What is considered a safe distance downrange?

[Jonnyroy]

I would love to know others’ opinions on safe downrange distances on airgun ranges. How much hay and pastureland should be considered unsafe beyond the last targets’ backstop…should any pellets (no slugs used) escape over the backstop?

180 yards of my range are on my property; with targets with backstops at 20 to 150 yards. Beyond the 150 yard backstop are 30 more yards of my property, and then about 300 more yards of pastureland only; then finally, barns and homes at a total range of 500+ yards from shooting bench.

I mostly shoot springers and PCPs under 22 ft.lbs., with pellets only. 99.9% of rounds shot are caught in wood backstops, or contact/skip off of ground when shooting cans at under 60 yards. Yet, the wild shot gone high, or the skipper off the ground, might obviously go into adjacent 300 yard wide pasture starting at 180+ yards from the shooting bench.

The maximum retained energy, should a round be shot at a very high angle to reach buildings at 500 yards, would be 0.9 ft.lbs. (according to Chairgun app). And I really doubt that even that much energy could be retained by a tumbling and unstable pellet at that distance.

What would you consider reasonably safe under these circumstances?

 

[bdzjlz]

Anything off of your property would be unsafe to me, and even then one has to consider the occasional kid or animal walking through. You need to fully know where EVERY shot is going to end up before you pull the trigger. Otherwise you are just asking for trouble and putting our entire sport in jeopardy.

 

[HogKiller]

Anything off of your property would be unsafe to me, and even then one has to consider the occasional kid or animal walking through. You need to fully know where EVERY shot is going to end up before you pull the trigger. Otherwise you are just asking for trouble and putting our entire sport in jeopardy.

Agreed, but if the OP want's to really know when it's going to hit the ground a ballistics app will give you that. We know that a .22lr will for over a mile, According to Stryloc Pro, a .22 22gr will go about 130 yards and will have dropped 36 inches at zero elevation. Providing I did the numbers right.

 

[L.Leon]

I agree with @bdzjlz, any rounds that ”leave” your property are unsafe… You might consider simply setting up shorter, safer ranges? Its the prudent thing to do…

 

[JimD]

Depends some on the lay of the land. If you shoot horizontally at a target 3 feet off the ground the projectile will hit the ground when it drops 3 feet. If your target is only a foot off the ground it will hit the ground significantly sooner. But if your targets are at the top of a hill, the pellet will obviously carry further. My lower powered guns will not carry 300 yards with the pellets I shoot from them regardless of the angle. My higher powered guns will but there is quite a bit of drop at even 100 yards.

 

[boscoebrea]

What I was taught, have a safe backstop,your round should not go past what you are shooting at.
Which means Hit what you are aiming at.......this was fundamental.
Of course, things change, especially as I get older,never-the-less when something is pounded in your head as a young boy you seem to retain it.
The fact is I look at my backstop=or where round goes before I take aim at my target,
Yes, this was for powder burners, but I was also taught to treat all guns the same.....
Old shooters never die, we just get crankier. MacArthur not

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

A magnum springer will reach 600 yards.

john

 

[Trucker3573]

You have backstops behind each of your targets and a vast amount of land beyond if by chance something makes it that far. You are shooting pellets that bleed energy quickly. Sounds like you are all good.

 

[bigHUN]

I am shooting airguns in a gunclub. Every distance lane have an overhead barrier on height designed for that specific length also a sand bern high enough so if you raise the gun the projectile will be stopped before reaching beyond the target. Safe to say also 15 degree per side must be safe for shooting, so pretty much minimum of eyebox in your scope.
You know the Murphys Law?