Silhouette Range Design and Construction

[38-72]

I’ve been asked for input for constructing a silhouette range at the local gun club. I’ve shot BPCR for several years at a hand full of ranges, but have not been involved with the range design or layout.

While the NRA rule book gives some guidance, are there other considerations that should be thought about in the design and construction stages? So, if you all could list some “do’s and don’ts” it would be appreciated.

[SSShooter]

Shoot northeast if at all possible due to sun/shadow considerations. Shooting any direction west of due north becomes difficult in the afternoon.
If you can place animals on a hill the range can be much narrower as you can place the the banks one above the other. For instance, at my nearest range the pigs are above the chickens and the rams above all three shorter banks.
My favorite range (KY) has the animals laid out up a draw. Makes the winds most interesting and puts lots of pressure on the spotter. That's one of the features of both Raton & Ridgway that makes them so interesting. Both have a big draw running across the range at an angle that makes the winds playful.

[powderburnt]

How wide is the range at 500 meters? That will determine the limitations and/or how the match can be ran. Contour also plays into the cost of dirt work and placement of the berms. Many ways to get there with different layouts suited to the lay of the land.

HG

[38-72]

Land is several hundred yards wide, with a gentle rise out to about 4 hundred yards from the proposed firing line. Out past the 400 yards, the contours make very steep uphill sweep with a total evaluation gain of about 150 ft or so to the top of the hill. There is no development or land use for several mile beyond the top of the hill and there never will be. The hill side makes a nice backstop. The land is in open sage (no trees) now with lots of deep soil, moving dirt would not be much of a problem. Although, the ram line would have to be several feet up hill from the firing line.

[John Bly]

Rams being uphill really is not a problem. They are that way at a lot of ranges. At River Bend all the targets are uphill. In fact, the concrete slab for the firing line is angled uphill to ease neck strain. Rams are uphill at Friendship and at Roanoke VA they are up a mountain side. I don't see it as a issue.

[powderburnt]

Sounds like you have an ideal area for the layout of the berms. As close to NNE and a level line of fire to the berms is best. Light colored berms improve sight picture and spotter capabilities of seeing the impact of misses. If you think there will be a large turnout and the club has the money then go with twenty animals per berm. That will allow up to 16 shooters per relay by shooting the same 5 animals per shooter then resetting the same 5 for the 2nd half of the relay. That would allow you to have about 48 shooters (a regional match) depending on daylight. Cut the number in half and you can have 8 shooters per relay and each shooter could shoot all 10 animals without resetting at the 7min, 30 second break. The match director has to push pretty hard run faster than 30 minutes per relay with target setters so that should give you some idea of how many animals you need per amount of daylight. If you don't have target setters then add another 10 minutes depending on age and capability of shooters to set the animals at the end of each relay. My club is down to 8-10 shooters and we don't use setters for that small number so it takes us 5 to 6 hours to complete a match form the time we set the animals till we pick 'em up. We only set up one bank per berm and shoot all 10 with a 30 second ready and 12 minute fire. Good Luck and hopefully some one else will chime in with more tips and suggestions.

HG

[R Moritz]

Hello,

Living in Eastern Washington I am curious which range?

Rick Moritz

[ShermanCoShooter]

Good morning
Living in north central Oregon, this is a interesting conversation.

[MrE]

I got a whole dollar says its Rattlesnake! But it just a west sider guess.
As for range layout it would be Real nice not to move between firing points during the match.

[John Boy]

Look at the photos for the Ridgway Rifle Range ... http://www.ridgwayrifleclub.com/photos% ... 202008.htm