RIMFIRE SHOOT HOUSE

[skeetlee]

I am giving a lot of thought in building a 50 yard indoor rimfire range here at my shop. I have been doing several rimfire builds here in my shop lately and i think having such a facility would be very beneficial. I priced out a pole building metal structure for this project and the price came in way to high. I guess i wasn't surprised as i just built a new building a few months back. none the less 50k is just to much money. I am a old concrete hand so i put some figures together doing 7 foot concrete walls and a wood roof design. Cost being less than the metal building but still pretty expensive. Ive even thought about going underground with a couple 36" double walled plastic culverts. This in itself comes with its own set of challenges.
whatever i come up with i just dont want to dump a bunch of money into this project and then come to find i have issues such as mirage. There isnt a lot of info out there on what works and what doesnt. Im hoping some of you folks might have some experience with such a project? Construction ideas are also welcome. Heck any info would be great.
I have a very nice 300 yard out door range here at my rifle shop, but the wind always blows. this time of year the wind blows relentless, certainly not quality rimfire conditions. I have the resources if the project works and its within reason. Any info is helpful info!

 

[mudduck]

U think more for just testing?How about several shipping containers lined up end to end with the ends cut out on the middle ones.probably be the cheapest way.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

How about using several shipping containers, welding them together.

 

[justinp61]

Why not do the plastic pipe above ground? You could do doors for targets and lights at any distance pretty easily.

 

[High Noon]

Lee,

The new hoop style buildings seem to be used around here a lot and they do last. design it with poles semi circular fashion so you can just walk through and placed every so many feet. I would contact a hoop company....the Amish build them here. I’ve actually been thinking the same thing. I would only heat my shooting shed the bench area.

High Noon

 

[okie]

There is a match over in horatio (i think ) ar that they shoot in a chicken house. Contact al lawrence riverside machine in dequeen ar for details. He is a super nice gentleman and can fill you in. Good luck

 

[skeeljc]

Pre-cast concrete culvert pipe would work. Solid enough to mount a trolley system to the top. You could get by with just a 3 foot diameter pipe. The concrete will dampen the noise.

 

[Sharp Guy]

This is underneath the Bass Pro near my house. Goes out to 100 yds. Probably a little pricey for the average person to install though

 

[zeke06]

Personally I’d go under ground or concrete. When testing rimfires indoors I feel that the pressure inside the shop effects how they shoot quite a bit. If the wind is blowing towards the overhead door I don’t even bother testing, I get way to much vertical string.

 

[NV_Dmax]

I would call Jensen Precast or the like and ask about how much 36" ID precast reinforced concrete pipe is. Then a small Conex box at the target location and a larger Conex at the firing line.

That's similar to what they use at the Lapua testing center in Mesa. I think their concrete pipe is 4' or maybe even 5'

 

[NV_Dmax]

If it's just rimfire; 18 or 20 gauge pandeck covering a simple light gauge frame set in small footings would probably be ok also.

 

[dc.fireman]

Lee -

Contact George Minerich at the Minneapolis Rifle Club in St. Francis, MN. They have a European styled shoot house, one for 300M, and another for smallbore. He probably has the plans, or could provide some reasonable pictures for your planning purposes.

 

[doclu60]

Well, since it was brought up, here's some pics of the Lapua rimfire test tunnel in Mesa, Az. Now, I have no idea what kind of mirage issues could come up using concrete pipe, which this tunnel is constructed of. I have tested many times at this facility, but you are not looking through a scope, so mirage is a moot point. You shoot through electronic sensors that map the shots, not at a target.

I would caution the OP to check around a bit with others that actually have tunnels and not just post on a forum asking opinions. If someone who has not had experience with their 'opinion' sways someone to try something, it could cost someone a fair amount of money for something that produces less than desirable results. I do know of a tunnel that was built underground, a very nice well thought out tunnel, and when conditions with soil and outside air temps are not right, it's not shootable because of mirage.



First pic shows the conex you shoot from, second shows conex with electronics for 50 meters, third pic shows 100 meter conex with electronics and back stop. Last picture shows entrance of tunnel bench with the tech testing one of my rifles.

Scott

 

[Intheshop]

I'm curious now about the mirage issue.

What's the "worst" condition for it,in an underground tunnel?

 

[buckeye68]

I shoot inside a pole barn with 16’ ceilings. The only weather affects me is the wind. Heat off the barrel is the only mirage I deal with.

 

[doclu60]

I'm curious now about the mirage issue.

What's the "worst" condition for it,in an underground tunnel?

I can only relate an experience a shooter friend of mine had at the underground tunnel I mentioned. I have NOT shot the underground tunnel. He has his own above ground tunnel, which I have shot. When he visited the underground tunnel in question for an extended testing session, IIRC, 1-1/2 days out of 3 the mirage was so bad you could not focus on the the target. The tunnel is 50yds.

I have shot an indoor range that could almost be considered a tunnel, as it is only 4 benches wide. At times, depending on weather conditions, the mirage can defeat accurate testing of ammo even with scopes turned down. Even when you can get the bull in focus, the center dot of the bull would still show movement in the scope. That is the "mirage issue".

Scott

 

[VLNBYR]

Mirage is not an issue in the testing facilities, the rifle is locked down to prevent any movement and ensure the same POA throughout the test. Building any kind of a tunnel is the easy part. Making it usable is the hard part.

 

[VLNBYR]

The all around best solution dealing with wind is to shoot at night, the later the better.

 

[skeetlee]

The more I research and consider my latest idea the more I think I just need to be happy with the wonderful range I already have. Throwing good money to bad isn’t my style. There are times through the year when the wind is mild and very shootable. There are also times where you must shoot at night for optimal conditions. The fall and winter months, the wind blows a 10 to 14 mph average and it sucks but hey, life could be worse. My uncle has a hay barn that just shy or 150’ so I might try shooting in there a bit before I do to much. Lee

 

[doclu60]

Mirage is not an issue in the testing facilities, the rifle is locked down to prevent any movement and ensure the same POA throughout the test. Building any kind of a tunnel is the easy part. Making it usable is the hard part.

Exactly correct!