{"id":3729,"date":"2017-05-23T04:30:50","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T04:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=3729"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:38:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:38:21","slug":"building-your-own-rifle-range-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Your Own Rifle Range"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Building_Your_Own_Rifle_Range\" >Building Your Own Rifle Range<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Consider_360_Degrees_Rifle_Range\" >Consider 360 Degrees Rifle Range<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Select_Your_Spot\" >Select Your Spot<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Measure_Distances\" >Measure Distances<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Build_a_Berm\" >Build a Berm<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/building-your-own-rifle-range-2\/#Get_Creative\" >Get Creative<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_Your_Own_Rifle_Range\"><\/span>Building Your Own Rifle Range<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">Building Your Own Rifle Range. The older I get, the less I enjoy packing up all of my <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/rifle-scope-accessories-you-might-consider\/\" title=\"Rifle Scope Accessories You Might Consider\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"832\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/\">gear<\/a> and heading to the range. That\u2019s not to say that I don\u2019t go. I do. Heading out to the club is about the camaraderie among friends I\u2019ve been <a title=\"Shooting a 22LR Rifle in a Whole New Way\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/shooting-22lr-rifle-in-a-whole-new-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting<\/a> with for decades. It\u2019s the ping of metal <a title=\"5 Tips for Shooting Moving Targets\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-shooting-moving-targets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">targets echoing back to the shooting<\/a> platform, the smell of gunpowder and slapping fellow shooters on the back when they proudly pull a brand new rifle out of its case.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">As we do more and more shooting, <a title=\"How to Box Test your Riflescope\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/how-to-box-test-your-riflescope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">testing riflescopes<\/a>, we\u2019ve mulled over the idea of having a range closer to home. Whether you lease or own property, it\u2019s far from an impossible feat to accomplish. The following are <a title=\"5 Long Range Shooting Tips\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/5-long-range-shooting-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tips on how to build your own rifle range<\/a>, which can also serve in the same capacity for pistols and shotguns.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Consider_360_Degrees_Rifle_Range\"><\/span>Consider 360 Degrees Rifle Range<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">What we mean by this is think about the entire parameter of your property. Where are your neighbors\u2019 houses? Are there livestock? Do roads pass nearby? Acquiring a topographical map will help answer most of your questions. Plus it will show you where natural barriers exist to stop bullets between your property and the next.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"wp-image-236\" src=\"https:\/\/tma65.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/inner43-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner43-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>When <a title=\"Building a Custom Rifle\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/building-a-custom-rifle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">building your own rifle<\/a> range, be considerate of livestock that live in the area.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Select_Your_Spot\"><\/span>Select Your Spot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">Now that you know the general area on your property where the range will go, you can start laying out the plans for the build. <a title=\"Long Range Rifle Scopes\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/long-range-rifle-scopes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rifle ranges<\/a> are typically flat areas. That\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t bring hills and valleys into play. In fact, if you\u2019re planning on doing any mountain <a title=\"hunting\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/category\/hunting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hunting<\/a>, elevation change is inevitable. That said, unless you are in the middle of thousands of acres, only <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/shooting-22lr-rifle-in-a-whole-new-way\/\" title=\"Shooting a 22LR Rifle in a Whole New Way\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"539\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shoot<\/a> downhill. Bullets carry for a very long ways.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">For starters, let\u2019s just assume that you\u2019re at least setting the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/best-spotting-scope-for-long-range-shooting\/\" title=\"Finding the Best Spotting Scope For Long Range Shooting\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1563\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting platform in a flat spot<\/a>. This will make it more accessible. When you\u2019re hauling a bunch of gear, it\u2019s convenient to back the truck up to the bench and unload.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Measure_Distances\"><\/span>Measure Distances<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">At what distance do you want to shoot proficiently? Let\u2019s say you think 500 yards will be your limit. If you have the room, build the range out to 700 yards. Those who practice frequently, have the proper rifle\/scope combination and ammunition will maximize their yardage quicker than they think. If you\u2019re consistently making hits at 700 yards, a 300-yard shot at a big bull elk won\u2019t seem all that far anymore.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_a_Berm\"><\/span>Build a Berm<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">This is a necessary safety measure, even if you think there are enough obstacles to serve as a bullet stopper. Building a berm, or backstop, will also be your biggest expense assuming you don\u2019t own a bulldozer. However, if you\u2019ve planned carefully and know exactly where you want your backstop to be, an experienced bulldozer operator can knock it out in a day or less. Seven feet tall and four feet thick is more than enough. You\u2019ll also want to build it several feet wider on each side than you plan on placing <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/tag\/targets\/\">targets<\/a>.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_Creative\"><\/span>Get Creative<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">This is something to think about throughout the process. If you\u2019d like your basic range with only straightforward, flat shots, that\u2019s perfectly fine. But if you want to mix it up and challenge yourself in some real-life <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"hunting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"287\">hunting<\/a> situations, then you need to get creative.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align: justify\">Consider setting up shots through the woods, downhill or uphill if, again, you don\u2019t have any neighbors within a mile or so. You can also purchase targets shaped like game animals that will help you hone in on vital shots. Or if you want to implement a pistol course, the range is yours to do with it what you wish.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building Your Own Rifle Range | TRACT design and engineer performance-grade optics without the added retail costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12252,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2259,2265,2267],"tags":[3008,3015,3016,3017,3019,3023,3025,3026,3027,3028,3029,3031,3032,3058,3062,3065,3066,3067,3068,3069,3070,3071,3073,3075],"class_list":["post-3729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting-rifle-scope","category-rifle-scope","category-shooting-skills","tag-rifle-brass-cleaning","tag-rifle-case-canadian-tire","tag-rifle-cleaner","tag-rifle-cleaning","tag-rifle-gun-case","tag-rifle-moose-shot-placement","tag-rifle-primers-canada","tag-rifle-rack","tag-rifle-range","tag-rifle-range-calgary","tag-rifle-range-winnipeg","tag-rifle-safe","tag-rifle-scope","tag-rifle-scopes","tag-rifle-shipping-boxes","tag-rifle-sling","tag-rifle-sling-hunting","tag-rifle-slings-canada","tag-rifle-slung","tag-rifle-stock","tag-rifle-stock-ammo-holder","tag-rifle-stocks-canada","tag-rifle-target","tag-rifle-types"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3729"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12839,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3729\/revisions\/12839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}