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Berm


JohnWesleyHardin

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Our club wants to build a berm to enable us to go down range.  None of our stages allow us to do that.  Basically, we want to build an alley in the middle of a stage like a mine entrance or something similar.  Any advise as to materials or design?

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At one of my clubs we built an "NRA Wall."  Not sure where the specs came from (assumed from the NRA?) but it is a series of 6x6 posts spaced about 8 feet apart with 2x dimensional lumber (2x10s I think) lag bolted horizontally on both sides of the posts and filled in the middle with gravel. I think we used crusher run, or as it is called, variously, crush 'n run, B3 & fines, or whatever is  common in your neck of the woods. Around here it's crushed bluestone.   That type of wall is common around here to separate firing positions. 

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You can also find some concrete forms. Build the wall 8 ft. high x 8 inches thick x however long you need it. You'll also have to pour a footing 2 feet wide by 1 foot thick. For every 5 feet of wall it takes about a yard of concrete. Backfill really good around the footing. An 8 foot high dirt berm is usually 3 times wider at the base. Concrete walls aren't too expensive if you get free labor. Dump the wet concrete into the top of the form with a backhoe or loader bucket. If you are limited on space concrete walls will save room over dirt. And, they last.

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3 hours ago, Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463 said:

What stage are they thinking of doing?

 

As you can see, stage 7, the hardware store, is gone.  When we started inspecting it, it literally started falling apart.

Screenshot_20191014-223426_Messages.jpg

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14 hours ago, Ripsaw said:

At one of my clubs we built an "NRA Wall."  Not sure where the specs came from (assumed from the NRA?) but it is a series of 6x6 posts spaced about 8 feet apart with 2x dimensional lumber (2x10s I think) lag bolted horizontally on both sides of the posts and filled in the middle with gravel. I think we used crusher run, or as it is called, variously, crush 'n run, B3 & fines, or whatever is  common in your neck of the woods. Around here it's crushed bluestone.   That type of wall is common around here to separate firing positions. 

The specs might have come from the NRA Range Source Book.  I've never spent $60 for one so I don't know.  I prefer ranges with side berms as it allows stage design with downrange movement, allows target resetting and repair without affecting other ranges and prevents lead splatter into adjacent ranges.

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Gunsmoke up in Minnesota uses stacked crossties extensively.  Seems to work well where earthen berms are not feasible!!

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The range that I am a member of uses gravel between 1.5 inch thick walls made of wood.   It uses 6x6 timbers (I think) sunk vertically into the ground to support the horizontal boards.  It's about 8 inches of gravel between the boards.  I tested it for cowboy with 200 grain 45 colts loads out of a rifle and nothing happened other than the holes in the boards..  

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8 hours ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

The specs might have come from the NRA Range Source Book.  I've never spent $60 for one so I don't know.  I prefer ranges with side berms as it allows stage design with downrange movement, allows target resetting and repair without affecting other ranges and prevents lead splatter into adjacent ranges.

every local range (5 around Richmond, VA)  that I shoot at has berms or walls between stages and almost always loading and UL tables that do not share the firing line.  We do a some downrange movement from time to time as well.  

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22 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

Railroad ties do not age well. There is a range in No. CA that has had a bullet go through them from the LT and nearly miss two shooters at the next stage ULT.

Nearly missed?????? You mean it hit them???????????;)

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berms are a good thng, for lots of reasons.  

 

That being said I dont care all that much for downrange movement.  seems like somebody always forgets to prpoerly stage their rifle, or when done turns around and has gun pointed uprange.  in my opinion many (not all or even most) stages with downrange mvemen seem contrived and more trouble than they are worth. 

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24 minutes ago, Hoss said:

berms are a good thng, for lots of reasons.  

 

That being said I dont care all that much for downrange movement.  seems like somebody always forgets to prpoerly stage their rifle, or when done turns around and has gun pointed uprange.  in my opinion many (not all or even most) stages with downrange mvemen seem contrived and more trouble than they are worth. 

I am of the opposite opinion.

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51 minutes ago, Matthew Duncan said:

I am of the opposite opinion.

And you are 100% entitled to your opinion!

 I don’t avoid clubs with down range movement stages, just not my favorite.  I do prefer when there is downrange that requires rifle to be left behind to have a table with an angled marker to restage on, as opposed to vertically. 

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44 minutes ago, wyliefoxEsquire said:

Bales of corn stock, BIG bales,  REALLY   B I G bales.

I recall a club in Colorado using them.

Those are at Briggsdale, Co and they are doubled up I believe. Hope y'all are doing well. 

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thanks 

All is well in Reno.  Busy Month 23 Annual ROOP County Days & Nevada State Wild Bunch Match, Nevada State Cowboy Match and Senior games.

 

Hope to see you all soon

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At the Turkeyfoot Cowboys range earlier this year we built a wall just like what you're asking about. We used 4x6s, the 6 is the width of the wall. We screwed 3/4" plywood to each side and filled the cavity with sand but pea gravel would work too. Topped it off with a metal. Works great.

Lanky Frame

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