600 yard target layout.

[Terry]

We are building a 600 yard range in Columbus, WI. There will be 5 bays 13ft. wide. The bays are separated by telephone poles. How would you layout targets and sighting areas? We would like two sets of targets in each bay. Standard 600 yd. benchrest targets.

Thanks!

Terry

 

[necchi]

I'd lay'm out starting on the Left and move Right.

Not sure what you mean "Sighting Area". At one local club you don't just start shooting at 600, you qualify the rifle at 200 and 400 before you can shoot at 600.

Their worry is folks shooting too low and haveing bullets skip or riochet off the ground and over the burm.

 

[Terry]

I'd lay'm out starting on the Left and move Right.

Not sure what you mean "Sighting Area". At one local club you don't just start shooting at 600, you qualify the rifle at 200 and 400 before you can shoot at 600.

Their worry is folks shooting too low and having bullets skip or ricochet off the ground and over the burm.

We will have a training program and range qualification for shooters.

The Sighting area refers to an area for sighting shots. I have been to matches using steel plates, gongs, and clay pegions.

 

[Terry]

Let me rephrase this.

If you were designing a 600 yard BR target area would you stack the targets or place them side by side?

How much space would you like between targets?

Would you use clay pegions, gongs, or both for sighters? If you would use gongs, how big should they be?

Terry

 

[MarkS]

Terry,

I like steel for sighting in. I have shot pits, and clays. I like pits, but are very costly. I would use stone grit on the ground and gongs 12" to 18". Some stack the targets on one frame. Check with other clubs for there target setups.

Mark Schronce

 

[82boy]

There is different stokes for different folks, Personally out of all the 600 yard set ups I have shot at I like the way the St Louis Benchrest club is set up. The steel gong that is approximate sames size as the target. (Its a bit smaller, If I remember right they are 18x18. ((Standard IBS 600 yard target is 21x24)) The gongs are also at the same distance as the targets, so if you are hitting them center you will hit the target center.

One club I shoot at they just started having steel out, and I think it is so much better than clay birds, and I am not the only one because they have both, and hardly any of the birds get shot at. There steel is much smaller (Than St Louis.) it is about 10x10, and they sit on the ground just below the targets. (Just swinging on a simple rebar frame.) the problem is they are a couple of yards ahead of the targets, so I found that if I am shooting midway between the center and the top, it will put me close to center on the target. The other problem is the bullet splatter leaps up onto the targets from time to time. Another club I have shot at, only had clay birds, and they was actually 5 yards behind the targets, so you needed to splash just under the birds, to be close to center. IMO having the sighters close to the same distance as the target makes things fair for everyone. If you don't ask, or know the distance of the sighters, you may have a frustrating day wondering why your targets are the way they are.

I also like St. Louis set up with the 2 targets out at one time ,because is speeds match way up. I would place targets side by side, if you start stacking them you have to make your backstop higher. You also need to place some distance between the targets to keep crossfires, on multiple targets, and others. I would say having a 2 foot gap between steel gong, and target frame and then between both targets, and then having a 4 foot gap between bench numbers targets, would get you in the right area.

 

[Terry]

BTT