winterdd Posted Monday at 08:53 PM Share Posted Monday at 08:53 PM I am sure you guys get some unusual requests doing what we all do on here. I am meeting tomorrow with new clients for an 8000-10,000 SF home they want to build. They want a shooting range incorporated in the home, that is all they said and admitted it was a crazy request. I bet this is not going to be your standard wood type framing on it. Would you get an engineer involved ahead of time and work the project together on something like this? Has anyone ever done one? I am picturing a basement foundation for this but we don't do basements down here in bama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tundra_dweller Posted Monday at 09:13 PM Share Posted Monday at 09:13 PM I haven't come across that request yet, but someone like these guys might be a good place to start. https://www.range-systems.com/home-range/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBCooper Posted Monday at 11:34 PM Share Posted Monday at 11:34 PM It might be less of a basement and more of a concrete bunker. Might want to find out what kind of weapons they are planning on using and what kind of blast rating they need. Also, make sure you don't piss them off. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyGuy Posted Tuesday at 12:56 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 12:56 AM Hey @winterdd, perfect timing... my new code books just showed up today... and yup, nothing yet about guns in the Canadian Building Code either that I could find lol... A couple of local-to-you places may offer some insight of the logistics, 1) you probably already checked with a gun store close by that knows of someone that has an in-house range. 2) check with any other businesses that require an explosion room. I remember the city bus barns (of all places) that needed to install an explosion proof room to store the shop explosive items (and yes, from experience, gas cylinders really do act like missiles under the right conditions...). The specs might be different, but the logistics and legal requirements may be similar. Around here, people just slide open the window and shoot at the squirrels and crows from the kitchen... where they can't see you coming .... This is a cool one, keep us posted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottkendall Posted Tuesday at 01:00 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 01:00 AM 52 minutes ago, DBCooper said: It might be less of a basement and more of a concrete bunker. This you do not want a stray bullet exiting the structure and killing someone or something. In the city of Burbank CA they have a indoor Gun Range though I believe the it is only for Pistols but the entire building is of concrete block on the walls there is some absorbent materials like a hard rubber matting likely for sound absorbtion. While you do not commonly build basements you could still could depending on your budget... You would need to change the soils type so the it does not retain so much water and moisture. Also you would need a to install a drainage system to remove any excess water and install some serious water profing. The main issue is how deep is the water table on the property when we build basements near the ocean we install 2 layers of geo textile matting in opposite directions, we then lay 4" of sand with a 18" Matte foundation with French drains carried to a sump pit. The direct area around the basement up to roughly 5 feet away for the first 3 feet vertical we install sand, then 3 feet of gravel and lastly 3 feet top soil. This reduces the capillary pressure found in the soil when the ground water level is high and the soil is expansive with a high retention value. The most important thing about a basement is keeping the moisture out. By installing gravel and sand you allow the water dissipate into the ground. If I had a gun range at my house I would want it in the ground as it would provide a better situation for firing higher caliber rounds without fear of something exiting the building. Also, with sand and gravel around the basement walls it will disperse the sound. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKEdmo Posted Tuesday at 01:48 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 01:48 AM 4 hours ago, winterdd said: Would you get an engineer involved ahead of time and work the project together on something like this? Not sure an engineer, but perhaps a gun range consultant or specialty firm? I've never done one, but my first wild guess is there are firms who specialize in designing and building these. That is if shooting ranges are complicated enough to warrant this. (I'd guess they are). So, they would give you all the requirements to lay out the room / shell / enclosure and they would handle the rest. Sort of like doing coordinating with an elevator company for an elevator install -- they provide general guidance in laying out the hoistway, machine room, etc. but handle the rest of the design. Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneDavis Posted Tuesday at 02:22 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 02:22 AM Don't forget the special ventilation. Here is a good source for information. https://spireranges.com/how-to-build-an-indoor-shooting-range-backstop/#:~:text=A backstop comprises an earth,boundaries of the shooting selection. And this video might make your client think twice about putting one inside. $400K is a big tab. The really easy way is an outdoor range with a berm backstop of one made of a bunch of railroad ties, but you need a huge country lot on which to do that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesVolz Posted Tuesday at 05:00 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 05:00 AM 8 hours ago, winterdd said: it was a crazy request. Why is that crazy? Indoor gyms, swimming pools, basketball courts, gun range... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottkendall Posted Tuesday at 07:46 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 07:46 AM 2 hours ago, CharlesVolz said: Why is that crazy? Indoor gyms, swimming pools, basketball courts, gun range... Basement soccer fields... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneDavis Posted Tuesday at 11:15 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 11:15 AM And there's the $85K add-on for the 2-bay garage extension to house her Bentley and his 911 GT3-RS. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveNovato Posted Tuesday at 01:05 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 01:05 PM The one outdoor range in the City & County of San Francisco had to be retrofitted with 2x6 material at the back and sides (at the rear). This was after a state of the art renovation many years ago. Turns out that bullets ricochet and that ricochet is very, very unpredictable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlackore Posted Tuesday at 01:22 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 01:22 PM Call the JHA or local law enforcement and ask if discharging a firearm within the jurisdiction's limits is permitted; this is always my first step. Second step is to talk cost, ventilation, and lead abatement, as @GeneDavis has pointed out. Third is to ask if they have children living in the house, and inform them of the lead dust residue that will exit the range, clinging to their clothes and shoes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterdd Posted Tuesday at 01:30 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 01:30 PM 13 hours ago, DBCooper said: It might be less of a basement and more of a concrete bunker. Might want to find out what kind of weapons they are planning on using and what kind of blast rating they need. Also, make sure you don't piss them off. haha for real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterdd Posted Tuesday at 01:32 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 01:32 PM 12 hours ago, ValleyGuy said: Hey @winterdd, perfect timing... my new code books just showed up today... and yup, nothing yet about guns in the Canadian Building Code either that I could find lol... A couple of local-to-you places may offer some insight of the logistics, 1) you probably already checked with a gun store close by that knows of someone that has an in-house range. 2) check with any other businesses that require an explosion room. I remember the city bus barns (of all places) that needed to install an explosion proof room to store the shop explosive items (and yes, from experience, gas cylinders really do act like missiles under the right conditions...). The specs might be different, but the logistics and legal requirements may be similar. Around here, people just slide open the window and shoot at the squirrels and crows from the kitchen... where they can't see you coming .... This is a cool one, keep us posted. Will keep ya posted, I don't expect this one to be as quick of a turnaround as my usual homes. Huge sq footage and a shooting range. Glad to have structural engineers I can reach out too for the opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterdd Posted Tuesday at 01:36 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 01:36 PM 8 hours ago, CharlesVolz said: Why is that crazy? Indoor gyms, swimming pools, basketball courts, gun range... Pools I can do, gyms I can do, but not knowing anything about a shooting range is where I am at. 11 hours ago, GeneDavis said: Don't forget the special ventilation. Here is a good source for information. https://spireranges.com/how-to-build-an-indoor-shooting-range-backstop/#:~:text=A backstop comprises an earth,boundaries of the shooting selection. And this video might make your client think twice about putting one inside. $400K is a big tab. The really easy way is an outdoor range with a berm backstop of one made of a bunch of railroad ties, but you need a huge country lot on which to do that. Thanks Gene.....good info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyGuy Posted Tuesday at 02:16 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 02:16 PM I used to sell wood to our local military base for target practice, it had to be clear pine. This was to minimize ricochet on an open air range. If you needed to use wood framing, maybe knotless would be best?? An idea about design: I'm not sure if the lot would accommodate, but you might consider having the range jut out from the main structure to be a shaft into a hill, like a separate 'wing'. Concrete on 5 sides surrounded by earth, just the one end attached to the house for access - still part of the house (basement) but minimize the danger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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