Building your own permanent backstop

[boakley]

looking at building a backstop and taking up shooting again.
Any thoughts on building a backstop?

No worries about wayward arrows as I have a big lot almost 100% treed.
Looking maybe to build something that stays outside so weather proof if at all possible??

anyone with first hand expertise who can recommend what to use/build for a backstop for my archery lane outdoors is greatly appreciated. Sure I could buy 3-d targets, foam blocks etc... but wondering for a permanent lane does it make more sense to build vs what I find at typical retailers on portable stuff.

[ssphunter]

I bought one of those yellow ones with a bumble bee on it. LOL. Can't remember the name of it. I have left it outside for it's fourth year now and it's still good. The sun is starting to get to it but four years+ for a $70 target is pretty good I think.
I also think it's a great idea to always have it out because I'm more inclined to shoot more often. I know this doesn't really answer your question but it's my 2cents worth.
Mike

[Wolf]

Asphalt sheathing ripped into strips and then stacked on top of each other to the desired size. 2X8's top and bottom with threaded rods/washers at each end to compress the stack.

Square hay bales have been a standard for years as well, and would make a good back drop for any stray shots.

[boakley]

Originally Posted by Wolf

Asphalt sheathing ripped into strips and then stacked on top of each other to the desired size. 2X8's top and bottom with threaded rods/washers at each end to compress the stack.

Square hay bales have been a standard for years as well, and would make a good back drop for any stray shots.

I thought about the bales as well but problm is we are so heavily tree hard enough driving a quad through our place, moving a hay bale would be a pita (plus have to get bales from 50/100km away.

I like the sheathing idea. I was told cardboard as well but for sure not weather resistant. The sheathing is.

Also told to make a sand pile. Since we are 100% sand in the area (sandilands) that is completely free of stone/rocks and anything larger than fine sand maybe shooting into a slight downhill pit with a sand backstop would be the way to go?? I could build a frame so sand pile could be high without being to wide. I colld also set u a permaanent tree stand or raised shooting platform so that I am always shooting downhill.

I have a small backhoe / loader that would make it fairly easy to do.

lots of thoughts... looking forward to stepping out the back door to shoot where no one can see / hear (NO COMPLAINTS)

[Sasquatch]

Years ago when I shot competitively we made a few practice backstops by using strips of buffalo board (about 4" wide) stacked and then 2x6's and two long threaded rods to compress the stack. I think we usually built them about 2'x2' (shooting area) that way you can make most economical use of the buffalo board. We would make a frame about 6' tall with T bottoms on each leg. The cross piece under the shooting area can be a solid part of the frame ( or the top piece if you prefer ). Leave the opposite side free to move inside some simple guides and use the threaded rod to compress it. A 2x2 shooting area gives you lots of places to move your target around so this set up can last a long time (if you shoot tight groups LOL)

[grizz_700]

We have one built of railroad ties pushed in the ground with sand in the middle of it in front of our bush works good even the big guns have never went threw and this was used for guns not archery tho

[thehunterbill]

a friend of mine used to make nylon tow ropes and the leftover rope/strings placed in to a gunny sack or frame(8'' thick and not even packed in tight) will stop any arrow and you can pull them out with two fingers - does not work for broadheads but is perfect for field points, I have a couple of nylon gunny sacks full of rope and I can take them anywhere I go and you will never shoot them out, just replaced the gunny sack everyonce and awhile, I used to make back stops out of buffalo board and sandwich it together but the arrows are so hard to pull out of that stuff. 2x6 frame 24" square, cover both sides with a couple of layers of burlap and fill the inside cavity with loose nylon rope and you'll have the perfect backstop

[lowandslow]

two layers of carpet with about 6" of space between them for the 'fliers' will catch any arrow. The gap is important as the first layer moves with the arrow and the second puts the real brakes on it. As for a target, ive see one of those 'buffalo board in strips' targets that was 7 years old and it was still good. The guy just had a strip of plywood as a roof on the top. I asked him about how old it was cuz i figured that stuff would just melt after the first rain. That target looked like it had several years left in it.

[BUSH WACKER]

Grain bag filled with crumpled up shrink wrap works great the arrows pull out easy and they dont get damaged.

[Moemar]

Originally Posted by BUSH WACKER

Grain bag filled with crumpled up shrink wrap works great the arrows pull out easy and they dont get damaged.

Might work for Bushwacker....I heard his bow is set at 20lbs...

[firemb]

Originally Posted by BUSH WACKER

Grain bag filled with crumpled up shrink wrap works great the arrows pull out easy and they dont get damaged.

I've done the same. Works well.

[BUSH WACKER]

Originally Posted by Moemar

Might work for Bushwacker....I heard his bow is set at 20lbs...

LOL hey moemar i think you forgot to add a zero to that number