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Old July 31, 2012, 08:18 PM   #1
deucelee
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anybody shot in their basement?

going to pick up my first rifle next month...

my basement is 18 yards long. I was considering buying a couple of metal plates, put some magazines in front of it and behind it and shoot in my basement...

this is all theoretical ofcourse. anyone done something like this? anything to be aware of? ideas?

I'll make sure not a soul is in the basement ofcourse
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Old July 31, 2012, 08:28 PM   #2
mrbatchelor
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deucelee View Post
going to pick up my first rifle next month...

my basement is 18 yards long. I was considering buying a couple of metal plates, put some magazines in front of it and behind it and shoot in my basement...

this is all theoretical ofcourse. anyone done something like this? anything to be aware of? ideas?

I'll make sure not a soul is in the basement ofcourse
Shoot what? .22LR or .30-06? Is your house a single family dwelling in an isolated area or a condo?
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Old July 31, 2012, 08:39 PM   #3
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Yes. I had a 60 ft basement/shop under my garage at one time not long ago. Great for air rifle, a bit noisy for .22 RF. You'll need a dedicated target backing with a hell of a lot more than magazines behind it.

As I recall, for a zero ricochet, bullet trapping .22 rifle backstop that, although heavy, is easy to move around, you will need approximately 9-10 inches in depth of "duct seal" as a target backing inside a 1/2" plywood cabinet. So you'd need to build or buy at least a 12" deep target cabinet.

There are also, steel angle plate backstops that you can make, or are commercially available.

Some have found good success with compacted rubber mulch... although I don't know the best depths for that.

Cheers... and get good hearing protection.
C
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Old July 31, 2012, 08:41 PM   #4
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Shoot what? .22LR or .30-06?
I believe he intends to buy a CZ455 .22LR rifle.

Cheers,
C
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Old July 31, 2012, 08:47 PM   #5
deucelee
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thanks for the tips on the setup Creeper...much appreciate it.

yes this is a single dwelling home and i plan on shooting a 22LR...

i'm thinking subsonic ammo might help with the sound? will get the hear protection too
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Old July 31, 2012, 09:13 PM   #6
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You also need an outside vent away from you and a fresh air source behind you and a fan to move the exhaust in the right direction. Sound proofing panels overhead to dampen the sound and if you have exposed wiring or plumbing you need to protect them. Ain't no such thing as an accident free range where a bullet never goes wandering in a direction you didn't mean for it to go. Hitting a copper water line or breaker panel or washing machine does wonders for your morale and pocket book.

I had a 24' range set up for my kids and a Wooden 2x4 cage they had to shoot through limiting their range of motion with the barrel and I loaded the gun and handed it to them for each shot. My exhaust system was going the wrong way but was the best I could do. I would not do it today unless I could do it right but in 1976 I was younger and poorer and hadn't thought all of these things out. Wasn't a problem because I had access to an outdoor range a mile from the house and most of their indoor shooting was with a BB gun at a 22 caliber rated bullet trap.
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Old August 1, 2012, 12:01 AM   #7
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Don't skimp on the ventilation and make provisions up front to deal with the inevitable lead contamination from the lead in the priming compounds that will leave the muzzle as smoke and the lead fragments/spray that will result from using steel targets.
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Old August 1, 2012, 05:29 AM   #8
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ok John you convinced me...i'm ditching the plan
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Old August 1, 2012, 11:28 PM   #9
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I'm not saying it can't or shouldn't be done, it's just one of those things that needs to be done right if it's going to be done at all.

There are steel traps that will capture the bullets and bullet fragments/spray to deal with that issue, and good ventilation that's planned out properly will go a long way towards dealing with the lead residue in the discharge smoke. For the smoke residue that does settle out onto exposed surfaces, you want to keep surfaces in the shooting area slick so they can be easily cleaned.

Another option is to go to airguns for your indoor practice. They eliminate the smoke of discharge and the lead residue that is contained in it. That means no special ventilation requirements and you don't have to worry about contamination settling onto exposed surfaces. You do still need to have a decent target trap that will catch and not splatter the pellets since they are lead.

I have an indoor airgun range and it has worked quite well for me.
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Old August 2, 2012, 12:10 AM   #10
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why ditch the plan

READ THIS:


RCW 79A.25.210

Firearms range account — Grant program — Rules.




The firearms range account is hereby created in the state general fund. Moneys in the account shall be subject to legislative appropriation and shall be used for purchase and development of land, construction or improvement of range facilities, including fixed structure construction or remodeling, equipment purchase, safety or environmental improvements, noise abatement, and liability protection for public and nonprofit firearm range training and practice facilities.

Grant funds shall not be used for expendable shooting supplies, or normal operating expenses. In making grants, the board shall give priority to projects for noise abatement or safety improvement. Grant funds shall not supplant funds for other organization programs.

The funds will be available to nonprofit shooting organizations, school districts, and state, county, or local governments on a match basis. All entities receiving matching funds must be open on a regular basis and usable by law enforcement personnel or the general public who possess Washington concealed pistol licenses or Washington hunting licenses or who are enrolled in a firearm safety class.

Applicants for a grant from the firearms range account shall provide matching funds in either cash or in-kind contributions. The match must represent one dollar in value for each one dollar of the grant except that in the case of a grant for noise abatement or safety improvements the match must represent one dollar in value for each two dollars of the grant. In-kind contributions include but are not limited to labor, materials, and new property. Existing assets and existing development may not apply to the match.

Applicants other than school districts or local or state government must be registered as a nonprofit or not-for-profit organization with the Washington secretary of state. The organization's articles of incorporation must contain provisions for the organization's structure, officers, legal address, and registered agent.

Organizations requesting grants must provide the hours of range availability for public and law enforcement use. The fee structure will be submitted with the grant application.

Any nonprofit organization or agency accepting a grant under this program will be required to pay back the entire grant amount to the firearms range account if the use of the range facility is discontinued less than ten years after the grant is accepted.

Entities receiving grants must make the facilities for which grant funding is received open for hunter safety education classes and firearm safety classes on a regular basis for no fee.

Government units or school districts applying for grants must open their range facility on a regular basis for hunter safety education classes and firearm safety classes.

The board shall adopt rules to implement chapter 195, Laws of 1990, pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW.



[2007 c 241 § 54; 1996 c 96 § 1; 1994 sp.s. c 7 § 443; 1990 c 195 § 2. Formerly RCW 77.12.720.]


Notes:



Intent -- Effective date -- 2007 c 241: See notes following RCW 79A.25.005.

Finding -- Intent -- Severability -- 1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.


Effective date -- 1994 sp.s. c 7 §§ 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010.


Findings -- 1990 c 195: "Firearms are collected, used for hunting, recreational shooting, and self-defense, and firearm owners as well as bow users need safe, accessible areas in which to shoot their equipment. Approved shooting ranges provide that opportunity, while at the same time, promote public safety. Interest in all shooting sports has increased while safe locations to shoot have been lost to the pressures of urban growth." [1990 c 195 § 1.]





________________________________________________________________NOW YOU JUST HAVE TO OPEN YOUR BASEMENT TO THE PUBLIC FOR NOT FOR PROFIT USE>>>>>LOL

"A GUN IN THE WRONG HAND TAKES MANY LIVES, A GUN IN THE RIGHT HANDS TAKES FEW BUT SAVES MANY" - THIS GUY
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Old August 2, 2012, 12:12 AM   #11
gunguy1911A1GI
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just open a plinking range

you could have a22 plinking range in your basement so long as it does not bring you a profit and you open it to the public (even if it is only for 1 hour once a week)
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Old August 2, 2012, 02:39 AM   #12
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Erm, how does a WA state program help someone in WI? Also, its a matching funds program. I would imagine to get the funds the safety and ventilation equipment would have to be up to pretty high standards putting even half the costs for an indoor range into the tens or hundreds of thousands.
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Old August 2, 2012, 07:48 AM   #13
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I made a 4X4 foot bullet trap out of 1/2 steel. I shoot my .380, 9mm, .40, .45ACP into out in the barn. It is about 15-20 feet. It is where I mainly chrony my reloads or test a gun after repair for somebody.
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Old August 3, 2012, 06:57 PM   #14
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i did that once with a 22. went thru a box of news papers and telephone books and bounced off the furnace and all the duct work. last time i tried that.
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Old August 3, 2012, 07:19 PM   #15
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Give yourself more thought !!

Quote:
ok John you convinced me...i'm ditching the plan
You would have have done so anyway; after about the fith round. You will see dust out of the ceiling that you never thought you had. My wife did not appreciate this excercise, anyway and she is very forgiving about my gun "stuff" ..

Be Safe !!!
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Old August 4, 2012, 06:51 PM   #16
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When I was a young fool,
I shot many,many times down
cellar into a ~14" maple stump
with a 22.
I'd shoot til I starting getting sick and
my ears hurt.(no ear protection).

Now I'm an old fool with damaged hearing.
I don't shoot in the cellar anymore.
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Old November 7, 2012, 02:27 AM   #17
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generally not a good idea.... you need really good ventilation, top ceiling plates, an excellent bullet trap, and it's not exactly legal in most areas I dont' think without a permit that would be almost impossible to get ;-(

stick with air guns in the basement, your hearing and neighbors will thank you for it :-)

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Old November 7, 2012, 08:04 PM   #18
johnwilliamson062
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Skip the ventalation. Skip firearms.

Cheaper to buy a good pellet rifle. Even a PCP. Less legal hassle, less danger, just as much fun.
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Old November 7, 2012, 09:36 PM   #19
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If you’re in the corporate limits it is probably illegal. with that said I seen one guy knock some bricks out of the wall and tunnel into the dirt and support the walls to avoid a cave in and shot 22's
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Old November 8, 2012, 12:01 AM   #20
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I live out in the woods in a wooded rural area and I've always wanted to dig a tunnel and put a large 2 foot diameter PVC pipe in it and create a 25 - 40 yard range in my basement that goes out under my backyard.

I figured I'd pt a clothesline type target holder, and fill the very end with a couple feet of shredded tires. there aren't any houses behind me for quite a ways but if I dug a trench to lay the pipe, then covered the pipe with concrete... that would be one nice little range :-)

Would need lots of sound proofing so as not to disturb the wife and kids in the house... but I feel it's doable, IF it was legal and I think it might be in my area if I get the correct permit... but this is more of a discussion as to how to do it, not really IF it's legal or not :-)

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Old November 8, 2012, 12:53 AM   #21
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Frangible .22 Shorts or CB caps if shooting indoors.
Only time I've fired a .22 indoors it was to do prelim sighting in after altering a rear sight and having sanded away a lump in the barrel channel that had caused wild shots. I used CB caps.
It worked well enough that the sights required no further adjustment to get in the ten ring at 50 yards, further adjustment to get in the X was quick and easy.

Bore sighting would have done almost as well. But I was snowed in and bored.

PS
Using a .22 short to kill a rat can end up costing hundreds of dollars in plumbing repairs and water damage, don't ask how I know this.
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Old November 9, 2012, 07:32 PM   #22
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get a 38 and use a wax bullet and just a primer. shoots about 20 feet and will mark a target but no chance of lead splatter and very low noise.
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Old November 12, 2012, 12:35 AM   #23
Exibar
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you know, I've heard of folks molding bullets out of hot glue, and shooting them with just a primer.... I think there's a youtube video with someone doing just that...

reusable bullets, only cost is a primer, no danger of killing someone or damaging property with an errant shot.... and quiet....

maybe you can use that as an alternative.... althoguh I do like the wax bullet idea too...

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Old November 12, 2012, 01:24 AM   #24
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My first home yrs ago was a "mill house"
(all the houses on the street were built at the turn of the century
some with porches and other stuff but all basically the same)
Iron water pipe,knob and tube ,cellar floor was dirt.
I used to shoot 22's down there until, as I mentioned,
I got a headache or felt ill,no ear protection.
One day I waited for the family to leave for some reason,
set the stump up for shooting-put ear muffs on this time -and had at it
with a 30-30.
All the pipes rattled, a dust storm came down from the
joists and I waited for leaks.None but never did
that again-Like a mini earthquake.
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Old November 12, 2012, 09:27 AM   #25
Lawmaker
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Some jurisdictions have laws against firing weapons near dwellings also. Since you would be in it that would count.
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