If you are going to shoot guns, DO IT SAFELY! Here's how I decided to build a backstop for target practice using old railroad ties. Let's do some plinking!
I use the dam of my poo pond as a shooting range! It is cut into a hill, so I have the dam and it keep going up after that, so pretty safe. I have a firearm or two myself, but my favorite is a little .22 Browning "bicycle gun" my dad gave me for my 30th birthday. The rifle has had two rounds fired through it. The first test fire and the second when I was about 5 at my grandparents farm for Christmas. My dad got the rifle as a gift from guys he worked with. It was snowing and we were down by the creek and as a 5 year old my heart must have been beating a thousand miles per hour waiting for my dad to shoot! He finally pulled some change out of his pocket, gave me a nickel and told me to run up and stick it in the bark of a tree. I came running back, about to wet my pants! My dad fired and the nickel fell. I ran up and dug through the snow and found it! Abe took another one in the head! I thought my dad was John Wayne! The gun went back into the box and that was it. We had a big shindig for my 30th birthday with all my friends and family. The time came for singing and cake. After the embarrassment my mom came up and handed me a Helzberg Diamond box. Puzzled, I opened it and there was Abe again! Before I could put two and two together, my dad standing behind me reached around and handed me the Browning box with the rifle in it! Lets just say I was a bit emotional. Totally blown away! A few years later I was at Cabella's in the cheap gun room and saw the same rifle in the case. The guy handed it to me and I told him I had the same rifle but mine was made in Belgum, not China. I told him the story and he told me to go over to the expensive gun room and look around. I went over and found the rifle, told the guy my story. He told me just from the story alone to never sell the gun for ANY amount of money. I wasn't planning. Apparently, the rifle was in the last batch made in 1969 Belgum. I get it out now and then when I'm cleaning my others and clean it too, I get a little sad, but always smile. I was with my dad almost every day growing up in the Masonry business from about until he passed in February 2010. My dad was my hero and my best friend. He was also a man of great faith and humility and the only reason I was sad he passed was because I couldn't go too, where I know he is today.
That made a good safe place to shoot. But you didn't fool me. You wanted to play with that oversized Tonka toy again & use up the railroad ties 🤣🤣🤣👍👍🍺🍺
Nice shooting range, Sam. I built my home range backstop using 6”x6” landscape timbers. I shoot steel targets regularly with a variety of calibers. Close in handgun shooting on steel targets can be a little risky, bullet fragments can come back at you, so I use frangible ammo when shooting my pistols. Enjoy.
Thank you! I do shoot steel with my handguns. It's angled down, of course. I like your use of frangible ammo for added safety 👍 I'll probably add sand in front to catch bits & pieces 🤠👍
Great idea and nice execution of a plan. Two things you might consider, about the third course up your wall take a short piece of RR tie and install it at 90 degrees so the end is flush with the front of the wall and most of it sticks back into the dirt. This will help keep the wall from leaning forward as you add backfill. Second thing is when it rains the area in front of the backstop needs to be higher at the wall and slopped away from the wall or you will have a perpetual mud puddle.
Thank you! I'm hoping those braces on the top will hold it up, but I might do your idea also. Can't hurt. After everything settles, I'll see if I have puddles. Might even put sand in front for added stoppage 🤠👍
You’ll find it’s easier to say “cross ties” which I believe to be the more correct name anyway. They do make a really good backstop. Concerned about no dead men into the fill to stabilize the wall ends.
That is definitely easier to say, thank you! Someone else mentioned that type of stabilization and I like it. I think I'll add at least one before I finish backfilling 🤠👍
@@samsdoinstuff an angled deadman help in place with long timber screws works well. Voice of experience. But at 90*, they work, too. Both placed on back side just in from the ends and held in place with fill. Hope this helps. Enjoying the channel.
Definitely. There's a barn on the left side and a field on my right. I thought about putting a gate or maybe just a chain across the driveway next to the targets. 🤠👍
So on a scale of 1 to 10, what do you rate having a backhoe/skidsteer for the last few months? I am going to go out on a limb here and say 10+++++++++++++++!
I use the dam of my poo pond as a shooting range! It is cut into a hill, so I have the dam and it keep going up after that, so pretty safe.
I have a firearm or two myself, but my favorite is a little .22 Browning "bicycle gun" my dad gave me for my 30th birthday. The rifle has had two rounds fired through it. The first test fire and the second when I was about 5 at my grandparents farm for Christmas. My dad got the rifle as a gift from guys he worked with.
It was snowing and we were down by the creek and as a 5 year old my heart must have been beating a thousand miles per hour waiting for my dad to shoot! He finally pulled some change out of his pocket, gave me a nickel and told me to run up and stick it in the bark of a tree. I came running back, about to wet my pants! My dad fired and the nickel fell. I ran up and dug through the snow and found it! Abe took another one in the head! I thought my dad was John Wayne! The gun went back into the box and that was it.
We had a big shindig for my 30th birthday with all my friends and family. The time came for singing and cake. After the embarrassment my mom came up and handed me a Helzberg Diamond box. Puzzled, I opened it and there was Abe again! Before I could put two and two together, my dad standing behind me reached around and handed me the Browning box with the rifle in it! Lets just say I was a bit emotional. Totally blown away!
A few years later I was at Cabella's in the cheap gun room and saw the same rifle in the case. The guy handed it to me and I told him I had the same rifle but mine was made in Belgum, not China. I told him the story and he told me to go over to the expensive gun room and look around. I went over and found the rifle, told the guy my story. He told me just from the story alone to never sell the gun for ANY amount of money. I wasn't planning. Apparently, the rifle was in the last batch made in 1969 Belgum.
I get it out now and then when I'm cleaning my others and clean it too, I get a little sad, but always smile. I was with my dad almost every day growing up in the Masonry business from about until he passed in February 2010. My dad was my hero and my best friend. He was also a man of great faith and humility and the only reason I was sad he passed was because I couldn't go too, where I know he is today.
That is a beautiful story! Smart man holding on to that treasure. Thank you so much for sharing 🤠👍
Come on Sam, keep that target spinning. 😂
Very nice. We all need something like that. Good job.
😂 putting ideas in my head... mag dump the spinner. I like it! 🤠👍
The trick to pulling posts is to wrap it three time works using straps or chains
Thank you so much for the tip! 🤠👍
That made a good safe place to shoot. But you didn't fool me. You wanted to play with that oversized Tonka toy again & use up the railroad ties 🤣🤣🤣👍👍🍺🍺
Thank you! You're absolutely right. It was a fun project. My shoulders are sore from swinging that sledge, but it was worth it 🤠👍
Nice shooting range, Sam. I built my home range backstop using 6”x6” landscape timbers. I shoot steel targets regularly with a variety of calibers. Close in handgun shooting on steel targets can be a little risky, bullet fragments can come back at you, so I use frangible ammo when shooting my pistols. Enjoy.
Thank you! I do shoot steel with my handguns. It's angled down, of course. I like your use of frangible ammo for added safety 👍 I'll probably add sand in front to catch bits & pieces 🤠👍
We've been doing that in Texas for sixty years or longer. We also build 45 degree wings on the ends and pile a wall of dirt behind the ties.
Awesome! It's a great system. I have the dirt behind it, but don't have room for the 45° walls. It'll do for me 🤠👍
Looks good and nice shooting Sam. Great use of the old railway ties. Have a good one.
Thanks Paul! Love that little 10/22 🤠👍
Great idea and nice execution of a plan. Two things you might consider, about the third course up your wall take a short piece of RR tie and install it at 90 degrees so the end is flush with the front of the wall and most of it sticks back into the dirt. This will help keep the wall from leaning forward as you add backfill. Second thing is when it rains the area in front of the backstop needs to be higher at the wall and slopped away from the wall or you will have a perpetual mud puddle.
Thank you! I'm hoping those braces on the top will hold it up, but I might do your idea also. Can't hurt. After everything settles, I'll see if I have puddles. Might even put sand in front for added stoppage 🤠👍
Great video Sam
@@user-pn6kq8tx1j Thank you very much! 🤠👍
You’ll find it’s easier to say “cross ties” which I believe to be the more correct name anyway. They do make a really good backstop. Concerned about no dead men into the fill to stabilize the wall ends.
That is definitely easier to say, thank you! Someone else mentioned that type of stabilization and I like it. I think I'll add at least one before I finish backfilling 🤠👍
@@samsdoinstuff an angled deadman help in place with long timber screws works well. Voice of experience. But at 90*, they work, too. Both placed on back side just in from the ends and held in place with fill. Hope this helps. Enjoying the channel.
@@bobgrier3103 thank you again!
Add some belting to the front of ties.
Great idea! It's pretty sturdy, but that would definitely help 🤠👍
At our gun range we put thick belting on it and on the top of the back stops we put that wave roof metal.
Make sure you stop anyone from crossing between you and the target by accident if you have family members or dogs
Just a safety measure.
Definitely. There's a barn on the left side and a field on my right. I thought about putting a gate or maybe just a chain across the driveway next to the targets. 🤠👍
looks like you've got some leaky pistons on your tracker forks.
Thank you! It's pretty common on the BX for the hydraulics to bleed out over time. Not a problem 🤠👍
Try to have a big enough space for a helicopter to land if the situation presents itself that it is needed immediately.
We actually have enough space for a fleet of helicopters. 🤠👍
So on a scale of 1 to 10, what do you rate having a backhoe/skidsteer for the last few months? I am going to go out on a limb here and say 10+++++++++++++++!
100% my fear is getting used to it and wanting to buy one, lol 🤠👍