Looking for a little information on building a small (25yd) range on my property.  

Unfortunately, due to the terrain/layout of the property (4 acres of mostly hillside, with neighbors to either side, a well-used road at the bottom,and the house at the peak) there is really only one place I can site it, on the 3/4 or so acre behind the house.  

The problem with this is there is no natural backstop on our property, though the neighboring property is a cow pasture that is unused for about 11 months out of the year.  The cow pasture is backed by a large wooded hill, which is uninhabited, though a person or two might be known to hike up there from time to time.

I plan on talking to both the neighbor (who also owns the wooded hill) and the county sheriff before I do anything to make sure everyone is a) aware of my intended action, and b) I'm legal.

My main issue is going to be safety (due to the notes above) and I believe a fair sized backstop will be the solution to any problems--but having no experience with the mechanical requirements of a backstop, and being pretty bad at construction activities, I'm at a loss.  I've searched the web looking for information but haven't found any.

I plan on shooting exclusively .22LR, though if I can build a backstop to handle it without spending additional funds, I'd be interested in shooting 9mm, .40, and/or .45ACP.  I will not shoot centerfire rifle.  

Can anyone give me some ideas, or contact info for someone who might have a few?

Rent a bobcat, and make a nice big dirt berm.

Preferrable, dig down into the terrain, so you get about 6-7 feet below grade, and then put the dirt bank above that.

YOu'll end up with  a wall about 10' high, and most of your shots hitting below grade, and the dirt berm above to catch any strays.

Quoted: Rent a bobcat, and make a nice big dirt berm. Preferrable, dig down into the terrain, so you get about 6-7 feet below grade, and then put the dirt bank above that. YOu'll end up with  a wall about 10' high, and most of your shots hitting below grade, and the dirt berm above to catch any strays.

Garandman,

Thanks for the suggestion, and I had thought about doing something along those lines.  My proposed firing position, however,  is maybe 25 yards from our back porch, pool, and shed--basically, the most used and inhabited portion of the property.  

My fiancee would kill me if I turned an area in the middle of that into a bare patch of land with a large berm at the end of it.

A backstop on the other hand could be framed with wood and otherwise look like another shed or something, and, worst case, could be planted with some creeping vine for a less severe look.

And no, I haven't discussed this with her yet--the conversation will be along the lines of "Hey, I'm going to Lowes, need anything?"

It is, after all, easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

Quoted: My fiancee would kill me if I turned an area in the middle of that into a bare patch of land with a large berm at the end of it.

LOL!!!

Nuthin a row of evergreens / shrubs couldn't fix. That, and if your shed isn't on a concrete slab, move it to where it breaks the line of site from the back porch / pool to the range.

And no, I haven't discussed this with her yet--the conversation will be along the lines of "Hey, I'm going to Lowes, need anything?" It is, after all, easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

LOL!!

Best to pull that type of stuff while the honeymoon glow is still strong.

Quoted: Nuthin a row of evergreens / shrubs couldn't fix. That, and if your shed isn't on a concrete slab, move it to where it breaks the line of site from the back porch / pool to the range.

I probably mispoke when I said "25 yards from the house, pool, and shed."  It's 25 yards from the house alright, and 25 from the shed, but about 5 from the pool--wouldn't work.  Oh, and the shed is larger than your average 2 car garage, so no moving THAT thing

LOL!! Best to pull that type of stuff while the honeymoon glow is still strong.

I'm getting it out of the way before the wedding :)

Still, it's not like she's bad or anything--while she doesn't enjoy my hobby she doesn't (like some other women might) attempt to control me into changing either (that's the main reason, honestly, that I don't want to modify that property to that extent--she respects me, I respect her, and I know it'd make her pretty unhappy.)

She also bought me my Glock 23 for my birthday last year, and, if my intel is correct, she just might be getting me a Yugo M48 Mauser for my birthday next week (having your C&R on file at SOG, FAC, Century, AIM, etc is a plus when it comes to gifts! )

Mmm!  Sounds like a stack of tires full of sand is out.

How about a humongous flower planter made out of railroad ties, or maybe pressure treated wood?  The backside could be just graded dirt since, presumably, no one would normally see it.  

Put a few sandbags (or maybe a commercial bullet trap) behind the target to keep rounds from chewing up the ties.

Put the target below the level of the firearm to send the bullets in a downward direction.  Also elevate the firing position as much as possible to the same end.

If you’re going to be facing the sun, you may need an umbrella or such to shield your eyes.  I’m tempted to suggest a gazebo-like shooting stand, but I’m sure this is way more than you want to get involved in!

You should be able to get some ideas from the Technical Division of the NRA.

Quoted: Mmm!  Sounds like a stack of tires full of sand is out.

Definitely--I also thought of worn out truck tires (if there's anything that's easy to find in eastern TN, it's old truck tires!) and discarded the idea based on asthetics and space limitations.

How about a humongous flower planter made out of railroad ties, or maybe pressure treated wood?  The backside could be just graded dirt since, presumably, no one would normally see it.

That's a possibility, though I can't envision a "flower planter" TALL enough to be practical in this use...

Put a few sandbags (or maybe a commercial bullet trap) behind the target to keep rounds from chewing up the ties.

I just found this after a little more searching.  The steel plate shouldn't be too hard, as I work for a company that does metal fabrication and can probably get something of appropriate size at cost, and if necessary, can buy a few hours of machinist time for a case or two of beer.  

Anybody have an opinion on this kind of setup, maybe scaled up to a larger size (48"x48"?)  The mechanics of it (changing the flight path by 90deg and sending the bullet down into the ground) but how effective are they?  How prone to random and unsafe ricochets?

If you’re going to be facing the sun, you may need an umbrella or such to shield your eyes.

The firing direction would be almost directly south, thankfully.

I’m tempted to suggest a gazebo-like shooting stand, but I’m sure this is way more than you want to get involved in!

"Hey honey, you know that Gazebo you always wanted...?"  ROFL!

You should be able to get some ideas from the Technical Division of the NRA.

Now THAT is a VERY good idea, which I should have thought of.  Thank you for that suggestion!

You need to keep in mind that even though you will do a good job on the firing-line side of the site, you will need a BIG SIGN (by the field?) as far downrange as can be that says something to the effect "DANGER! SHOOTING RANGE...STAY AWAY...NO TRESPASSING"...You never know who might be cutting through your back yard at an ubfortunate instance.

Quoted: You need to keep in mind that even though you will do a good job on the firing-line side of the site, you will need a BIG SIGN (by the field?) as far downrange as can be that says something to the effect "DANGER! SHOOTING RANGE...STAY AWAY...NO TRESPASSING"...You never know who might be cutting through your back yard at an ubfortunate instance.

My yard isn't where any potential problems would be--in fact, the backstop I propose to create will butt up against my property line.  It's the neighbor's yard that's the problem, which is why I'm looking to create a safe backstop, and obviously, the bigger the better.