Backyard Range Backstop Ideas

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Getting settled into our new place and finally have enough room to set up a shooting range in the pasture. Not looking to run any crazy competitions or trainings - mainly for dialing in rifles and practice out to 500 yards along with some pistols and getting the wife and kiddo some trigger time. Our property backs up to an old gravel pit and they piled up their tailings pile along the boundary line which runs 60-80’ in height so it’s about perfect for a secondary backstop.

Looking to put in a fairly simple “U” shaped burm approx. 6-8’ in height and thinking roughly 6-10’ wide. Planning on having a truckload or 2 of fill dirt brought in for the burm. Originally I was planning on using railroad ties as retaining wall of sorts since I have access to a pile of them but after some research I’m getting mixed feedback on using them.

Wondering if anyone has some experience with building one and has any tips or things to avoid.

 

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Bumping this back up for any insight. Looking like I’m going to have some extra time around the house and my neighbor with a tractor is getting bored already...

 

[tdhanses]

I’m part of a private range, we just have dirt berms 10’ high and about 20’ long. That should be plenty and you probably would be fine with an 8’ high and 12‘ wide one.

 

[5 shot group]

I would skip the railroad ties and just do a dirt berm. Saves money, nothing to build, no upkeep.

 

[packer58]

Railroad ties would be a pain, unless you pin or anchor them the load of your fill material will simply push them over. Old tires will work pretty well if you stack them in a staggered overlapping arrangement, fill with dirt as you go up with your berm. They lock together pretty well once filled with material.

 

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Appreciate the input fellas

 

[Murtfree]

I built several back stops for my ranges and am not sure what you have access too. I have a cement plant near me and they make 2’ x 6’ concrete wall retainers out of the excess scrap concrete that comes back in the trucks from job sites. Last time I bought them they were about $25 a block. They are cheap because you are basicly hauling away their scrap for them. They weigh over 3000lbs a piece but make a great retaining wall to build a backstop. I’ve attached a picture of my 300yd backstop (needs new Homesote backers) and my pistol range behind my house. These were fairly inexpensive to build and more than do the job if you have the equipment to move them