and am looking for some help.

I am not new to guns, however I have finally gotten my very first .50 cal sniper rifle. Unfortunately NO ranges near me in DFW, Texas will let me shoot it. Kind of makes sense.

I have a good friend of mine that has a lot of land, and around their property is still nothing. We are starting to make our own little shooting range for the .50cal (All other guns I'll just continue to shoot at the range), and I need some help from the pros here.

Even though there is a ton of nothing around his place, I still do NOT want the bullet traveling out of his yard...just to stay safe. I'd want anyone else around his property doing the same if they were planning on shooting a .50 cal b/c of what it can do.

I am thinking of basically building a several feet tall and wide target for us to shoot at from a few 100 yards away just to have some fun and not risk missing the target. We are trying to figure out what to make it out of. We want something that will stop the bullets, but not bounce them back at us.

Would building a large box out of ply wood several feet deep/tall/wide and filled with sand be a good idea, or dirt perhaps? Also, maybe many sheets of wood or thin aluminum (since it's weak and the bullet with go through it) with sand put in between all of the sheets?

Can .50 shooting target just be bought?

Anyways, thanks for the help...I just want to keep things safe, and your help is very appreciated.

 

[desertHK]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

I have shot my 50 BMG at true armor plate steel at 500 yards and the bullets just disintegrate. The alternative is to get thick AR500 targets. Depending on how you mount your target, it should be safe to shoot it at about 500 yards. Have fun.

 

[stefan73]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

I believe ricochete hazard by army standard on hard targets is about 200 meters (I don't have my SDZ sheets/overlays). With that I would suggest not shooting at a hard target any closer than that. I would say make a 500 meter range with a berm. Make it a couple of feet tall and wide and you shouldn't have a problem. You can always move closer than 500 meters if you need to but having some ability to stretch the 50 out to at least a "little" way is nice.
Think about hard target placement and angles for directing projos down and into the berm if you are going to be shooting ar AR500. Also think about fire hazard since ball has a mild steel core.

You should be able to shoot your fifty at Tac Pro if I am correct. I shot there about 8-10 years ago so I bet things have changed so I would call first.

There are some fifty shooters up there in Dallas. Check on Biggerhammer and see if maybe you can link up with someone.
I used to have some contacts and was part of what was called the "Dallas Tribe" which was a group of fifty shooters from and south of Dallas (I was at Hood at the time).

Good luck! Have fun and be safe!

 

[collegeboy]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Thanks guys. Well the reason I don't want to go to 500 meters on the first shop is b/c thats far and it's not sighted in or anything...and I really hate to miss that target and hit someone.

I will check the places you recommended to at least sight it in at a professional place, and not a back yard.

 

[Alderleet]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Get some HESCO barriers and fill it with earth. I'm fairly certain 50bmg cant puncture 5 feet of dirt

 

[offroadr1]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

if you have the means to construct a berm, make it as big as you can and fill it with old tires. if you lay them in with a criss cross pattern similar to how tire shops stack their old ones, you will have an almost solid wall with 2 layer of thick rubber to absorb the kenetic energy, couple that with a few feet of dirt in front of and behind your tire stack and im thinking it would do a lot to slow it as it comes off a plate of ar500 steel.

 

[SScott]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Michael Huddleston</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks guys. Well the reason I don't want to go to 500 meters on the first shop is b/c thats far and it's <span style="color: #006600">not sighted in or anything</span>...and I really hate to miss that target and hit someone.

I will check the places you recommended to at least sight it in at a professional place, and not a back yard. </div></div>
I use the ole Red neck bore sighter system.
I pull the bolt out and peek down the hole, then match my scope up to what I am aiming at, works like a champ, on getting me on paper at 100 yards.
As far as target back stop, push a pile with a Cat or get a few dump truck loads of dirt to create a berm. Sounds like fun.
SScott

 

[patriotoutlaw]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Made mine out of 4 staggered rows of used tires, filled with sand. 100, 200 and 300 yd berms. No pass thru's there.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

In before the "its not a sniper rifle" crowd lol

 

[Shooter21]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tomekeuro85</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In before the "its not a sniper rifle" crowd lol</div></div>
damnit, I was just fixing to let him have both barrels too!!!!
but it isn't a sniper rifle. its a long range "precision" rifle

 

[cobaltbomb]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

if there are any hills in the prperty, shot from high ground into them.

if there are no hills pile up dirt to build a little hill (10 foot?) and place the target in front at the bottom of the hill and possibly shoot at it from highground (Roof or so).
this way even if you miss the hill the round will hit the ground soon.
avoid rocky areas to set up your target.

i would be confident to shoot at this spot :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRRahHX9Zkg

 

[Conrad101st]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

I have personally seen API rebound 175 yards straight back at us. If you ever shoot tracer you would be amazed at the wild deflections. Your caution is well founded

 

[XTR]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Oh, hell, where is that video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiGBc

The dialogue is priceless.

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0ABGIJwiGBc"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0ABGIJwiGBc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[M4-Pilot]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Also keep in mind that if you shoot a lot of tracer or incendiary stuff it will burn wood with the quickness. Old Railroad ties work great to pile dirt into for a berm but they burn like a son of a bitch once they catch fire and God help you if its windy. Don't ask how I know.

 

[M4-Pilot]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Also, not sure if you have any coal mines near you, but mines typically use AR400 or 500 plate to make chutes and stuff for big coal handling plants. If you ask real nice like, they have been known to give away scrap pieces which, as thick as they use, make GREAT 50 targets. I have a couple of half inch 3 foot or so gongs that they made into manhole covers and then gave away once they figured out they made the circles too small. Each one weighs 112 pounds so you really need a couple trees to hang them though.

 

[Ropen]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Shoot into a big pile of dirt. You have to stop those bad boys. I shoot the API's through 1-1 1/2 inch mild steel. Alot of fun. Big pile of dirt...........At least 8 feet or so will do it. Have fun.

 

[JelloStorm]

Re: What is a safe target for a .50 cal?

Bin Laden?