Underground shooting range

[JJMoody]

Good stuff!! That's what Im looking for. I do like the idea of some angled AR500 behind some inert material above a deeper pit filled with sand. Also like the idea of shooting through a smaller hole. That would go a long ways in mitigating muzzle blast. The ICF ( insulated concrete form) system would be great especially if I had them done with a sound baffling texture. Executing this would be very cost prohibitive though. Keep em coming, I can feel the project coming together

 

[sable tireur]

Found out later the client was very wealthy and demanded we not divulge the location. Can't imagine the price of that one.

Executing this would be very cost prohibitive though.

I can tell you from past experiences, no matter how cheap you want this to be, it will not be. There are too many variables which enter into the safe and simple operation of an underground shooting tunnel. It's not as easy as running an exhaust fan at the end of the tunnel. Or designing a backstop, let alone maintenance of the target system and the tunnel itself. How do you clean up the unburned powder which accumulates in the first part of the tunnel?

Talk to Sierra Bullets about their tunnel. There is now or was a bullet maker in Texas who had his own underground test facility, which he would rent out on rare occasions to those who were qualified. Ransom Rest used to have an underground facility in Prescott, AZ. I don't know if it's still there or not. I'm sure there are several others but I don't have a list.

Good Luck!

Sierra's Tunnel:
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2016/05/a-look-inside-sierras-300m-underground-test-tunnel/

Sportsman Shooting Center:


The Target Sports Centre - The Tunnel
http://www.thetunnel.co.uk/

And don't forget, the biggest and the best was the Houston Warehouse!
http://www.thetunnel.co.uk/

 

[Bbear]

Knight Muzzleloaders had one built out of square concrete blocks. Ventilation was with an attic fan at the far end. Pulley system for targets.
Also saw one at the Tikka factory that looked like what was earlier mentioned - ICF system of some sort. No pulley system as they used lasers to show target hits. As I recall, that range was 100 meters plus the area to catch bullets.
Last one I remember was in Indiana, was mainly a handgun range but had a catch 'wall' that was two pieces of steel with a gap at the end. They were angled like a > with the tip opened up and the upper piece over hanging the lower piece. Had a gutter below the lower piece on the edge closest to the shooter. Captured bullets went into an oil system that allowed the range to clean it out one in a while.

 

[JJMoody]

I appreciate all the responses so far. I am aware this won't be a very cheap project, however the difference between $5k in pipe and $20k in ICF blocks and concrete is a bit of a difference. Bear, like the > trap+ oil system.

 

[JJMoody]

Sable, the tunnel.uk is pretty sweet! I think the coffee shop is a definite for sure too!!

 

[memtb]

Had a customer ask me to do a 100yard rifle range underground recently and started thinking about how to accomplish this. What materials? Backstop? Ventilation system? Lighting, target retrieval Etc... he wants to tie in through his basement wall. Load rounds and shoot. Thinking 24-30" pipe. Looking for suggestions/ideas thoughts. Anyone done this already?

Shot at one back in '89 (at Basil Bradbury's home)! It was a 6' galvanized culvert, a small (very small) room on each end (the bench room was accessed from his basement) forced draft fans for ventilation, lighting all the way down, a camera on the target end, with a rotisserie motor controlled at the bench with a supply roll of freezer paper and take-up roll (several targets are taped to supply roll).

The bench was located in small room, completely covered with "eggcrate" foam, a small portal in which the rifle barrel was inserted (helped with noise), and a tv screen at bench to observe your groups (shots could be marked with a greasepen showing shots in order of firing), with the rotisserie motor control located at bench.

Each small room had a walk through door for access/egress to culvert.

The first 60 rounds through my .375 AI (fire forming) were shot here! memtb

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I think gavinized pipe would work fine as long as the area allows for proper drainage which will be a major concern no matter the construction method

 

[Sergeant82d]

The details of 'proper' range construction are well established. I'm pretty sure that the NRA has information available, and I'm certain that SOME insurance company somewhere has guidelines as well. The difficulty there, of course, being able to find and access that person!

Still, I imagine any commercial indoor range owner can point you in the right direction.

Good luck! It sounds like a great opportunity!

 

[Oldschool280]

I've been in Serria bullets 300 meter underground range before it was poured concrete

What did that look like?