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3/27/2007 7:38:46 PM EDT
This summer I'll be heading up to a buddies property with some friends for week. His property is pretty big, and its legal for us to shoot there.

A dirt berm was our original idea, since its simple, but isnt an option I guess, its his parents land, and his mom doesnt want us digging a giant hole or getting a ton of dirt dumped. So we want to build a temporary backstop out of sandbags.

But we don't know how much sand is necessary, or how big and deep we should stack the bags in order to be safe. We'll only be shooting 9mm and .40, 5.56, and possibly 7.62 if I pick up a AK before then. We're going to try to set it up so we are shooting at a slightly downward angle since the land isnt completely flat.

Anyone here know from experiance how much sand or how many bags deep we are gonna need to make it?

We know of one person who built a small one, was maybe 4ft wide, 2 1/2ft deep, and 4ft tall. Made a frame out of 2x4's and put the sandbags inside it But he only shot .22's and a .30 M1 carbine, along with various semi auto pistols. Not sure how effective that sized backstop would be against a AR or AK.

Thanks.
3/28/2007 9:20:28 AM EDT
[#1]
who needs a backstop? Just blast away
3/28/2007 4:23:50 PM EDT
[#2]
I think think, to stay legal, I need one. I know on state land, shooting is legal wherever, as long as it isnt posted "no shooting" and you have a recognizable backstop. Not sure if that applies to private land. We know it is legal to shoot where he is at, but thats all I know so far. Would prefer one anyway, just to be safe.
3/28/2007 5:13:57 PM EDT
[#3]
3/28/2007 6:54:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Just a guess, but sandbags seem like they will rip open and leak.  What about old tires filled with sand?  I don't think you are likely to shoot through evan if you hit a gap in the stack, and but repeated strikes in the same spot will eventually drill a hole in any thing you use.
3/28/2007 7:24:13 PM EDT
[#5]
Tires, good idea. I'm pretty sure I can lay my hands on quite a few. Rubber might self seal a bit too to prevent the sand from leaking out a lot.

Thanks,

matt
3/28/2007 8:01:45 PM EDT
[#6]
Try This.
You would need the rifle version.


http://www.ballisticsresearch.com/bulletblock.php
3/29/2007 7:53:15 AM EDT
[#7]
FWIW in my opinion, dumping a load of topsoil would be a lot less cleanup hassle than sandbags or old tires. After you were done, you could just spread the dirt out and be done with it rather than trying to pick up the remains of tires/bags.
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