Building a good backstop, how WIDE?

Patriot86 · October 3, 2012, 01:02 PM

I have decided that come the spring I am going to have some dirt and other goodies delivered to the family property up in WI and finally build myself a proper backstop.

I have been using our septic mound; which is about 30' wide and is about 10' high as a backstop but because of where it is positioned I cannot really shoot from any further back than maybe 40-50 yards.
After some brush clearing I should be able to shoot with a clear line of sight to the backstop from about 150-200 yards away.

@ 200 yards; what would be considered a safe WIDTH of the backstop when shooting 223,308 and 30-06? I see a lot of talk about how high and how deep but not a lot about how wide.

I have a lot of space to work with; but I don't want to needlessly make the backstop wider than it needs to be.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · October 3, 2012, 01:29 PM

200 yards. Think Caterpillar and 25-30 wide. Why: Necessary for sighting in purposes. You'd be surprised to look at a 20 ' backstop/berm and how little safe area it offers from 200 yards away. Better to be a little over-size on your berm than have a high power bullet get away from you down range. Just my unbiased opinion is all.

Patriot86 · October 3, 2012, 01:31 PM

I was figuring somewhere between 20-30' just wansn't sure; some trees look like they finally died this year so I will be pulling them out in the spring. Clearing up some other brush and I will finally have an area where I can shoot at a real distance.

wayneinFL · October 3, 2012, 10:16 PM

One of the ranges I shoot at has 2 berms. The first one is at 100 yards and has a piece of drainage pipe through it. You have to shoot through the pipe to get to the 200 yard berm. If you're very far off, you're hitting the first berm.

If you can see it, you can shoot it. But all you can see through the drainage pipe is that back berm.

October 3, 2012, 01:02 PM	#1
Patriot86 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2010 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,293	Building a good backstop, how WIDE? I have decided that come the spring I am going to have some dirt and other goodies delivered to the family property up in WI and finally build myself a proper backstop. I have been using our septic mound; which is about 30' wide and is about 10' high as a backstop but because of where it is positioned I cannot really shoot from any further back than maybe 40-50 yards. After some brush clearing I should be able to shoot with a clear line of sight to the backstop from about 150-200 yards away. @ 200 yards; what would be considered a safe WIDTH of the backstop when shooting 223,308 and 30-06? I see a lot of talk about how high and how deep but not a lot about how wide. I have a lot of space to work with; but I don't want to needlessly make the backstop wider than it needs to be.

October 3, 2012, 01:29 PM	#2
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	200 yards. Think Caterpillar and 25-30 wide. Why: Necessary for sighting in purposes. You'd be surprised to look at a 20 ' backstop/berm and how little safe area it offers from 200 yards away. Better to be a little over-size on your berm than have a high power bullet get away from you down range. Just my unbiased opinion is all.

October 3, 2012, 01:31 PM	#3
Patriot86 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2010 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,293	I was figuring somewhere between 20-30' just wansn't sure; some trees look like they finally died this year so I will be pulling them out in the spring. Clearing up some other brush and I will finally have an area where I can shoot at a real distance.

October 3, 2012, 10:16 PM	#4
wayneinFL Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Posts: 1,944	One of the ranges I shoot at has 2 berms. The first one is at 100 yards and has a piece of drainage pipe through it. You have to shoot through the pipe to get to the 200 yard berm. If you're very far off, you're hitting the first berm. If you can see it, you can shoot it. But all you can see through the drainage pipe is that back berm.