advice on gun range at my property

[Newbshooter]

I have a large flat property, i want to build a small range for some pistol shooting and 22 rifle plinking. I have a 40 caliber handgun, id like to do practice shooting at 10 yards. I have set up a range that I shoot downhill into some haybales to hold targets and act as a backstop to help slow rounds, behind the backstop is a seasonal creek. even if the bullets go through backstop since Im shooting downhill I would expect they shouldn't go more that 100 feet before hitting the dirt. My property goes back another 100 yards where there is an open ranch and the terrain rises. I have the following questions.

1. can a large caliber handgun bullet lodged in a haybale cause it to catch fire?
2. Is there any backing material that I can put behind haybales to stop bullets other than metal?
3. if I were to get some sheet steel how think would it have to be?

Your polite helpful answers are appreciated

[davidj]

Can you dump large piles of dirt behind that bale to act as the back stop?

[Newbshooter]

Can you dump large piles of dirt behind that bale to act as the back stop?

I might be able to convince my neighbor who has a tractor to help me do that

[Djantlive]

two relatively easy way to build backstops are:

- build a berm using compacted soil. a bull dozer can build that quickly

- get logs of rail road wood piles. these can be found delivered for free sometimes

I'd not use steel unless you are shooting 25 yds minimum and steel needs to be angled properly any ways.

i don't think rounds shooting through hay will set fire but anything can happen so keep fire extinguisher or blanket.

it doesn't sound like there are any structures in proximity for noise to be an issue. Double check on your county / city laws.

[sigstroker]

Or old tires filled with dirt.

[davidj]

Can you dump large piles of dirt behind that bale to act as the back stop?

Have you watched any of the "Honest Outlaw" reviews? Check out his dirt back stop he has on his pistol range.

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=youtube+honest+outlaw+videos&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_dbtNfATQhk

[Newbshooter]

two relatively easy way to build backstops are:

- build a berm using compacted soil. a bull dozer can build that quickly

- get logs of rail road wood piles. these can be found delivered for free sometimes

I'd not use steel unless you are shooting 25 yds minimum and steel needs to be angled properly any ways.

i don't think rounds shooting through hay will set fire but anything can happen so keep fire extinguisher or blanket.

it doesn't sound like there are any structures in proximity for noise to be an issue. Double check on your county / city laws.

Logs , I didn't think about that I have hundreds of oak trees on my property that I want to clear out a lot of them are less than a foot diameter.

[Newbshooter]

I do have a 1.5 inch firehose fed by irrigation water on hand

[Marauder2003]

Have you checked locals rules about gun discharging? Local rules about lead? Neighbors?

[baih777]

Dont use haybales.

[balver58]

I'll second the no hay bale idea. Depending on how tight the bales are bound the .40 might pass through. If the bullet lodges in the bale it could be ingested by a farm animal. No bueno either way.

[mk2dave]

I know three feet of chewed up tires will eat everything up to and including .50 BMG. That's what an indoor range I used to work at used before someone brought in a tracer round and started the Smoke Show. Why people got so excited about shooting a .50 at a 50 foot range I'll never know.

So while rubber would work, I'd go the wood route. It's natural, and I think it would reasonably limit the lead contamination.

[Skip_Dog]

Dirt berm is the way to go.

[squeeze]

I hate to ask but: have you talked with you insurance agent?

[k1dude]

Hay bales are for arrows, not bullets. As others have said, get someone with a bobcat or skid loader to build you a down and dirty berm. I'd personally keep the berm far from the creek so you don't pollute the creek with lead.