Hey all, was just curious if anyone has come up with a lightweight portable backstop idea? I have a field on public land I found, but need a backstop due to the field being flat, and it’s about the only place to shoot over 300 yards around here. I have an 8” gong but not sure that would qualify as a “backstop”
Portable Backstop
- Thread starter Afrose1013
- Start date
Park your vehicle behind it. That is unless you're using 333LM, 50BMG, etc.
You're Welcome,
Keith
ETA: Welcome to the forum.
I think you’ll find that dry sandbags are the best portable and easily available thing for stopping rounds (that doesn’t break apart quickly). Better than wet sand, clay, concrete, wood, and gravel. I’m no expert, but below are my sources:
- 50 bmg penetration test
- Penetration of granular materials by small-arms bullets, 2015
- Berm for .50 BMG?
Other ideas, probably less portable (didn’t read the whole thing):
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Yeah, if DNR/Fish & Game shows up you're going to want to be able to defend the safety of what you're doing.
No, a gong does not constitute a backstop. What are you planning to do when dial wrong or miss the gong even if its real big?
How far are you wanting to shoot and what catridges youre wanting to use will somewhat determine the size of the backstop. What is behind this field?
No, a gong does not constitute a backstop. What are you planning to do when dial wrong or miss the gong even if its real big?
How far are you wanting to shoot and what catridges youre wanting to use will somewhat determine the size of the backstop. What is behind this field?
I'm interested in this as it's foreign to me. Living in Georgia, some of our WMA's have 100 yard ranges on them, but I wouldn't try target practice across any of the fields. I have a strong suspicion the Warden wouldn't care what kind of backstop I had erected. I do understand that out west there are places one can shoot long distance on public lands. Like I said, I'm interested in what the replies are going to reveal.
I’m wanting to shoot out to 800, there’s about 2.5 miles of woods and swamps behind this field before encountering the first private property. Shooting a 6.5 creedmoor
Probably something 8’x8’. I had a feeling there’s not really anything realistically available for this, just figured I’d see if anyone came up with any ideas. Shooting a 6.5 creed
All I can think of is a backstop on a trailer. stacked tires filled with sand, railroad ties, hay bails, etc. or a combination of things. you can find thick rubber blocks online and even ground up tires used for landscape cover. may take some testing to see how much it takes to stop a CM.
This is the best option though I’m not sure how it’ll hold up getting moved, more likely to flip and spill everywhere.
A ranch I hunt at down south has old truck tires filled with dirt stacked in its side like bricks, it stops a 338lm with ease as I dug one out that was in almost perfect condition right at the front of it.
The sand spills out even without rolling around after a time and needs to be shoveled back up on top
This. I've seen people shoot at targets with nothing but woods behind them, and it's a sketchy redneck trailer trash thing to do, and honestly just plain stupid.
I've never heard of a portable backstop, but I guess you could get a couple sheets of 4'x8' AR500 plate and attach them together on a trailer in some way that'll let you lower them to the ground behind the target. It'll be heavy though; I bought a sheet of that in 3/8" thick a while back (to cut up for targets, not as a backstop) and it required a couple of us guys just to slide it around in the truck bed.
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