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

Jump to:

• Is it legal to build an at-home gun range?
• Is it safe to build an at-home gun range?
• What costs are associated with building an at-home gun range?
• How should I set up my at-home gun range?
• What environmental impact can my gun range have?

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. 

#1. Is It Legal to Build a Gun Range at My Home?

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.