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Range maintenance

nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
edited March 2013 in General Discussion
I'm the unofficial caretaker of our local "dirt range" and it's been in need of some TLC.

Previously, I used wooded posts to hang peg board from. Once the peg board got shot up, the lazy SOBs who also use it but don't put any effort into it would just hang their targets from the wooden poles and shoot the hell out of them.

I finally got smart and put in some steel fence posts. Pretty much indestructible and a lot easier to install than the thick posts.[:D]

I'm a genius.

Comments

  • Sig220_Ruger77Sig220_Ruger77 Member Posts: 12,754 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer
    I'm the unofficial caretaker of our local "dirt range" and it's been in need of some TLC.

    Previously, I used wooded posts to hang peg board from. Once the peg board got shot up, the lazy SOBs who also use it but don't put any effort into it would just hang their targets from the wooden poles and shoot the hell out of them.

    I finally got smart and put in some steel fence posts. Pretty much indestructible and a lot easier to install than the thick posts.[:D]

    I'm a genius.


    We have exactly the same issues at the local range I use. I just can't get them to switch to steel posts. They are too worried about ricochets.

    Jon
  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I use T post, it's a soft metal so it breaks or is penetrated easily. replace as needed.
  • 35 Whelen35 Whelen Member Posts: 14,307 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I couldn't help but notice an old t.v. being used as a target stand, at the nearby "dirt range" here. Filled the bed of my truck with garbage on the way home. Bunch of lazy cowards, that type of people are, that do crap like that.
    An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.
  • retroxler58retroxler58 Member Posts: 32,693 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One of the ranges I frequent uses plastic "50 gal drums" or probably 35 gal drums actually...
    They wrap the drum with cheap chicken wire and fix it by wires ties...
    Then the shooters can hang their targets on the chicken wire.

    Bullets pass through the drums and chicken wire with minimal damage.
    Typically a single drum will last the entire year...
    The chicken wire usually needs to be replaced about 4 or 5 times.

    The cool thing is you can place the drum anywhere from within a few yards to 100 yards easily.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    No steel at the range closet to me allowed, the have rail road ties sunk in, and osb as target hangers, it gets shot up before the weather does its job, homes are to close to risk a ricochet
  • nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't have to worry about ricochets; there's not a house within a mile of the range.
  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer
    Don't have to worry about ricochets; there's not a house within a mile of the range.


    Just the ones that come right back at ya.
  • MMOMEQ-55MMOMEQ-55 Member Posts: 13,134
    edited November -1
    My range is my back yard so I guess I am the official caretaker. I use the signs that realtors put out on street corners. The law requires them to be at least 10' from the edge of the road. They put them right next to the road and you cannot see whats coming up the road. I will jump out and throw them in the back of my truck if they are blocking the view of on coming traffic. Had a local LEO wave thanks to me one day when I pulled up a sign. Saved him the trouble. Most weekends those signs are out there. If I don't need targets I pull them up and throw them on the ground. One would think they would have learned by now. 10' is the limit. Any closer and it's illegal.
  • kidthatsirishkidthatsirish Member Posts: 6,983 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MMOMEQ-55
    My range is my back yard so I guess I am the official caretaker. I use the signs that realtors put out on street corners. The law requires them to be at least 10' from the edge of the road. They put them right next to the road and you cannot see whats coming up the road. I will jump out and throw them in the back of my truck if they are blocking the view of on coming traffic. Had a local LEO wave thanks to me one day when I pulled up a sign. Saved him the trouble. Most weekends those signs are out there. If I don't need targets I pull them up and throw them on the ground. One would think they would have learned by now. 10' is the limit. Any closer and it's illegal.


    +1 Me and my buddies use those things as well!, They work great, just slap your paper target up and shoot, at the end of the day just throw it in the bed of the truck and go!....The guys who shoot up tvs and stuff like that just tick me off as well, makes the entire range look trashy, and while I am not a "tree hugger" by any stretch of the imagination, I do believe it is our job to take care of this planet in a sensible and practicle way which means pick up after your friggin self!
  • cnsaycnsay Member Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am one of the volunteers that do range maintenance for our local range. We use 2x4's dropped into buried PVC pipes with corrugated plastic signs supported between two uprights and one set low to tie them together . The 2x4's are junky ones donated by a local sawmill, and the signs are misprints and test samples from a sign shop plus political ones in season. The tie board at the bottom also acts as a spot to put clay pigeons so the uprights aren't shot up as bad. Targets staple up nicely to the corrugated plastic and it holds up to most calibers pretty well. The 50 caliber stuff and the shotguns are hard on them though. We have targets set at 25,50, 100, and 200 yards, and since setting the current stands up we have much less mess and destruction.

    As a side note the clean up on Mondays that I do is much easier this year with the lack of ammo. Usually hundreds of 22's to sweep up after the weekend, but this year maybe 50 or so.
  • CbtEngr01CbtEngr01 Member Posts: 4,340
    edited November -1
    kinda hard to beat 2 poles with 2 wires running between them. Use clothes pins to hang targets.
  • jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I love the political signs especially the democrats. I can vent my anger an it only cost me the price of ammo instead of life in prison.[:)]
    Jw
  • CbtEngr01CbtEngr01 Member Posts: 4,340
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jwharding
    I love the political signs especially the democrats. I can vent my anger an it only cost me the price of ammo instead of life in prison.[:)]
    Jw


    agreed!! Those are the best target stands you can steal
  • MMOMEQ-55MMOMEQ-55 Member Posts: 13,134
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jwharding
    I love the political signs especially the democrats. I can vent my anger an it only cost me the price of ammo instead of life in prison.[:)]
    Jw



    Me too, I had 6 Obama signs I used. Simply put 1" orange dots all over it and shoot away.
  • ChrisInTempeChrisInTempe Member Posts: 15,562
    edited November -1
    I use shipping boxes and tape on targets. Picked up a couple of large boxes from Home Depot, they sell some moving supplies. When I am done I pop off the tape keeping the box in shape, fold it up and toss it in the car.

    I shoot out on open public land. Desert dry washes, canyons in the foothills of the mountains. Quit going to the public ranges due to the Range Officers behaving rudely. Claiming all the brass on the ground is their's (we had to agree to disagree ... sort of). That and just too darned regimented.

    I do see lots of trash out there. Always try to bring back some of the litter people have left behind. Can be real disgusting sometimes to see how much trash people will shoot to pieces and drive away from.
  • trapguy2007trapguy2007 Member Posts: 8,959
    edited November -1
    Our club has over 400 members of which maybe 25 do any type of improvement or repair work on the ranges.
    The rest just enjoy the labor of the few.
  • jev1969jev1969 Member Posts: 2,691
    edited November -1
    The rest just enjoy the labor of the few.

    THe same direction the entire country is headed...[V]
  • wpagewpage Member Posts: 10,201 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We took angle irons 10' long set 4 of them with welded brackets to accept 2"x n" dimension crossbars...
    The angle irons are positioned diagonal to avoid any risk of ricochets.

    Generally old plywood is screwed to the crossbars which are 40" appart. and targets are stapled to the plywood.

    These replaced the shot up telephone pole predecessors.
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer


    I'm a genius.
    My thoughts too.[8D]
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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