North Fork Wolf Creek Recreational Shooting Lanes

[Cogs]

Question for you all...

Say we have the berms something like this (example pic below): It's 1/4"-10 ballistics gravel to absorb and retain bullets within the berm. The 1/4"-10 holds it's vertical slope very well and is small enough to prevent ricochets. We plan to raise the 1/4"-10 gravel 2-3 feel above the block on the back, sides and face, however, I'm concerned that it may end up revealing the concrete face of the blocks, if it gets worn down in front over time and from climbing on it (we should not be climbing/walking onto the berms, but some people do). We are planning the berms to be a total of 8-9 feet high with the blocks at 6 feet high under the gravel. This horseshoe shape will make for easy front loader scoop out for cleanup when we have to remove the gravel to cleaning out the lead.

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How would you recommend to face the concrete blocks? We can't have ricochets from striking a flat concrete surface, so, we'd like to face those with something that would stand up and absorb the hits. Or, do you think 2 feet deep of 1/4"-10 gravel will hold it's position and adequately cover the face for a long period of time?

The concrete Jumbo Blocks are 2'x2'x6' or x3'. We could have a straight up face or tier them back (as seen in the pic above). Either way, we need to face them with something. Railroad ties are out, with ODF, because of the chemical treatments they contain. It's possible to use Gabion Baskets with a tight wire web to hold small gravel and form them in a wedge shape so bullets are deflected into the berm?

You don't have to be a wizard range designer, just your thoughts on how to face these blocks.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Cosimel]

A thought, find a bunch of wore out tracker tires and cut the tread surface into strips that would cover the face of the concrete blocks. The Trick would be how to keep them there. I would suggest four mason bolts and inserts (one in each corner of the tire strip corresponding to inserts in the concrete blocks) and then cover them with an epoxy that could be stripped or chipped away to regain access to the bolt should a tire strip need to be replaced.

 

[RaceFan]

Along the lines of used tires... how about stacking used tires in front of the concrete blocks to conceal? I would not fill the tires with gravel to minimize ricochet; bullets can just pierce the hollow tires and bounce inside. Perhaps filling with sand to hold in place?

 

[Cogs]

I believe tires would work well and be effective, however, that is another material ODF does not want to use.

We'll keep thinking about it.

 

[bolus]

I believe tires would work well and be effective, however, that is another material ODF does not want to use.

We'll keep thinking about it.

Sandbags?

How about something like this:
Gun Range Walls | Geocell | Firing Range | Protection Barrier
Defencell | Gun Range Walls | Firing Range | Gun Clubs | Geocell

Specifically for making berms at gun ranges. Fill with local dirt or sand like a sandbag but made to specifically to be shot at

 

[Kristina]

Sandbags?

How about something like this:
Gun Range Walls | Geocell | Firing Range | Protection Barrier
Defencell | Gun Range Walls | Firing Range | Gun Clubs | Geocell

Specifically for making berms at gun ranges. Fill with local dirt or sand like a sandbag but made to specifically to be shot at

Those are great but yikes! $$$ Fundraising anyone?!?

 

[bolus]

Those are great but yikes! $$$ Fundraising anyone?!?

The state spent a bunch of money building the range in the first place. So a price quote on these or something similar might be worth seeing if it fits into the budget. If the range stops at least one forest fire starting, it would easily pay for stuff like this.

 

[DirectDrive]

Fitch Barrels
Maybe the Highway Dept. could be persuaded to donate some ?
Energy Absorption . FITCH UNIVERSAL BARRELS® Crash Cushion System

Or Pickle Barrels
https://www.bluebarrelsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/BlueBarrels-300x281.jpg

Of course the above would be filled with sand or fine gravel.

 

[Kristina]

The state spent a bunch of money building the range in the first place. So a price quote on these or something similar might be worth seeing if it fits into the budget. If the range stops at least one forest fire starting, it would easily pay for stuff like this.

True .

 

[Kristina]

What about a Gabion wall but with logs/branches instead of rocks?

 

[p38nut]

Fitch Barrels
Maybe the Highway Dept. could be persuaded to donate some ?
Energy Absorption . FITCH UNIVERSAL BARRELS® Crash Cushion System

Or Pickle Barrels
https://www.bluebarrelsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/BlueBarrels-300x281.jpg

Of course the above would be filled with sand or fine gravel.

I like the blue barrels and they are cheap too (Always a plus in my book). I've seen them used for rain barrels, composting, etc. I see them all over Craigslist for $25-50 each. And filled with sand or something ought to do the trick.

 

[Cogs]

Sandbags?

How about something like this:
Gun Range Walls | Geocell | Firing Range | Protection Barrier
Defencell | Gun Range Walls | Firing Range | Gun Clubs | Geocell

Specifically for making berms at gun ranges. Fill with local dirt or sand like a sandbag but made to specifically to be shot at

Good find Bolus! I'll spend some time checking this out. Really like the idea!

 

[Cogs]

What about a Gabion wall but with logs/branches instead of rocks?

The concern there is with potential sparks inside the wood and possible fire hazard.

 

[Member 34319]

As we discussed earlier I think gabian baskets shaped into triangles placed into the notches of the concrete barriers, the top 2-4" filled with the 1/4-10 material vs the bigger rock. So from the front, they will appear to be completely 1/4-10.

 

[Kristina]

The concern there is with potential sparks inside the wood and possible fire hazard.

LOL, duh. I was thinking only of the ricochet factor, not the potential fire hazard .

 

[Cogs]

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The North Fork Wolf Creek Target Shooting Lanes will be closed to public use on Monday July 2nd from 9am to 4pm so crews can complete lane improvement planning and design work.

ODF will be working with their engineers to collect more specific site survey information for each of the lanes. The work they are doing is going to take most of the day. While they are working, all four lanes will be closed to public use. They also posted this information on their Tillamook State Forest Blog.

Thank you!

Cogs & @Reno911

 

[WBCSaint]

Lots of folks were out yesterday celebrating the 4th by exercising their 2A. All the lanes were full when we got out there and 3 and 4 both had people waiting. Really wish we had longer and could have stuck around to shoot but didnt have the time to sit around and wait due to other engagements.

 

[SA Shooter]

I was thinking about this after meeting Randy & Darren (?) from ODF up at the site a couple of weeks ago. Seems the strength of the concrete block is needed to keep the material from slumping and flowing like the unsupported dirt berms do now. But, we need to be mindful of ricochet hazards.

They make ecoblock insultated concrete forms that are environmentally friendly and should hold up as barriers over the concrete block.

 

[Member 34319]

Lots of folks were out yesterday celebrating the 4th by exercising their 2A. All the lanes were full when we got out there and 3 and 4 both had people waiting. Really wish we had longer and could have stuck around to shoot but didnt have the time to sit around and wait due to other engagements.

How were the lanes looking overall?

I'm curious if it's been a while and we should organize a small cleanup?

 

[Cosimel]

Lots of folks were out yesterday celebrating the 4th by exercising their 2A. All the lanes were full when we got out there and 3 and 4 both had people waiting. Really wish we had longer and could have stuck around to shoot but didn't have the time to sit around and wait due to other engagements.

Don't I know it, had to wait over an hour and a half to get onto lane 4. Even that was crowded with three groups shooting at once. The last group to show up was a group of anarchist, mostly transgender as far as I could tell. At the time I was sharing the lane with a very patriotic young group blasting country rock out of their pickup. The antifa group, all decked out from head to toe in black, just helped themselves to the lane, as anarchists tend to do, right in between us. Wasn't really sure how that was going to pan out, but we all just got to shooting and even sharing; only gun talk, fun had by all.