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1911KY
09-24-2014, 09:15 PM
I joined a local gun club last summer and wasn't overly thrilled with the pistol range. It was basically one single back stop with a narrow shooting alley. There is a lot of available space for improvements.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20140802_184103_zpscalvviei.jpg

For most folks this may suffice as a pistol range, but I like to shoot USPSA style stages and move around and engage multiple targets.

So I submitted a proposal to expand the pistol range to 4 total backstops with a large graveled area to shoot from. All of the stars aligned and the proposal was approved rather quickly.

We started doing some work on it this week. The club rented a bobcat and we used it to prep the range for the additional backstops and cleaned up the old walk paths and began graveling the shooting area, as well as a new walk path out to the rifle backstop.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20140924_192927_zpsjxkj4rfm.jpg

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20140924_192944_zpshw7ywqtu.jpg

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20140924_192953_zpscn2jkgau.jpg

Tomorrow another load of gravel is coming to finish the shooting area. This Saturday I will be stacking the railroad ties to create the 3 additional backstops. I am excited about the new shooting area that we are creating and look to host some pistol shoots for the members once we get it complete.

RED333
09-24-2014, 09:20 PM
Nice work, is that your little helper?

1911KY
09-24-2014, 09:28 PM
That would be my shadow! She has to go where dad goes. She came home filthy, mom wasn't too happy!

1911KY
09-29-2014, 10:39 AM
After work on Friday I managed to get this much accomplished before it got dark on me.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140926_202319_zpsanlm3kud.jpg

I was so tired that I didn't even notice how un-level it was until the next day. So I moved the ties on Saturday and managed to get this far by myself before I had to leave for my girls soccer game.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20140927_100401_zps30sddbgv.jpg

After the soccer game I had some help and we managed to get all the ties stacked (6 high) with vertical supports in the ground and supported in the rear with metal cables and metal stakes driven in the ground. I will get some pics of the latest progress on Tuesday when I head back down there. We should have the second load of gravel dumped and spread by then.

1911KY
10-02-2014, 11:30 AM
Went down last night and put some lag bolts into the top ties. They were dumping the final load of gravel while I was there and the rubber belting had been delivered. The gravel is being spread today and I am going down after work to cut the rubber into strips to cover the front of the backstops. Won't be long now!

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20141002_112522_zpszweekv0a.jpg

1911KY
10-03-2014, 10:46 AM
I would say it is 99% complete at this point. Just need to rake the gravel now that it has been spread and place my yardage markers and that will be it. I am very please with how it turned out.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/20141002_192241_zpstdajiv7q.jpg

I let the rubber pieces run down the slopes in the front so the rain won't wash away my base. I placed some cut timbers at the bottom of the left hand backstops (not in pics) so folks can step up and staple targets to the backing if they so choose. I bring my own freestanding targets so not really an issue for me.
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20141002_210452_zpsejlm7scc.jpg

Now for a good rain so I can check out the drainage!

1911KY
10-03-2014, 10:48 AM
I may try to lobby for another run on the left hand side as we have 5 ties left over and would only need to purchase 3 more.

Pinsnscrews
10-09-2014, 03:02 PM
Nice work! I must say, those tall beams are begging to have some steel plates strung between them ;-)

1911KY
10-09-2014, 03:42 PM
Thanks! I wish I could, they don't let us shoot any steel targets. Another battle I may be fighting soon!

1911KY
10-17-2014, 01:57 PM
Had my first shoot on the new range setup:

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20141011_105601_zpsuzk13bcb.jpg

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20141011_105623_zpsne60q5wc.jpg

Good times! The new setup is great and spacious! It had rained all night before this and the gravel held up well. No more mud and salvaging brass is much easier.

RED333
10-17-2014, 07:38 PM
Nice looking setup, hows the mats holding up?

1911KY
10-17-2014, 09:30 PM
Nice looking setup, hows the mats holding up?

It does pretty well. It's old mining conveyor belt. Not real sure why they require it to be on there, but it makes lead mining a little easier as it holds the bullets against the ties.