Start of New Range

brado16

brado16

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 10, 2011
694
45
Northern WI USA
#1
I am fortunate enough to shoot with a good friend who has enough property in Northern Wisconsin where we can make our own private range. At the same time my buddy is lucky enough to have me as a friend who has access to a Case 850H Dozer to help make this project a little sweeter.

2rzxmx0.jpg


The terrain in N. WI is heavily wooded, full of swamps, and its pretty tough to find a flat enough area that is 100 yards in length let alone an area that is 1,000+ yards in length. We started this past weekend and spent about 8 hours Saturday and Sunday blazing a trail through the Aspens and Red Pines. We know 1000 yards is doable but we are hoping to be able to squeeze 1100 or 1200 yards but won't know for sure until we get a little more cleared.

Here is a picture of where the shooting shack will be looking out towards the end of the range. This is zoomed in but the cat is at about 200 yards and the Red Pines farther out are at 600 yards.

3444i1z.jpg


Here is at about 500 yards pushing towards the Red Pines to the end of the range.

5w9kbm.jpg


I will keep this updated with the progress of our range. Dont know if this is the correct section to post this but thought some might enjoying seeing this "little'' project progress. Will get more up later this week or weekend.

Brado16
 
#2
Re: Start of New Range

Worked on this a few more hours tonight. The first 300 yards is drivable by truck now and pretty smooth for the most part. Wont get back out there until this Saturday.

xby2k9.jpg


Still need to clear more of the Red Pines in the pic below.

15eef7t.jpg


Also, in case anyone is wondering, no wetlands were destroyed and this was approved by a county forester before we started.
 
#5
Re: Start of New Range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J--ROD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice! Keep updating with pics.
I am looking for some land to do the very same thing. I need to find a friend with a dozer too...lol </div></div>

Yea the dozer make life a little sweeter
laugh.gif
 
#6
Re: Start of New Range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeff Given</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Pretty cool country compared to the concrete of So. Cal. </div></div>

Yea looks a little different than the concrete jungles of Cali
grin.gif
 
#7
Re: Start of New Range

The last two weeks have been busy with other projects putting the range on the back burner for a while. This last weekend a few buddies when down to a shoot in Marshfield, WI and met up with Oneshot.Onehit which was a blast- Sunday we were back at it and spent 6 hours with the Dozer and also used a Kubota tractor pulling a plow to level out and start smoothing the first 500 yards of the range.
Here is looking towards the shooting shack:

fu1fup.jpg


Here is looking towards the end of the range, the tree line at the end is the 1000 yard mark:

photo.jpg


Pending weather this week and weekend- we will be back at it some more!
 
#8
Re: Start of New Range

looks awesome my only question is about the width of the shooting lane?? i have shot in heavy enough winds that would push my rounds into the trees on the way there.

just food for thought
 
#9
Re: Start of New Range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TeamSendIt!!!</div><div class="ubbcode-body">looks awesome my only question is about the width of the shooting lane?? i have shot in heavy enough winds that would push my rounds into the trees on the way there.

just food for thought </div></div>

TeamSendit- That is a very valid point but that is the beauty of shooing in the trees. We have a 1000 yard range currently about 1/4 mile away but that chunk of property was just sold so this is why we are making a new range. The "Old" range was in the trees just like this but had taller Poplar running the whole length of the range and it makes for a great place for load development because wind is not a factor in the trees. It can be 10-20MPH in town or on the lakes around town but once you get out to the range, the wind is pretty minimal due to the trees. This new range we are building does not have quite the tree cover running the entire length as the old range but within a 2-3 years the Poplar along the range will be much better wind blocks. The pictures are deceiving but the range is wide enough to run 2.5-3 full size pickups side by side the entire length of the range. Wont know how huge of a factor the wind is until we send a few rounds down range but it should be pretty minimal.

Spent about 2 hours yesterday afternoon and 2 hours tonight on the range and will be working on it all day tomorrow and Sunday so hoping to have it pretty much finished by the end of the weekend. Will get some better pics up Sunday night. Hoping to get steel hung early next week so we can take a test run at her.
 
#14
Re: Start of New Range

We've got 80 acres up here in Alaska, backed up against a bigger stretch of river woods that's undeveloped.
We're starting an 850+/- yard range this summer. I'd make it longer, but I don't know if I can fit any more.
Also planning a shooting shack with prone area on a deck with a metal roof overhanging it all.
The shack will be an insulated, heated and lighted shipping igloo that I have. We're building a bench and 2 shooting doors/ports for really cold days.

Our buddy out there has the heavy equipment, including a sawmill to make good use of the 1000 or so trees that I'm expecting to drop.
The right tools really do make these projects infinitely sweeter.

Please do keep this up. I'm interested to see what you come up with.
-Les
 
#18
Re: Start of New Range

We have been busy working on the range the last few weeks but the project keeps getting larger and larger than we thought but all the hard work will be worth it. Will try and get pics and a detailed update later this weekend.
 
#25
Re: Start of New Range

Looks like fun to me.

I think the idea of having it in the trees is awesome. The wind brake alone of the trees would make it worth it.

I'll be very curious to see the end result.
 
#26
Re: Start of New Range

Sorry for the lack of updates but between work and other things, time has really been limited the last few months. Made it out to the range last night for the first time in about 6 weeks to limb some trees that overhanging the range but the forklift would not stay in gear so hopefully we can get that problem fixed and get everything trimmed this weekend. The only thing left is to final grade the range with the tractor and put up targets. I need to get behind the trigger again, I leave in about 5 weeks for an Elk hunt in BC!!!!!
 
#27
Re: Start of New Range

Man thats going to be like a up town golf club range. That is very nice. You guys should put on F-class and magnum shoots there and sell beer and hot dogs..... well, maby the beer after the shoot.haha. Will be awsome not ever having to worry about the wind, where im at the wind is horible sometimes, yes even to bad to shoot.

Nice,nice
 
#28
Re: Start of New Range

Well finally had a chance to get out and get some more time in working on the range. Monday night after work was spent on a forklift for most of the night trimming the limbs of trees that were overhanging the range. With a forklift with a platform and a 15 foot pole chain saw and another chains saw, my buddy and I trimmed all limbs from the ground up to about 35' that are our would in a few years in the way. Next step is to final grade and get targets hung- hoping Thursday this week to have this finished.

Here is what the range looked like before we started trimming:
16ktixv.jpg

30wpjqw.jpg


Forklift with platform:
1feb1w.jpg


This is at about 300 yards looking towards the Dirt Birm at the end of the range before we trimmed the pines:
w1tsep.jpg


Trimming the Red Pines:
2ih8qs0.jpg


View after we trimmed the Pines:
avixk1.jpg


View from the 1000 yard mark looking back towards shooting position, can't see much because the sun was almost down:
33w61ih.jpg


Will try and get better pics up with my camera once we get out later this week, all pictures have been with my iPhone so far.

Enjoy!
 
#29
Re: Start of New Range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arcticshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We've got 80 acres up here in Alaska, backed up against a bigger stretch of river woods that's undeveloped.
We're starting an 850+/- yard range this summer. I'd make it longer, but I don't know if I can fit any more.
Also planning a shooting shack with prone area on a deck with a metal roof overhanging it all.
The shack will be an insulated, heated and lighted shipping igloo that I have. We're building a bench and 2 shooting doors/ports for really cold days.

Our buddy out there has the heavy equipment, including a sawmill to make good use of the 1000 or so trees that I'm expecting to drop.
The right tools really do make these projects infinitely sweeter.

Please do keep this up. I'm interested to see what you come up with.
-Les </div></div>


from personal expierence - unless you plan to heavily insulate the metal roof, you're going to hate it. Used to be member of a private range and they decided to cover their benches... with metal roofs. It was like sitting inside a drum while someone was banging on it. They had to put 2" foam under the metal to adsorb the reports after too many complaints from members. Just some food for thought if you havent considered it yet.
 
#31
Re: Start of New Range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Brado16</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Also, in case anyone is wondering, no wetlands were destroyed and this was approved by a county forester before we started. </div></div>

IMHO, its sad as hell when you have to get permission to do this kind of project on your own land... KUDOS, to you fellas, that is an a$$ ton of work you guys did, I hope it pays off and you get some awesome range time in... keep us posted, and if possible upload some vids !
 
#32
Re: Start of New Range

Well got the 16'', 12'', and 8'' Gongs hung at 1000 yards the other night right at dusk and had enough light to fire off three rounds.... With the first hit, all of the hard work and time was well worth it!!! Will get out tomorrow morning and get more targets setup and placed. Will bring my camera this time and get some photos of the finished range.
 
#33
Re: Start of New Range

Oneshot- Once we get the targets all set will have to have you come up one Saturday for a shoot! Been putting this range on hold the last week or two, been distracted with another "range". We have another friend that owns a cranberry marsh and have been out there shooting- was hitting 1810 the other day. The friend with the marsh had never shot past 350 before and on his 3rd shot he connected at 1810... he's now hooked. We figure we can safely get 2300 yards here.

2z8res3.jpg
 
#34
Re: Start of New Range

Yea I also agree its BS but thats a story for another day. We really havent added up the number of hours we have spent working out there, the gallons of fuel, gallons of oil, or bug/bee bites but to be honest its kind of sad this project has reached its end, half the fun was making the dam thing!
grin.gif
 
#35
Re: Start of New Range

Pics up Finally:

n3aqdx.jpg


2d9pr43.jpg


2nhdxm0.jpg


Paper Targets at 300 yards, 6'' Steel at 550, 8'' Steel at 725, and a 8'', 12'', and 16'' at 1000 Yards. All the steel was purchased from Jcvibby.

23lcdgi.jpg


Here are two 12'' x 24'' AR500 plates bolted together to make a 24'' x 24'' plate will take this out to 1800 and beyond.
 
#39
Re: Start of New Range

Jcvibby- Yes they worked out great, thank you again- they are holding up well although I cannot say we have shot nearly enough since we finished the range. Between work and hunting season time has been limited, hope to get out and shoot this weekend though!

Thank you for all of the comments everyone!

Next spring we plan to plan the entire range with clover, add more targets, build a large insulated shooting shack, and put up wireless cameras at different ranges for shooting at paper and working on groups/load development.
 
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