A Quick Guide to Building Your Home Gun Range: Five Things You Need to Know

  • by Casy Smith
A Quick Guide to Building Your Home Gun Range: Five Things You Need to Know

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There’s nothing like getting in a few hours of target practice to sharpen your shooting skills. One of the ways most skilled shooters develop their accuracy and firing rate is by heading to their local gun ranges. 

While dry-fire training can help develop your draw and stance from different places, live firing is the best way to become a better marksman and protect yourself in a life-or-death situation.

Even if you’re an avid gun range visitor, you may have thought about creating your own dedicated firing range to avoid the fees, reduce travel time and have a space for private shooting practices. While building your own gun range has some major benefits, it can be a significant undertaking and should be planned out carefully before diving in. 

Let’s examine what you should do before building your own gun range or target practice setup and whether this route will work for you. 

Five Things to Consider When Preparing Your At-home Range

As you build out your gun range masterplan, here are five elements that you should consider before diving into your project. 

It’s a great idea to review your county, city and neighborhood ordinances before starting your gun range building plans. A good rule of thumb is that the more rural area you live in, the less restrictive your noise ordinance and zoning laws will be. 

If you live within city limits or are part of a neighborhood association, the chances of being able to craft a gun range without a special permit are lower. While live fire practice is important, you should never break the law to do it. 

Once you check on the local laws for building a gun range, you should check with your insurer about any liability issues you could encounter when creating an at-home gun range. Even if you aren’t planning on opening your gun range up to visitors, there are always risks to having this type of feature on your property. 

Like concealed carry insurance, it may be a good idea to bump up your general liability in case something ever goes awry while you or someone else is on the range. 

#2. Is It Safe to Build a Gun Range on My Property?

Once you’ve determined the legality of being able to build a gun range at your home, you need to examine how much space you can use and if it is enough space to fire safely away from neighbors, livestock or anything else that could be hurt or damaged from gunfire. 

Living in a shared living space like an apartment or in a suburban neighborhood will make it nearly impossible to create an at-home gun range, as you have neighbors in all directions. The more space you have, the more possibilities you have.

The caliber of firearm you plan on shooting will affect how much space you need as well. Are you planning on only practicing with your concealed carry arm or another handgun, or do you want to practice long-range shooting as well? If you only want to practice with a handgun or smaller caliber rifle, you may be able to get away with a smaller plot of land. 

Outside of projectile containment, the more space you have, the less you have to worry about noise control, as space, trees and foliage will dampen the sound of your gunfire. If you think that you will be firing within hearing range of your neighbors, it’s a good idea to have open communication with them about when and with what frequency you will use your firing range. 

#3. How Much Firing Range Can You Afford?

Once you determine if you can legally and safely set up a firing range on your property, it’s important to budget out how much you can realistically spend on this space. A few costs to consider include:

  • Construction supplies and dirt for your berm and shooting bay/platform.
  • Supplies and labor to clear out any debris, brush or trees that may be your potential shooting lanes.
  • Targets.
  • Ongoing maintenance and upkeep. 

#4. How Will I Set Up My Firing Range?

After carefully creating your range budget, you can plan the layout for your firing range. A few items you should consider whenever you are laying out the direction of the range include:

  • Natural lighting - The direction of your targets is critical for making sure you can make the most out of the sunlight. If your range runs east and west, the sun can shine directly into the shooter’s eyes.
  • The berm - Once you determine your target’s location, you need to plan out your berm construction. If you have a rock quarry or a cliff on your property, your berm may not require as much construction. If you are starting from scratch, you may need to build up a berm. The NRA recommends that your berm be at least 12 feet tall. 
  • Elevation of your targets - The angle of your targets relative to your shooting bay is important to consider. While you can shoot uphill, you will have to make your berm or shooting barrier taller to accommodate aiming uphill. Some experts suggest shooting downhill because it reduces the distance your bullet will go beyond the target if you miss.
  • Trees, foliage and other natural features - As you map out your shooting lanes, you need to see how many natural obstacles are between the shooting bay and your targets. Clearing trees and foliage will open up your range but will add to the cost. 

#5. Environmental Impact of a Shooting Range on Your Property

The final thing to consider when building an at-home gun range is the environmental impact it may have. Soil contamination from lead is something that you can encounter over time. 

However, if you keep bullets contained to your property and are dedicated to cleaning ammunition from your berm, you can reduce saturating soil on your property with lead. One environmental expert said that the most important thing to do is to avoid allowing ammunition and other debris to reach any sources of water on your property or adjoining properties. 

A Place for Your Firearm After a Great Shooting Session

Regardless of where you practice, your firearm needs a safe space that is discreet but easy to access when at home. Our concealment flags, furniture and decor are perfect for stowing your firearm anywhere in your home. Check out our full offering of products today!

Remember, building a firing range is a significant undertaking and should not be approached lightly. To get more in-depth advice for your situation, consult with a firearms safety or gun range expert. Always check your state and local laws before proceeding. For more in-depth assistance in building your range, you can visit the NRA’s Range Services page.

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Hanging instructions for the Patriot Wall Shelf

Factors to consider befor you start

Installing a Patriot wall shelf can be a very simple project but there are several factors that you need to understand. our shelves have been designed to work with standard pine 2X4 construction that was 16" on center. Because they were designed around the 16" on center pine 2X4 framed walls that is the process for our instructions. Installing the shelves on amy other type of wall is done at your risk. Liberty Home Concealment does not advise you to attempt installing your shelf onto amy other type of wall.

Understanding what is beneath your walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of hanging a shelf on your wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install the shelf on the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning yur shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority.

Safety First

As a consurmer of Liberty Home Concealment, it is a safe assumption that you are a gun owner. Liberty Home Concealment sincerely hopes that you have a great grasp of the concept of SAFETY FIRST. The installation of our shelves requires several steps and we highly recommend that you have a friend help you with the installation. This is very important as the size and moving parts of the shelves can make the installation very cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a single person to accomplish by themselves. So please, we urge you to get some help. Secondly, proper tools that are in good serviceable condition are a must. Please use your tools in a manner consistent with the manufacturers intended use. Using proper tools can make the installation quick, simple and enjoyable. But most importantly, SAFE. So, save yourself the trouble and use the proper tools.

CAUTION!!

Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY and even DEATH!

Tools that should be considered for a safe proper installation

Stud finder, Tape measure, Pencil, Level, Electric screw driver, and Safety glasses.

Step 1

Confirm your desired wall has adequate support by finding the studs with the stud finder. Also, remove the foam insert until later instruction. Mark your stud locations and transfer those measurement onto your shelf. Drill pilot holes through shelf in marked locations. We recommend using a 1/8" or 3/16" bit for the pilot hole. A hole too big will allow the screw to pull right through the back of the shelf. That would be bad. And unnecessary. Please use the proper drill bit. Depending on your wall you should be able to locate at least two studs to anchor your shelf into for maximum strength. Some walls may even allow for three studs to be anchored into. The shelf MUST use at LEAST (2) pine 2X4 studs and the shelf bracket's to fully support the finished loaded weight.

Step 2

With the help of a friend, and using a level and your original measurements hold the shelf in its desired location and transfer the pilot hole locations to the wall. You should be using a minimum of two studs for this step. Each stud receiving (3) screw locations. Two internally, and the other two in the brackets on top. For now, only focus on marking the internal locations. Mark the four internal screw holes. Make sure to hold your shelf nice and level for this step or yur final installation will be crooked.

Step 3

With the help of a friend, hold the shelf into its' mounting location. Line up the holes in the shelf with the marks in your wall and your wall anchors, and install the six long wood screws into the wall. Four into two different studs, and two into the wall anchors.

Step 4

Installing the shelf brackets to the TOP of your shelf. At this point your shelf is attatched to the wall but it is not ready for any weight. Please DO NOT ADD ANY WEIGHT until you have firmly mounted and anchored your brackets into the top. Have your friend help you support the weight of the shelf until you can get the brackets tightly mounted to the desired location on your wall studs. Again, use two studs. Do not add weight to your shelf either inside, or on top, until both brackets are fully installed. Using the supplied 3/4" screws attach brackets to the top of the shelf and 2 of the longer screws for the stud attachment.

Step 5

Unlocking your shelf. Use your magnetic key to locate and unlock the bottom of the shelf. Do this while the shelf is open so you can see what is going on. You may even want ot make two small marks on the bottom of the shelf if it helps you to locate the pickup. It will take a little practice to find the location of the magnetic pick up but you will find it. Make sure you aren't inadvertently trying to unlock the gas damper. Once the location of the lock pickup is located, the magnet will hold itself in place. However, the shelf will not fully disengage the locks until you release the pressure on the locks by lifting the shelf slightly upward with a simple squeeze of your hands. Once you hear the audible clicks of the locks disengaging you can slowly open the shelf allowing the gas damper to lower the shelf to its resting stop.

Concealment Picture Frame Installation Instructions

Consider What is Beneath Your Walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of cutting a hole in a wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install this item in the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning your shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority. CAUTION!! Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY or even DEATH!!

Recommended Tools

These tools are not required to install your Liberty Home Concealment picture freame however they will help with the installation process. Stud Finder, tape measure, level, pencil, jigsaw, circular saw, keyhole saw, Sawzall, drill/driver, inspection mirror, flashlight and a second set of hands to help with marking your wall before cutting. These products were designed to work with "standard" 2X4 construction that was framed on 16" centers.

Step 1

Acquire all the tools to complete the job. Do not forget about proper personal protective gear.

Step 2

Confirm that your wall space is empty!! Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death!

Step 3

Clean your work area around your desired install location. Cover any furniture with a tarp, drop cloth, or painter's plastic to aid in quick easy cleanup.

Step 4

Use a stud finder to locate the space between two studs. Confirm that you have 14.5" between the two stud edges before marking and cutting your walls.

Step 5

The back box of your picture frame is the size you need to make your hole. Hold picture frame tight against the wall and use your level to ensure frame is sitting level against the wall. On smaller sized picture frames such as 5"X7" and 8"X10" you will fasten to both studs. While holding the picture frame tight against the wall while checking for level and trace around the outside perimeter of the picture frames back box.

Step 6

Before cutting the entire wall opening Liberty Home Concealment recommends that you cut a small hole within the area that wil become the full-size hole. This is done to check and confirm your wall is truly clear of obstructions inside the wall such as electrical wiring plumbing. It's much easier to patch a small hole vs repairing a large hole because you got ahead of yourself. Do not skip this step!!

Step 7

Once you are sure that there are no obstacles inside your cut area, cut the full rectangle that you have marked previously. Remove drywall cutout away from the wall.

Step 8

Slide your new insert/picture frame into the hole you just cut.

Step 9

Use the supplied screws to fasten to the stud or studs that run up the sides of the rear of the box. On smaller frames box will only fasten to the stud you biased your hole towards.

Picture Installation

1. Lay frame face down on soft surface such as a towel or blanket. 2. Hold firmly and slide picture frame in to the open position. 3. Remove four metal picture retainer clips, if clips are tight use a flat bladed screw driver to wiggle free. 4. Remove wood backer noard and lay picture onto glass. Making sure of proper orientation. 5. Reinstall backer board and 4 retaining clips. 6. Slide picture frame closed and enjoy!

Wall maunting instructions for Freedom Series Coat Rack

Recommendation

Liberty Home Concealmemt does not recommend the use of hollow wall anchors to mount larger items on your walls. While anchors may provide sufficient holding capability, Liberty Home Concealment recommends attaching directly to the studs located inside your wall to ensure the most secure level of attachment.

Step 1

Choose the desired location of the item you are wanting to mount your coat rack.

Step 2

Once you have your ideal location use a stud finder to locate 2 studs in your wall that will support your coat rack. Mark the location of each stud's center with a pencil. Use a nail to confirm stud has been located.

Step 3

Hold product against wall and use level to make sure it is even. Use a friend to help hold level while transferring stud location marks to inside of product to be mounted. Tip: Remember the adage "Measure twice cut once." That same rule applies when making holes in your walls.

Step 4

Check that product is plumb and level before securing. Once proper placement is achieve fasten first screw through product and into stud. Re check for level and attach second screw into next stud.

Step 5

Step back and admire your handy work. Now get started filling your piece of concealment furniture with all the items you are wanting to keep stored securely out of sight. ENJOY!!

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