Home-made range

F8L_Funnel · Sep 5, 2015

To start, I do not have property for this at this time. I saw an episode of Million Dollar Rooms and this guy had a 25 yard underground range below his garage, with all the bells and whistles.

If I had the available property, and of course the $$ to finance all applicable components to meet OSHA standards for ventilation and safety insulation(bullet resistant panels, etc), could I build my own below ground range in a neighborhood without having miles of land between me and the next neighbor. Lets say a 1.5 acre property that had the dimensions that would allow a 25 yard lane about 12 feet below ground.

Has anyone here tried something like this or know someone who has?

I understand there would be great expense involved, but it would be freaking awesome!

Indiana Jones · Sep 5, 2015

This is a really cool idea. I don't know any answers to your questions but hope a bump will get some answers. Im interested to hear!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

shootin the breeze · Sep 5, 2015

There was talk of this before on the forum. As I recall, there are no restrictions for below ground ranges. Someone posted regs for one county but I can't remember which one. It was one of the more anti countries tho. I think it was MoCo.

F8L_Funnel · Sep 5, 2015

It certainly would be a construction project. I would need to excavate a sizable area, unless I just bought and dropped in 2 - 40' shipping containers to form the lane. The more serious excavation would only be needed for the area behind the firing line. Now that could be completed with another 20' container perpendicular and even leave enough space to make a vault. Container structures do open up the possibilities while cutting down on time.

traveller · Sep 5, 2015

Bury 25 yrd horizontal concrete pipe out from your basement, terminate in manhole for your bullet trap. Claim it is 'stormwater retention' and 'for the bay' ;-)

F8L_Funnel · Sep 6, 2015

But then would I have to tax myself on the "storm water"?

protegeV · Sep 6, 2015

Veddy interesting :brows:

Huckleberry · Sep 6, 2015

Savage Range Systems has some units that can be used for a private range

Their drum system is used at the NRA range

traveller · Sep 6, 2015

F8L_Funnel said:
But then would I have to tax myself on the "storm water"?

The 'for the bay' comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but the suggestion to use culvert for an underground range was serious. Prefab components are the way to do do this cheaply (even cheaper if you can find faulty pourings or extrusions that wouldnt pass inspection for sewer duty and you can get them for the cost of hauling).

BigDaddy · Sep 6, 2015

Tom Clancy did it, but it's a little late to ask him. He also tried to build one in his condo at the Inner Harbor. Knowing what ranges have to do with lead monitoring of their employees, I wouldn't want one. When it came time to sell the house, it would be worse than having an old pool in your backyard.

j_h_smith · Sep 6, 2015

I wonder how fast the EPA and all the other alphabet soup agencies would be jumping on you for not following this or that regulation or not have this or that permit.

Probably not worth the effort for the average working man.

PapiBarcelona · Sep 6, 2015

North Harford High School had a shooting range in their basement.

When they spent an ungodly amount of epic failure and money modernizing the school without actually tearing it down and building new, I think it got filled in.

Minuteman · Sep 6, 2015

I have no idea about the legality of such, so I won't go there.

There are so many great places to shoot, available to the public and private clubs, besides, there still are lots of places in Maryland that are remote enough that people still shoot on their own property - that I'm not sure it's worth your effort to even try.

I've heard of more people shooting air gun in their basement than actual firearms; airguns don't require any ventilation, just good backstopping, and basic safety procedures and gear. I have a little airlift trap (it's really a toy) that I sometimes play with, or let others shoot into, it came replete with mini zombie targets and 4 airsoft 1911 style pistols; its a cool game.

lowoncash · Sep 6, 2015

I've seen an indoor underground range at a firearm manufacturing plant that was a small single room at the firing line and the range was one lane wide. You wouldn't need the width of a container if you only have one lane. Think concrete pipe or old school well casing. I did not get a chance to inspect the ventilation or baffle/bullet trap at the far end.

j_h_smith · Sep 6, 2015

I have heard of a guy that has an underground range in his house (well kinda) and it wasn't difficult to do.

He made a hole in the wall of his basement. From there, dug a trench and then he used 36 inch concrete pipes to extend the distance out to 50 yards. He backfilled to covered the pipe and he was done. There are a lot of details I've left out, mainly because I don't know more than this. He shoots from a room within his basement, shooting down the pipe to some type of backstop. I do know he has an electric target retrieval installed somehow.

It seemed like a very economical way to make an underground range.

marylandmark · Sep 6, 2015

I know a guy that has one (Paul Facchina/construction guy). He said ventilation is expensive and his idea of expensive is a lot more than what most of us would think is expensive.

Fonzy · Jun 21, 2018

F8L_Funnel said:
To start, I do not have property for this at this time. I saw an episode of Million Dollar Rooms and this guy had a 25 yard underground range below his garage, with all the bells and whistles.

If I had the available property, and of course the $$ to finance all applicable components to meet OSHA standards for ventilation and safety insulation(bullet resistant panels, etc), could I build my own below ground range in a neighborhood without having miles of land between me and the next neighbor. Lets say a 1.5 acre property that had the dimensions that would allow a 25 yard lane about 12 feet below ground.

Has anyone here tried something like this or know someone who has?

I understand there would be great expense involved, but it would be freaking awesome!

Any luck with this? I NEED to figure something out for my house!

buellsfurn · Jun 21, 2018

we did a add on to customers barn while putting metal on the roof i noticed a mound near the woods .Home owner is a very nice person so I asked whats that .he replied a clean out for my underground range . and if that wasn't enough as you look over the bank towards their water front theirs 4 or 5 shooting benches did I mention water front about 200 yrds I'd say

ted76 · Jun 21, 2018

My late Uncle had one in his basement in Frederick City. He shot from one corner to the far opposite corner. He had a hinged section of the center wall that lifted out of the way.
He only shot 22s in his basement though. :innocent0

F8L_Funnel · Jul 9, 2018

nice! I am in the market again for a property. This interest rate and an unusually hot market are making it REALLY difficult to get both the house and property combination I want. Time will tell!

Home-made range

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