Sand as a berm ?

[zap]

I am looking into building a shooting backstop on my property. My plan is to have railroad ties or big timbers in the back and have a dirt ( topsoil no rocks ), at as steep as an angle as i can get it.

My question is, would sand be ok to use instead of topsoil ??
I am quite certain that sand is much more dense and can be packed at a steeper angle. But, sand is basically tiny rocks. So im just not sure what would happen when shooting a bullet going 2900 fps would do to sand. Anyone have any experience with sand as a backstop ??

 

[M-61]

My experience with shooting into sand is the sand just swallows the bullet. Also a nice puff to see when sighting in. Where I now live sand is rare and a pile of dirt way less expensive.

 

[Larryh128]

I am looking into building a shooting backstop on my property. My plan is to have railroad ties or big timbers in the back and have a dirt ( topsoil no rocks ), at as steep as an angle as i can get it.

My question is, would sand be ok to use instead of topsoil ??
I am quite certain that sand is much more dense and can be packed at a steeper angle. But, sand is basically tiny rocks. So im just not sure what would happen when shooting a bullet going 2900 fps would do to sand. Anyone have any experience with sand as a backstop ??

Only issue you will have is it being moved by the wind.

 

[JFrank]

I am looking into building a shooting backstop on my property. My plan is to have railroad ties or big timbers in the back and have a dirt ( topsoil no rocks ), at as steep as an angle as i can get it.

My question is, would sand be ok to use instead of topsoil ??
I am quite certain that sand is much more dense and can be packed at a steeper angle. But, sand is basically tiny rocks. So im just not sure what would happen when shooting a bullet going 2900 fps would do to sand. Anyone have any experience with sand as a backstop ??

Try to get hardpan from your local pit, it has more clay in it therefore will hold its shape over time.
Sand will slump away, the other choice would be pitrun

 

[dsculley]

Or do what I did and put the sand into sandbags then stack them like laying blocks.

 

[D Coots]

When it comes to density sand is more dense that dirt. You just have to contain it.

 

[DirtySteve]

Dry sand stops bullets better than wet sand. Not sure what good that info does for you but there you go.. 18 inches should stop a 308. But go much deeper as stuff will move around.

 

[spaniel]

The issue you will have is erosion. You will never get vegetation growing on sand, so you will be limited to a shallower angle than with topsoil where grass can take outside the small bullet strike zone. I would not go out of my way to use sand instead of top soil.

I'm in the middle of upgrading my berms, but I use old tires to contain and rais the angle of the backside and allow me to go taller, with topsoil filling them and sloped on the front. I seed grass to keep the angle from eroding.

 

[Ggmac]

I am looking into building a shooting backstop on my property. My plan is to have railroad ties or big timbers in the back and have a dirt ( topsoil no rocks ), at as steep as an angle as i can get it.

My question is, would sand be ok to use instead of topsoil ??
I am quite certain that sand is much more dense and can be packed at a steeper angle. But, sand is basically tiny rocks. So im just not sure what would happen when shooting a bullet going 2900 fps would do to sand. Anyone have any experience with sand as a backstop ??

It depends on location and rainfall .
The NRA use to have good designs for backstops . You could try to see if they still offer the designs

 

[zap]

Thank you all for the great responses. I now have many options, and need to thonk this over.

 

[Tim s]

Sand may displace somewhat more quickly than some other options.
At our range a new 40 bench line was just installed with new 100&200 yard lines with berms and the club went with heavy mulch which has been very stable and quite resilient.

 

[B Nettesheim]

The only problem with sand is the cats love digging in it

 

[pirate ammo]

The only problem with sand is the cats love digging in it

they do more than just dig in it, wait till it rains the smell will tell you what,,

 

[spclark]

Sand works just fine at Winnequah Gun Club just outside Lodi, WI. Place is nothing but a sand pit, been that way since Union soldiers practiced there during the Civil War. Taken millions of rounds since then but keep in mind the impact berm is at the base of a 70’ hill topped with trees.

Yes it will erode so if you’re starting from scratch you need to plan on how to retain it, rebuilding periodically. Slope @ WGC’s 45-50°, hasn’t moved much since being rebuilt several years ago when more points were added before electronic targets were installed.

Vegetation can be used to hold it stable but needs maintenance. Too it depends on your local climate: harsh winters may make vegetation hard to sustain, as would very dry conditions common out west. Makes seeing impacts hard too until impact pits are big enough to show impact free of vegetation cover.

 

[spclark]

Laying fiber-optic cable @ WGC for ET system; impact berm at top.