concerned about taking up c/f rifles (bullet overtravel)

[Thirties]

I have about 20 acres of private woods where I shoot. I restrict myself to c/f pistols and .22lr rimfire rifles because I’m concerned about excess bullet travel. The property is sloped, so I always shoot uphill in a direction where there is a great deal of land (uphill) to the edge of the property. I am not concerned with the safety of my “gallery” using the .22 rifles and center fire pistols. My shooting consists entirely of targets, plinking, and the very occasional squirrel. I’m not a hunter, and don’t plan on shooting game.

I am asking folks here to chime in on the use of center fire rifles (say .223; .303; .308; or 7.62x39 caliber) in such a situation. My gut tells me to avoid such a thing, but I’d love to get a carbine in any of the above calibers.

What my gut worries about is excessive and dangerous travel of high velocity rifle ammo. But I also am shooting into the same sloping land.

Am I overly concerned; or should I just have a ball with a new weapon?

Please give me your reasoned opinions.

 

[Jamie Young]

If you see the other Post here about 22LR penetration, you have just as much of a chance of putting a 22LR into somebody's bedroom as you would with a more powerful round. Grab a shovel and spend a few days diggin a nice mound of dirt. Throw some sand bags or Dirt bags there. Or go get tons of logs and bind them all together.

 

[C.R.Sam]

If you are shooting into earthen backstop you are all right and should be just as safe with any rifle.

If you are depending on the distance to your property line....you are unsafe with ANY cardridge.

If your 20 is sorta square, your longest distance would be less than 500 yards.

Sam

 

[KSFreeman]

Rule #4!!!

The NRA and the DoD have great info on range construction. The ones I've had a hand in, I use multilayered construction with sand. Build it high, then even higher.

Don't listen to the GSCs about "just don't miss." You MAY miss every once in a while and, believe it or not, bullets go through stuff (go figure).

 

[Thirties]

<The NRA and the DoD have great info on range construction. The ones I've had a hand in, I use multilayered construction with sand.>

Freeman, would you please send me the links to this info? I'd be much obliged.

spiros

 

[Art Eatman]

Any neighboring backhoes? In less than an hour you can have a ten-foot wide notch into your hillside, some four feet deep.

Get some old RR crossties. Set them such that from your shooting position you're looking at stairsteps slanting away from you, above your notch and with the spoil dirt behind and under them. (Soil pressure against a vertical wall is a Bad Thing.)

You'd have a 10' wide by around 8' high backstop that would stop anything.

Art