Which direction to build a range?

[Char-Gar]

If you were going to place a 100 yards shooting range on your property and could face it any direction of the compass, what would it be?

I would think shooting East into the rising sun would be a bad idea if most of your shooting was done in the morning. Ditto shooting West if you shot late afternoon.

So, what is the collective wisdom of this group on the matter at hand?

[scrapcan]

Don't forget to account for the prevailing wind.

May not be a problem some places but where I live it must be taken into account. It is also important to learn how to use wind flags, even if most rudimentary. This is because the only prevailing thing with wind here is that it blows.

[klausg]

I'm with manleyjt on this one; the sun I can put up with, crosswinds aren't much fun. I would probably face south, (more light, longer), but the wind would be my biggest factor.

-Klaus

[felix]

Prevailing wind coming into your BACK would give you more enjoyment as an outing. Crosswinds would be mo'betta' for shooting enjoyment (eliminate boredom). Sun in your face is a complete turnoff in terms of both an outing and shooting. ... felix

[BruceB]

In the northern hemisphere, it's best to have a range set up so that direction of fire is to the north or north-east.

By doing this, the light from the sun is always behind the shooter, and northeast is the second choice. Most shooting takes place from about mid-morning to late afternoon. Therefore, from say, 9:00am to sundown, shots are fired away from the direction of the sun.

In most areas of the USA, prevailing winds are westerly, which gives a crosswind condition on a north-south range. However, wind is decidedly secondary to proper light direction.

[dragonrider]

If the terrain offered not restrictions I would face it north. sun would not be problem. At our club the ranges face almost due north and the afternoon is the best time for shooting, sun always at your back. Although in early morning we get some deep shadows at the 200 yard berm.

[Larry Gibson]

BruceB nailed the direction most all "real" ranges are laid out in and the reasons for it.

"In the northern hemisphere, it's best to have a range set up so that direction of fire is to the north or north-east."

However, most of the established ranges were laid out back when the land was relatively undeveloped and zoning restrictions were few. These days privately owned personal ranges are restriced by the lay of the land so to speak. Quite frankly I would give safety (back stop and fan of fire) my first priortiy and then look to maximise the distance available. Firing points can be shaded to deal with the sun (except on the rise or setting) and the wind is always a challenge but but would be my last consideration.

Larry Gibson

[woody1]

In the northern hemisphere, it's best to have a range set up so that direction of fire is to the north or north-east.

By doing this, the light from the sun is always behind the shooter, and northeast is the second choice. Most shooting takes place from about mid-morning to late afternoon. Therefore, from say, 9:00am to sundown, shots are fired away from the direction of the sun.

In most areas of the USA, prevailing winds are westerly, which gives a crosswind condition on a north-south range. However, wind is decidedly secondary to proper light direction.

I'm with Bruce and where I live the prevaling wind is out of the SW and with my range facing NE, the wind's at my back too. Regards, Woody

[mooman76]

I vote north also but I would consider which way the wind mostly blows. Here it comes from the north in winter and from the south in summer. When will you be shooting most? Summer, fall, winter? If you are going to buld one I would get some sand for the area shooting for retreaving lead latter! Must be awfull having to make such tuff choices like which way to build your range!

[AZ-Stew]

Bruce B nailed it. You want to control the lighting. Your question asked which direction to shoot if the range "could face it any direction of the compass", and considering this, you've apparently accounted for downrange safety, so that's the proper response. I've shot on ranges that were oriented in other directions, and I'll tell you that at certain times of day it's very difficult to aim precisely due to bad lighting.

Wind is something to think about, but I wouldn't let it override the issue of lighting. You'll almost always have to deal with wind, and its direction and speed will vary, so it's not something you can positively control in your range design.

Regards,

Stew

[MGySgt]

My range is set WNW - due to the lay of the land to give me a ridge where the dozer could cut me a good path through the woods.

Trees at the 100yd line keep the after noon sun out of my eyes. There is some small problems late in the day at the pistol range (same berm) but if you move a few feet to the left, the shooter is in the shadows. There is still enough light late in the day to have have sun light on the target stands.

All target stands and benchs are moveable, the benchs are heavy 4X4 Skids on the bottom, they are not easy to move but can be done by hand for short distances. If I have to move one very far, I use my tractor to pull it.

Because the path is only 30 ft wide I only have to deal with a head or tail wind.

Note: The imact area for both the rifle and pistol are actually below grade level with an additional berm placed on top. The county Sherrif liked the set up and stated none of my neighbors could complain about safety. I also normally do not shoot before 9:00AM on weekends incase the neighbors want to sleep in. During the week, is another story.

Drew

[klausg]

I figure I ought to update my response, so you guys don't think I'm an idiot. On further thought, I remembered that not everyone lives up here where we either have way too many daylight hours or too few. Hence my want for southern exposure to maximize the amount of light hitting the range, particularily this time of year. The range where I generally shoot, faces roughly north; it's great in the summer, but this time of year you only have around 4 hours of good shooting light.

-Klaus

[NVcurmudgeon]

Ranges that I have enjoyed shooting on have been either firing W to E, or S to N.
The W to E ranges seem to have been laid out that way because of best backstop, with a 6:00 prevailing wind a secondary advantage. One range near to me is S to N, which in its location affords the best backstop and a 6:00 wind. The range that I am starting to decide is my favorite is down in a hole with wind not much of a factor, and has the desirable (to me) S to N orientation. This range could have been laid out in almost any direction and had safe backstops and little wind. That makes me think that the builders chose S to N because they would never have to be shootng into the sun.

[Char-Gar]

Here is deep South Texas we have no winter to speak of being semi-tropical in climate. So shooting is a year around thing. However in the summer it is best to be done by 10 or 11 am before the heats really sets in.

The wind most often blows from a South Easterly direction.

[felix]

You are in good shape, then, to shoot into any northern direction. Most fun shooting into the NE, the most relaxing into the NW, and for a compromise into the direct N. Finally, after all is said and done, pick the safest. ... felix

[grumpy one]

Here in Australia we mostly have extremely bright light, so the idea of shooting north (which would be toward the sun here) is simply insane. However shooting isn't a hobby that receives much public support, so you have to be a long way from anywhere, and have a really extreme backstop, if you want to shoot centerfire rifle. Preferred backstop is a steep hill with empty and inaccessible public land behind it. Even here that isn't all that easy to find, since wood-cutters can turn up almost anywhere in four wheel drives. In the end it boils down to having the best shooting light for the part of the day when the wind isn't troublesome. My local range (meaning it's a bit over an hour's drive away from home, and is the only one in this part of the state I have access to) is windy, so most people don't go unless the weather forecast is for light or light to moderate wind. On such days you can usually shoot from range opening at 9 a.m. until about 11 a.m., after which the wind (which is always directly across the range, but varies in strength continuously) pretty much obviates shooting groups for load development. Of course the competitive shooters have different views, since the wind is an important part of the challenge, but for load development it's just a pain.

So my suggestion is to figure out what local conditions are during the part of the day you are going to shoot. I personally find it pretty much impractical to shoot anywhere but way, way out in the bush (hours from any city) or on a proper official range, because of the safety issues. I used to own a hobby farm, which I bought partly as a private range, but never fired a shot there. I marked out a 200 yard range along a ridge top toward a hill, and checked with the local authorities that it would be OK to shoot (that was no problem - it was in deer-hunting country and people were used to the noise) but it involved shooting across a farm track on my own land. A neighbour used that track pretty regularly (I'd given standing permission for him to do that, to get to his cow birthing paddock), and sometimes he had city-folks visit him and use it too, for a horse track. There was no way I could make that track safe without locking gates and posting warning signs before I started shooting, and dismantling it all afterward. Doing that without warning my neighbour in advance (and he could have been anywhere on his 1200 acres) would have been downright un-neighbourly. So, I didn't fire a shot for the five years I owned the farm. Then I got smarter - sold the farm and went back to using the public range.

[sundog]

The civilized range I shoot at, a private club, shoot hunert and two, due north. Early morning and late aftenoon can be tough. Summer is worse as the sun is higher. Winter best when the sun is lower and put light more directly on the target.. Target board should be tilted back [several single digit degrees] to take advantage of the light. Maybe next time we rebuild them. Put as much light on the target as possible.

At home, my range is due south and the light mostly sucks, but I'm happeir than a clam to have a 50 yard range behind the barn! My shooting bench is under a leanto, so that helps. Walk out back and shoot. sundog

[Ron]

My club is currently building a 50 metre pistol range on the southern side of Melbourne, Oz. The range is orientated to the south. Seven metre high berm to the south and the west. The prevaling wind is from the west so the range will have a cross wind but that dosn't cause much of a problem over 50 metres and the western berm should cut most of it out. By the time the range is completed we will have put approx. 65,000 cubic metres of soil into it. Then we have to build the clubroom and associated out buildings.

[Ranch Dog]

If you were going to place a 100 yards shooting range on your property and could face it any direction of the compass, what would it be?

Chargar...

I built a range on my ranch and positioned it NW/SE. I'm able to shoot with the predominate wind, SE, at my 0600 position about 75% of the time. Our predominate winter wind is from the NW. I agree with the comments about a crosswind but if you are cutting this through the native brush, that brush does a lot to eliminate the wind. It seems that main though here has been the direction dictated by the elements of sun and wind but the primary thought has to be directed by what is behind the backstop. I assume that this is for high power rifle and pistol so you need to take a pretty good look at what is several miles downrange.

My range has target berms at 25, 50, 100, 200, 250, and 300-yards. I'm just a levergun shooter but I shoot at every one of them. Here is what target berms look like...

http://gunloads.com/fam/ranchdogmolds/Share/Range Backstop.jpg

The earthen berms extend out both sides and above the treated post frames. There is enough room for me to walk behind this frame with a weed-eater to clean things up. I had a bulldozer push up the mound of dirt that serves as the berm and learned it is important to push it up from behind as you don't want to create a low spot that collects water at your targets. I had to do some filling in front of several of my target stands. It is hard to tell but the berm is two feet above the target stand and extends out the sides two feet on each side. I had a couple of pits dug for burnable trash and use the the dirt removed from these holes to refresh the berms. It hasn't taken much since I let the grass cover the berms. Weeds or brush growing off the berms will set up erosion. I used bull panels and snap link them in place. I get four target stand out of one 16' panel. They will get shot up but the steel gives easy and hasn't produced any ricochets.

My shooting line is covered and has two benches. You can sit at a bench and the target berms are arranged in a fan shape in front of you, centered between the 100 and 200-yard berms. Turning just a few degrees either way puts you on any of the targets. I have some people ask why the 250-yard berm, they simply haven't shot at 300-yards. Ballistic tables can trick a fellow into believing he can shoot at 300-yards but often they don't tell the truth the further out you get. I work my guns out there in 50-yard increments.

Just like one mold is never enough, always assume that the distance won't be enough and you will want more berms.

[VTDW]

I love to follow Michael around the forums and comment behind him.:mrgreen: I have had the pleasure of shooting Michaels range and it is the very best I have shot...barr none!! A lot of thought has obviously gone into his range and I would sure be a Kopy Kat myself if I had the property to do a range up good and proper. Those bull panels are just awesome!!! No plywood to ever worry about and lots of room to place targets quickly and easily. The first thing I noticed was the fact that he took care to shoot with the prevailing winds when he set up his range.

Didn't think I noticed eh Michael?:-D

Dave

[Char-Gar]

Thanks gents... You have answered my question well and fully.

[Ranch Dog]

I love to follow Michael around the forums and comment behind him.:mrgreen: I have had the pleasure of shooting Michaels range and it is the very best I have shot...barr none!! A lot of thought has obviously gone into his range and I would sure be a Kopy Kat myself if I had the property to do a range up good and proper. Those bull panels are just awesome!!! No plywood to ever worry about and lots of room to place targets quickly and easily. The first thing I noticed was the fact that he took care to shoot with the prevailing winds when he set up his range.

Didn't think I noticed eh Michael?:-D

Dave

Thanks much for the compliments Dave... We shot and hunted in the face of a hurricane guys! I figured you notice just about everything Dave :drinks:

You ought to see it now that I have it finished. I will get some pictures up in the next couple of days. The benches are now covered and I've incorporated all this into a game cleaning area with a electric hoist, water, and electricity. Even have low voltage lights that keep things lit at night so when you show up with your hog you are not stumbling around in the dark.

[38-72]

Living in the mountain west, I like to shoot to the west or northwest early in the day. This puts the sun at my back, and because it is early in the day, I do not have to put up with thermo air currents that occur as the sun heats the air latter in the day.