I need some opinions.
Re: I need some opinions.
i have steel bullets for my mosin...and .22s arent worth finding...i probably wont own any other guns for awhile...now would you cover the ties with dirt or leave them in the open?
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
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Greasemonkey
- Posts: 2689
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Re: I need some opinions.
Mine is very similar to what you have in the drawing, with the tires just behind the ties. The RR ties I found at a landscaping company, reclaimed for use around flower beds ect. Go for the most solid wood, some can be rotted out in the center, and put any broken spikes facing the back side. From a distance, it just looks like an old retaining wall. A coworker has a slightly different berm setup, instead of tires, he used 2 layers of ties 4ft high and dirt piled behind the ties, makes it a little harder to change the ties, but works just as well.
I used old used truck tires off tractor trailers, being a truck mechanic, it was easy. My berm is 3 tires wide x 4 tires high, around 4 ft high x 12 ft long x 3 ft deep roughly, staggered slightly to eliminate any openings. Check with tire shops, truck repair places, recap shops ect. You may find a road service tech who could point you in the right direction also. I'm sure auto tires would work the same, just need more of them. Most small auto shops have them laying around, you may ask some of them. The rail ties take massive punishment, but are replaceable. Over the years I have had to add dirt, it settles over time. After 7 years, no bullet has passed thru the thing that I can tell by looking at the back of it, it's had .22 short, .338 Win Mag all the way to a .458 Win Mag thrown at it.
I can say, the rail ties alone won't stop a x54r, 8mm ect. I've heard of the rubberized type mulch being used in the same style berm, people use it to easily reclaim the lead/copper, but dirt is free.
I would also like others suggested, I would get the law involved, more or less just to cover your backside type thing.
I used old used truck tires off tractor trailers, being a truck mechanic, it was easy. My berm is 3 tires wide x 4 tires high, around 4 ft high x 12 ft long x 3 ft deep roughly, staggered slightly to eliminate any openings. Check with tire shops, truck repair places, recap shops ect. You may find a road service tech who could point you in the right direction also. I'm sure auto tires would work the same, just need more of them. Most small auto shops have them laying around, you may ask some of them. The rail ties take massive punishment, but are replaceable. Over the years I have had to add dirt, it settles over time. After 7 years, no bullet has passed thru the thing that I can tell by looking at the back of it, it's had .22 short, .338 Win Mag all the way to a .458 Win Mag thrown at it.
I can say, the rail ties alone won't stop a x54r, 8mm ect. I've heard of the rubberized type mulch being used in the same style berm, people use it to easily reclaim the lead/copper, but dirt is free.
I would also like others suggested, I would get the law involved, more or less just to cover your backside type thing.
I said I was an addict. I didn't say I had a problem.
Re: I need some opinions.
I mean just dirt would be a good idea i guess...the problem i see with ties is getting them home...i only have a ford ranger...they weigh a lot each....i could fill my bed full of dirt and be able to just scoop it out and in a few loads make a berm...
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
IverRe: I need some opinions.
Ive rented back hoes and bobcats and they weren't to expensive less then $100. It would be worth the money. If you can't run a backhoe a bobcat is really simple and you will be digging and moving dirt in no time. Ypou may be able to have some ties delivered but that would cost money. You could get a few at a time in your ranger but that wqould take time and gas. Youcould always level out the runway leading up to your burm and use the dirt in your tires also.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: I need some opinions.
If i dug out right behind my targets that would be best becuast the little hill is already there yes..and stack the dirt ontop? also..if you rent a bobcat...how to get it there?
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
Re: I need some opinions.
I wouldn't worry about getting any RR ties unless you are going to stack dirt against them, like I mentioned earlier. RR ties alone are not going to stack tight enough or stop bullets for very long, considering your target is going to be going in roughly the same spot. And you typically don't ge tthe nice new ties, you get the reclaimed ones, which can be half rotted out anyway. That's why they were replaced. They will give you a good backstop, or structure, to your range.
You see in this world there are two kinds of people my friend, those with loaded guns... and those who dig. You dig.
Re: I need some opinions.
The main problem with me even moving dirt is that its hard to get a vehicle back there....theres a creek with a bridge but the bridge is a plastic coldesack ..and the side where the creek isnt at is squishy all the time...
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
Re: I need some opinions.
If it is not too deep a bobcat would go across and they make 4 wheel drive back hoes but i understand the dilema though. I wouldn't want to ruin the creek or get a tractor stuck for sure. Have a BBQ shhot range build day with yer buddy's and make sure you have enough shovels and picks and food for them. 
Tell them they can use the range as a trade for services.
Tell them they can use the range as a trade for services.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: I need some opinions.
Sounds like a deal 
What do you think about this...it wouldnt be too difficult to accomplish with a shovel i dont think especially since its already squishy back there and i already have the incline behind my targets.
What do you think about this...it wouldnt be too difficult to accomplish with a shovel i dont think especially since its already squishy back there and i already have the incline behind my targets.-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
Re: I need some opinions.
Looks good to me but i think i would like mine higher. If yo put up some wood like the other guys are suggesting i bet you would be fine. Just make sure and watch your workers so they don't runn off with the gold a diamonds found while digging.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: I need some opinions.
In washington that may be a problem..but no gold here in ohiodesdem12 wrote:Looks good to me but i think i would like mine higher. If yo put up some wood like the other guys are suggesting i bet you would be fine. Just make sure and watch your workers so they don't runn off with the gold a diamonds found while digging.
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
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WeldonHunter
- Posts: 5242
- Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:55 pm
- Location: Louisiana
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Re: I need some opinions.
Lots of good points made on this one. Does this guy own any of his own weapons? Does he shoot on his own property? It may be he's interesting in shooting and is coming over to be a part of things. If you could tolerate him, he does sound like a tool, by maybe getting him in on things at your place he wouldn't call anybody about it. That's just one thought. Remember that if you get into a pissing match with this guy it usually only escalates and then things get very ugly. No one and I mean not one even my best friends touch my firearms unless I hand them to them. That's just the way it is and there's no nogotiating this. It's not only about maybe damaging the firearm but is a safety issue. This has to be made clear. No exceptions. Any law enforcement offical will agree here especially when you point his bad firearm handling practices out to them while reenforcing your own good ones. One thing to consider is zoning laws. There's a bunch of ways this guy could make your life miserable and zoning is one of them. If law enforcement doesn't care the zoning people may. All that said from what I see the setup you have is iffy. The slight upslope you're shooting into is a launching pad. You definitely need some sort of vertical backstop. Lots of good suggestions made here for that. I wish life was simpler but safety first. You can't unshot someone.
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mosinjunkie
- Posts: 322
- Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 11:26 am
Re: I need some opinions.
I'm thinking that digging a berm there is a bigger job than a Bobcat could easily handle. Talk to a local grading contractor.
BTW, my little Ford Ranger groaned a little, but it hauled eight crossties at a time home from Lowes plenty of times.
BTW, my little Ford Ranger groaned a little, but it hauled eight crossties at a time home from Lowes plenty of times.
The gun control nuts are talking to your lawmakers! AS A GUN OWNER, YOU SHOULD BE TOO!
Re: I need some opinions.
No way Junkie. I've used them bobcats for just about everything. They are good little diggers and grading is easy with them. Built log cabins with those things. used them for unloading logs ...you name it it can do it. It will however beat your kidneys up but good.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: I need some opinions.
A few things to remember:
1 If you make the berm any bigger anyway and it fails in anyway you are definitely legally responsible then.
2 If this neighbor is such a jerk I would not put it past him to make a hole himself in the house and claim you did it. He already came over and knows what you are shooting now.
3 Bullets ricochet in unbelieving ways and directions, generally when the return in the direction they came from they are greatly reduced in power and range but that is not always a guarantee!
4 If there is a range inspection it is only legal from the state and although the local police may say it is OK that will not stand up in court for a defense in anyway.
5 All that said I shoot in my drive from time to time to test function weapons that I have worked on, my neighbor across the street has built a small range on his property, and there is a skeet range and club about an 1/8 of a mile up the street. If anything happens at any of these places my lawyer buddy said he would try and collect damages from any one of the three of us.
There may seem like a more or less safe situation to you or me but we are not the final decision maker and the law is never on the side of the gun owner it seems. If there was a state, local, or federal range close by you are in even a worse position legally. Make your own mind up, I in this case know better than even giving an opinion in this case because I sure don't want to be dead wrong! Bill
1 If you make the berm any bigger anyway and it fails in anyway you are definitely legally responsible then.
2 If this neighbor is such a jerk I would not put it past him to make a hole himself in the house and claim you did it. He already came over and knows what you are shooting now.
3 Bullets ricochet in unbelieving ways and directions, generally when the return in the direction they came from they are greatly reduced in power and range but that is not always a guarantee!
4 If there is a range inspection it is only legal from the state and although the local police may say it is OK that will not stand up in court for a defense in anyway.
5 All that said I shoot in my drive from time to time to test function weapons that I have worked on, my neighbor across the street has built a small range on his property, and there is a skeet range and club about an 1/8 of a mile up the street. If anything happens at any of these places my lawyer buddy said he would try and collect damages from any one of the three of us.
There may seem like a more or less safe situation to you or me but we are not the final decision maker and the law is never on the side of the gun owner it seems. If there was a state, local, or federal range close by you are in even a worse position legally. Make your own mind up, I in this case know better than even giving an opinion in this case because I sure don't want to be dead wrong! Bill
Re: I need some opinions.
He actually had no idea what it was...he thought it was 30-06...i just laughed...
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
Re: I need some opinions.
Well i got the digging stared today...the briars roots are hard to get through..but once you get through that its easy..i have the 3 sided square outlined now..with the back about a foot deep..not too bad 
-John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
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Rongo
- Administrator
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- Location: Variable in my specific position of physical space
Re: I need some opinions.
Good luck.... Maybe some pictures of your progress???avenger wrote:Well i got the digging stared today...the briars roots are hard to get through..but once you get through that its easy..i have the 3 sided square outlined now..with the back about a foot deep..not too bad
"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it". Mark Twain
"Dang that entropy"
"Dang that entropy"
Re: I need some opinions.
I will continue tomorrow (or mabe ill go back out in a little bit) and i will defiantly take one then...gotta love shovel work... Im sure he will be quiet now
Im sure he will be quiet now -John
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
"Hunting small animals is easy. You shoot at them with this and it lights them on fire and cooks them before you even get to them" -Me when showing picture of M44
Re: I need some opinions.
Gotta respect a man who will work this hard just to insure safety!
Nice job avenger
Nice job avenger
Cocked, locked and ready to rock...