Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Rifle And Shotgun Grounding Stations


Recommended Posts

We use 55 Gal Plastic barrels with the top cut off. They are placed at an angle and screwed to 2 other barrels or a wall/barricade. There are some in the video here (even shown on the main page):

I seen other clubs use a ramp type design where a flat piece of wood is covered with carpet and placed at an angle. I prefer the barrels though.

Edited by prreed10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JJ Johnson recommends a large Rubbermaid trash barrel, anchored with rerod. The long guns are pointing down, allowing the shooter to go forward in the course of fire. Andy Horner used the same idea at Blue Ridge.

Someone had a better fix on this.. inserting a piece of plywood angeled at the bottom to fully control the muzzle.. not sure if JJs did that as well

I think that's what they used at Vegas last year

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the barrels that either have carpet or foam in them. It seems to keep the muzzles from wandering during the insertion process.

I do not care too much for the wooden box on the ground technique. It is ok but the plastic barrels work great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The VERTICLE barrels work great. Ramps work inside too if you just have to have them, but keep them verticle and fastened down well. I do NOT recommend tilting the barrels or putting anything inside them other than cardboard.

tilted barrels can cause all kinds of problems, such as guns with heavy stocks ending up horizontal with the ground, and guns bouncing out right after being put in...

And padding inside a dump barrel is great and all (like carpeting) but can MELT to a hot barrel...

do a search Lynn and you will find some photos I have posted. I'm on the road right now using mobile version of Enos or I would get you a link...

JJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Here is the approach we use at Rio Salado/SMM3G:

SMM3GAbandonmentBarrel.png

The barrel is a plastic 55-gallon container, open at the top and with a square segment removed from the side to facilitate insertion/removal of long guns. We always stake the barrel down. The carpeted wooden ramp inside the barrel ensures the muzzle is always directed down-range, and of course down into the dirt. I will take a photo and post it here next time I am at the range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really didn't like the square cut away of the SMM3G barrels and the tops were not cut smoothly. I saw several people get big scratched down their arms, gun snagged and a DQ because of the gun hanging up in this "square" the one on stage 5 bent the hell out of my front sight as I got my rifle out of it, and helped me darn near zero the stage. And while we are on it, these should be ABANDONING BARRELS no gun pick-up barrels!!! Guns should come off racks or tables not out of barrels designed to abandon in! I feel this was a total miss-use of the barrel concept.

BTW Kelly 5 minutes with a pair of pliers and I was good to go!, now how can a shattered red dot be fixed with a pair of pliers? Yes irons aren't the end all and be all but they are at least the "BEND ALL" and SRAIGHTEN all of sighting systems :roflol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really didn't like the square cut away of the SMM3G barrels and the tops were not cut smoothly. I saw several people get big scratched down their arms, gun snagged and a DQ because of the gun hanging up in this "square" the one on stage 5 bent the hell out of my front sight as I got my rifle out of it, and helped me darn near zero the stage. And while we are on it, these should be ABANDONING BARRELS no gun pick-up barrels!!! Guns should come off racks or tables not out of barrels designed to abandon in! I feel this was a total miss-use of the barrel concept.

BTW Kelly 5 minutes with a pair of pliers and I was good to go!, now how can a shattered red dot be fixed with a pair of pliers? Yes irons aren't the end all and be all but they are at least the "BEND ALL" and SRAIGHTEN all of sighting systems :roflol:

+1. that barrel with the overhanging plywood runway on stage 11 got me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw a couple of guns bounce pretty high when dumped hard in the big blue barrels this past weekend. The plywood ramp inside should help that. I don't really like carpet, it tends to hold water and when it gets burnt by the sun crumbles. I'm going to buy some big red trash cans for the NWMGC match and put in the plywood.

Doug

Edited by Doug H.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes at each abandonment barrel w/ a shovel and you could bury the bottom 16" of the barrel below grade. That would make it a lot easier to get guns into the barrel for us vertically challenged. It would also be secure and the muzzle would be below ground level.

Edited by Bryan 45
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, as promised, below are some photos of the abandonment barrel design we use at SMM3G. This one has a wider, more rounded cutout than some - if the consensus is that this works better, then we may migrate to this style going forwards. The wooden ramp has carpet on it because it is soft - we know how you guys love to molly-coddle your rifle's finish and optics, and here in AZ the carpet getting waterlogged is seldom a problem.

SMM3GLongGunAbandonmentBarrelComponents.jpg

SMM3GLongGunAbandonmentBarrelEmpty.jpg

SMM3GLongGunAbandonmentBarrelwith16AR15.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For completeness, below are some photos of the pistol abandonment bins we use, as decried in the pistol abandonment thread. If you guys have any suggestions as to how they can be improved, let us know. However, with how dry the ground is here, I don't know that burying them is going to be a real popular idea (unless some of you want to come to SMM3G a day earlier to do the digging for us :roflol:).

SMM3GPistolAbandonmentBinComponents.jpg

SMM3GPistolAbandonmentBin1.jpg

SMM3GPistolAbandonmentBin2.jpg

SMM3GPistolAbandonmentBin3.jpg

SMM3GPistolAbandonmentBinLabel.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Richard,

Remove the lip around the barrel, (ie, cut the top off instead of cutting the top OUT). That lip grabs things. Remove the carpet. Putting a HOT gun barrel on NYLON carpet is bad. Don't cut the square slot for the ramp to sit in, leave the top of the barrel intact (maybe cut a 2 inch deep slot fot the ramp, no more), cover the ramp with cardboard and line the bottom of the barrel with CARDBOARD, and insert the ramp.

The pistol box has to go, away...far away. It is no better than an "office in-box" that everyone hates because of the high possibility of bumping the safety. It's bad because it lays the gun flat (on the SAFETY), points the muzzle downrange, has nylon CARPET for the HOT gun barrel to lay on and MELT to, and to grab the safety. It doesn't point the muzzle straight down either, and a pistol abandonment "container" should be placed directly on the ground...

No pissing contest intended, but here is what RM3G uses. K.I.S.S.!

for long guns, 35 gallon Rubbermaid trash can, anchored down securely, VERTICAL, lined with cardboard in the bottom. It's not hard enough to scrape or damage your gun and not soft enough to melt.

for pistols, oval shaped office or bathroom trash can, with a 4x4x4 inch wood block or cardboard box in the up-range end to support the trigger guard, anchored down securly, VERTICAL, lined with cardboard.

(don't mount them at an angle! They point the gun downrange, guns don't stay in them, and they grab parts of guns when retreiving out of angled barrels!)

Neither the abandonment barrel or bucket has had problems with bumping safetys or "grabbing" parts of guns when inserting or retrieving. They are short enough for the vertically challenged. (Cheryl Current) We sometimes use them for staging guns as well, but with no lip, no wooden ramps, no edges, no carpetting, there's nothing to grab the gun and keep it from exiting the barrel quickly and safely when retrieved on the clock. We do NOT abandon a gun in an already occupied barrel/bucket! They are cheap, don't take anytime to build or modify, and they simply work! :)

jj

post-3213-014334400 1302140608_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Above post by jj is the absolute WINNER!!!!

I have abandoned guns with abandon (i.e. not speed unloading) at jj's matches, both RM3G and Johnson 3 Gun, and have never had a problem with safety coming off.....the barrels have alot to do with that!!!

...also (not mentioned by jj but, hey, let's go there!!)....

There is not a DQ at RM3G for the safety being off as long as the gun is in the barrel properly, but a 30 second "procedural" is applied. That makes for happier (AND JUST AS SAFE) shooters all around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rubber Maid type trash cans for long guns and waste baskets for pistols just like JJ describes. No ramps, carpet, lips, edges or anything else that could catch on a scope, sight or sling.

Muzzles point down not at an angle. I know this has been discussed before and I have never seen or used a simpler, safer, more fool proof method.

JJ has figured it out for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were at a pretty big match a couple years ago, and they had a stage where you left your pistol in a plastic box. It was right in the middle of the stage, and right in the middle of the range. Had to be safe or empty, and the foam in the bottom knocked several safety's off. ( Several people I know got DQ'd over that box.) Now here is the messed up part. After leaving your pistol, you ran downrange with it pointing at your back and continued with your rifle. Then someone from the match staff came along and picked it up and unloaded it and made it safe-while you were down range shooting!! I asked a staff member about it and was told "oh it's ok for him to do that, that is so and so's dad" (name deleted so as not to cause a mess). Anyway, I didn't like the idea of being downrange with people unloading pistols behind me, I don't care who's dad it is, or how much experience someone has. Accidents do happen, and what we don't need in this sport is for someone to get shot with an AD. The reason I'm putting this here is so the MDs out there can be smart and put dump barrels and boxes in places that are safe. Put that box against a berm and let me be running the other way when someone clears that weapon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is not a DQ at RM3G for the safety being off as long as the gun is in the barrel properly, but a 30 second "procedural" is applied. That makes for happier (AND JUST AS SAFE) shooters all around.

I can dig it - I'd love to see something similar applied to other matches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate that barrel, i hate that barrel, i hate that barrel! Did i mention i hate that barrel?

What exactly did it do to you to warrant this kind of hate ?

Muzzle caught that ramp as my plant foot slipped. Shotgun hit the ground, i faceplanted and took a trip to dairy queen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I've been using this design for the last couple of years, several club matches and 2 Area-6 Multi-Gun matches...

they have worked well for me.

2x6 side rails and a larger end stop piece. The rest is plywood, very short pile carpet and 2x4's

post-6812-044310600 1303344946_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...