Range bay size minimums

[Jmob50]

I can’t find a more appropriate place for this question so I apologize in advance.

 

What would you say the minimum depth for a pistol bay would be?

 

I’m trying to figure out how to navigate around a very narrow property and I realize I can make the bays wide to help alleviate the issue, by setting up any long shots diagonally into the bay, but I’m curious what you’d consider to be the average distance that is used in your range. 

 

[Maximis228]

25-30+ yards deep is ideal but isn't necessary. At the end of the day you will design stages to fit the bays you have access to. I design stages for a few clubs with vastly different size/shaped bays. Each bay has their own unique characteristics. We have some bays as short as 10 yards and as long as 60 yards. Some as wide as 40-50 yards and some only 5-7 yards wide. 

 

If you never plan to host major matches, 5-8 bays would be perfect for local matches/training/hosting classes. If you want to be able to host a major, then at least 10 bays will be needed (12-15 bays would be better). 

[Dr. Phil]

It depends on your events.

USPSA is a lot different in necessity than Steel Challenge. SC can't be shot diagonally on some stages due to the width. (Speed Option being 1)

Ours run about 25 yards wide by 35 or 50 yards long, depending on the location. 25 wide is almost no enough once the side berms start to sag. (new construction)

PPC events (depending on the course chosen) needs 50 yards.

[Jmob50]

Good info, thanks guys! I think I may be able to get 20yds deep(maybe) and I could make 8 bays up to 50yds wide if I need to. I can build one bay 50yds square for a stage that would require that depth. Or two 25x50’s I guess. I don’t know that a major match would ever be hosted but, I guess planning for the possibility isn’t a terrible idea. It sounds like I’m not too far off. I really wanted 25yds deep on each but it’s not going to be possible. Sounds like I may be able to get by with the bulk of them a little short and try to compensate using the width in some cases

[Jmob50]

Oh and yes, mostly USPSA and Steel Challenge. The back half of the property would lend itself to rifle out to 500yds

[MHicks]

Also your rear start position is usually well into the bay for safety left and right. 

[Maximis228]

1 hour ago, MHicks said:

Also your rear start position is usually well into the bay for safety left and right. 

 

You will want a good 5-10 yard buffer at the rear for the side berms for people to stand around (inside the bay and not on the road between bays). 

[ltdmstr]

If you're designing from scratch, this might be helpful  Probably worth the $54.

 

The NRA Range Source Book (Current Edition) is a technical source book for shooting range builders and operators. With 27 chapters of information on range operation and construction collected for you in a three-ring binder. The updated version of the NRA Source Book includes both information on Outdoor and Indoor Ranges, an extensive vendors list of those in the industry able to assist with the building or improvements to your range, as well as a section for general drawings for reference.

 

https://materials.nrahq.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=91_113&product_id=404

[broadside72]

Who says you need to have bays that are perpendicular to the centerline of the property? Its more dirt, but you can build some of the bays "sideways" so you enter at the uprange end of the side berm and turn left or right to get to the bay itself. 

 

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[Jmob50]

The property is only 140’ wide so to make the most of the property, especially thinking about the footprint of a berm, is to place all bays sideways in a line with the road along the opposite edge of the property. 

[Jmob50]

17 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

If you're designing from scratch, this might be helpful  Probably worth the $54.

 

The NRA Range Source Book (Current Edition) is a technical source book for shooting range builders and operators. With 27 chapters of information on range operation and construction collected for you in a three-ring binder. The updated version of the NRA Source Book includes both information on Outdoor and Indoor Ranges, an extensive vendors list of those in the industry able to assist with the building or improvements to your range, as well as a section for general drawings for reference.

 

https://materials.nrahq.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=91_113&product_id=404

I have seen lots of advertisements for that book but no one can tell me if there’s any pertinent information that I’m looking for in it. In fact, when I reached out to NSSF as well as the NRA, both in which I am a member of, only the NSSF was helpful with information. The NRA didn’t even reply to try and sell their book. I think I have everything else figured out besides a minimum depth to work around. I know I will want to be able to setup all 8 Steel Challenge courses and I can meet their required depth. I’m sure there will be some USPSA classifiers that I won’t be able to meet but it’s not a huge deal. I’m just trying to think ahead given all of the disciplines that I’m not familiar with

[ltdmstr]

Unfortunately, NRA isn't what it used to be.  Not even close.  I spent about 10 years on the board of directors of a large private club (2k+ members) with multiple ranges/disciplines, and NRA was very helpful in designing upgrades to our rifle and shotgun ranges.  But, that was 15+ years ago. 

[Jmob50]

3 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

Unfortunately, NRA isn't what it used to be.  Not even close.  I spent about 10 years on the board of directors of a large private club (2k+ members) with multiple ranges/disciplines, and NRA was very helpful in designing upgrades to our rifle and shotgun ranges.  But, that was 15+ years ago. 

Yeah, to say I’m disappointed in the NRA would be an understatement. However, the NSSF has been not just extremely helpful but they also responded the very next day. 

[shred]

The NRA range book is useful so you can tell people like insurance companies "it's built and run to NRA standards like police ranges are" (you'll also want to hit up the likely insurance prospects like Lockton to see what they want WRT berm height and posted rules and such)

 

Get the $20 USB stick instead of the giant binder-- https://materials.nrahq.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=91_113&product_id=405. 

 

Has lots of general range things not very relevant to USPSA / Steel bays, but a few things that are.

 

[Jmob50]

On 4/4/2024 at 10:42 AM, shred said:

The NRA range book is useful so you can tell people like insurance companies "it's built and run to NRA standards like police ranges are" (you'll also want to hit up the likely insurance prospects like Lockton to see what they want WRT berm height and posted rules and such)

 

Get the $20 USB stick instead of the giant binder-- https://materials.nrahq.org/index.php?route=product/product&path=91_113&product_id=405. 

 

Has lots of general range things not very relevant to USPSA / Steel bays, but a few things that are.

 

Thanks. That's not a bad idea and a USB stick is much more useful than a book anyway. Lockton didn't really have as specific requirements that I was hoping to find.