Basement Range
 

I'm considering setting up a little 10 yard shooting range in my basement, but I'm concerned about having a safe backdrop behind my targets. Hitting the cement wall wouldn't be good for my arrows OR the wall! Does anyone have any ideas for big, cheap and effective backdrops? I'd like to be able shoot my vertical bow and my crossbow down there and have a backdrop that will stand up to both field tips and broadheads. I hope it's a feasible idea, but I'm not sure!

RE: Basement Range
 

If you are worried about hitting the wall, I dont think you should be shooting inside!:eek:

RE: Basement Range
 

I agree with campo- especially at ten yards-

I would just put a piece of plywood behind it- If you miss your target at ten yards thats sad- no offense.

Plus praciting at ten yards isnt really going to help you much with accuracy- if you are just practicing your release then thats ok.

RE: Basement Range
 

Ten yards? why bother?

RE: Basement Range
 

To build form andyour shot sequence through repetition.

RE: Basement Range
 

Just buy a large Morrell Target bag (about $100) and build a frame to hang it in. That is large enough to stop anything at 10 yards.

RE: Basement Range
 

Why bother?

1. I live in Maine and I'm not going to be practicing outdoors in January and February.

2. I made the switch to a left-handed bow this year, but I'm not confident enough to hunt with it yet and want to practice with it over the winter to get ready for turkeys in the spring.

3. Since I'm using a left-handed bow for the first time and I'm right-handed, I have it set to only 50lbs and I want to work on building up my arm strength through repetitive shooting so I can get to 60lbs and be able to hold it for a while.

4. I have two little kids and a wife that leaves for work as soon as I get home, so I don't even get a chance to shoot during the week until it's dark outside.

Has nobody ever done this before? I didn't think it was that outrageous of a proposition. Does anyone know of a cheap way to find big blocks of styrofoam or anything like that?

RE: Basement Range
 

Thanks, Rick. I just checked the site and their Wildfire targets look pretty huge.

RE: Basement Range
 

Why bother?

Because he wants to! That's the only reason that he needs.;)

The other reasons he listed are good too.:)

The big Morrel target is agood idea. I use a Bass Pro bag that's about 28" square with sheet of 3/4" plywood backup. The Bass Pro bag was about $35 on sale, but since you are switching to left hand, you will probably have a few flyers and the bigger target may be a better investment.

If you send an arrow into the plywood, be sure to check it throroughly, there can be hidden damage that won't show until you shoot it again. That's how I had an arrow explode on me.

Another tip is to learn to draw with your arrow pointed at the target. Not all of your misfires will go into the bag, but most will.

Good luck,
Allen

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus,... I am trying to do something similiar. The only thing I can find that is not an arm and a leg expense wise, is to buy like 4 of the square layered targets and stack them. Something on that order might work for you too. I have found some reasonably priced targets on ebay. The big targets like what I need are like 600.00 in the Lancasters catalogue, and that is way too much, so like I say, some of the smaller one stacked is my only viable option so far. But I am looking for other big blocks of foam, and if I can find whereto get one , I will send you a message. Good luck on setting up your basement range.

God bless

RE: Basement Range
 

The Home depot's here carry 4' x 8' sheets of styrofoam that are used for insulation. You can get asheet for around $10.

RE: Basement Range
 

Go for it man. I did. Below is a picture of my range. It is 13 yards and I LOVE to go down and just shoot. No it does not help me with sighting in the bow but damn it is fun to just shoot. Also I was only able to pull 62 pounds last year. This year I can shoot my Trykon maxed out and it max's out at 74.6 pounds. I have is set DOWN to 67 for hunting this year. It is just a GREAT way to build strength and work on form.

I used a bunch of old VERY large boxes and stacked them up againist the wall first. Then just put the bag target on a box. I shot THOUSANDS of shots down there when weather is bad, hot or cold. On nice days I go to the club and work on distance. I have to say I am shooting better out to 40 yards then I ever have and I have been shooting for 25+ years. If you have any questions about anything with this let me know either by pm or posting here. I will be out in the woods some now so it might take a few days to get back to you. Good luck with your range.

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus, Don't feel bad. Your not the only one. I was just thinking of doing the same thing. Was able to only measure out 8 yds, but thought it was better then nothing. Like you I am switching hands. All was good till the wife asked what I was doing. "YOU ARE NOT SHOOTING A BOW IN THE HOUSE!" I'm still working on her. I was going to use those blocks that you can get from Cabelas and the likes.

RE: Basement Range
 

Thanks for the tips, guys! I was thinking about those 4x8 sheets of styrofoam insulation from Home Depot when I was there the other day, but I wonder how many inches it would take to stop an arrow? I don't know how dense that insulation is. It seems like 4 or 5 of those alternated with some cut up cardboard boxes would do the trick. I could put an old left-over piece of carpet on the very back.

RE: Basement Range
 

thats plenty good enough reason right there

theres a smatrass in every crowd

RE: Basement Range
 

I wouldn't use the styrofoam boards as the main target but putting 2 or 3 of them behind a bag target or block as a backup for any misses would be better then smacking an arrow into the cement blocks.
I used a homemade styrofoam target once and it was really hard to pull my aluminum arrows out of it.

RE: Basement Range
 

Right - that would strictly be a backstop behind my regular targets.

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus,
Try a search for Homemade Broadhead targets . I asked this awhile ago and my target came out great.
Basically , you sandwich foam( Boogie boards) , cardboard or whatever you can find between two 2 x 6's . One top and one bottom . . Compacting the material is 4 threaded bars , 2 on each side. Tighten the nuts , compress the material and shoot away.
I tryed cardboard but was really hard getting my arrows out[:@]So I found some boogie boards , softer foam , likeBlock foam,cut them up to fit and wha la;).
Neat thing is you can make these as big as you like and there so cheap to make. The shipping on targets is more than the target itself is to get here to my door. Try a search, there some really nice photo's of the guys targets and idea's.

RE: Basement Range
 

I agree...

RE: Basement Range
 

It's better to shoot than not shooting.

Just put some big wood board behind the target. For target, are you shooting broadhead or fieldpoint? I usually stuff newspaper in a box and shoot. Been doing that for 5 years and didn't cost me anything. Course, afterward, you can put it in the fireplace and use the paper as fire starter.

RE: Basement Range
 

Its good to know someone is on my sideNOT WORTHY:D

Now I do have a place in my garage set up for using the chrony and paper tuning and things of that nature but when I am ready to do some shooting I head out doors.
but then agin I can understand wanting to stay warm while you shoot
we dont have as big of a problem with cold weather as much as you guys upin the frigid north

RE: Basement Range
 

I do like to get outdoors but for me it is not legal to shoot where I live. My option is to drive to the club and sometimes I don't have the time to get there, shoot and get back. So the basement allows me to shoot and work on strength and form. For you lucky enough to be able to shoot outdoors I that is great. My ideal home would have a deck elevated so that I could shoot from 15 feet up out to about 40 yards. That would be living in the right place.

RE: Basement Range
 

Don't listen to those naysayers! I have a 14 yard range in my basement and I can only shoot while sitting down. I feel it has helped alot in strengthening and release. Plus I have fun doing it. That's all the reason you need. I use a piece of plywood for those arrows that make it through the bag.

RE: Basement Range
 

I think, or at least I hope, he's worried about the arrows going thru the target....not missing it.

Come on guys.....

RE: Basement Range
 

I haven't set a range up in my basement yet, but my uncle had one a few years ago. He just put a target up, and then used 3 old blankets hanging from the ceiling. Leave enough of a gap in betweenthe blankets and the wall. The blankets absorb the energy from the arrow, saving your arrows and wall.

I will say however that I haven't shot at this set up in a few years and I wasn't shooting over 250fps when I did shoot at it.

RE: Basement Range
 

Between switching hands and switching eyes and going from a peep to a No Peep and learning to shoot with both eyes open, I wouldn't be surprised if I missed a couple of times. :D

RE: Basement Range
 

That's my biggest concern. It would be a whole lot easier to stop an arrow from my old Browning than it would be from my new Bowtech. Thankfully, I'm not worried about missing at all with my Excalibur crossbow, because that would take one heck of a thick backstop. My wife might want to shoot it someday, though, and I'm not so sure about her steadiness... ;)

RE: Basement Range
 

I have had my release fire unexpectedly in the basement and ruined an $8 arrow. I would suggest getting a disguarded mattress and use it for a backstop . At 20 yards a target tip will easily penetrate a 3/4" sheet of plywood !

RE: Basement Range
 

There are lots of good reasons to practice at short ranges indoors. It's a great way to work on blind bale shooting, form, release technique, and most other aspects of achery.

I know people who print out 5-spot targets at half-size, which at 10 yards, gives you a fairly accurate way of practicing a spot game. I've done this for years (I can go back to 15 yards). It's how I learned to shoot a back-tension release, among other things. I used a large Morrell bag and fortunately, I never missed it (not a given when learning back-tension).

RE: Basement Range
 

what you should do is go to an indoor shooting range for the winter time the one i go to has a 40 yard shooting range. Because at 10 yards your not going to get any practice in because i have rarely seen a turkey come in at 10 yards with out being spooked by you drawing back your bow

RE: Basement Range
 

Great - thanks. My wife works evenings and I come home and put the kids to bed. Can't really leave them alone while I go out to shoot.

I've been patient up until now, but I'm starting to lose it. I have my reasons - if you don't have anything constructive to add, please don't bother second-guessing me.

If *you* don't understand why practicing your form and building up your strength on a new bow with a new hand from a measly 10 yards is NOT a total waste of time, that's your issue.

That being said - I've had ample advice from those that chose to give it and I'm all set now. I just need time to make a trip to Home Depot. I'd lock this thread myself if I could!

Thanks!

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus,

Don't forget to add picts when you have it set. I need help getting the wife to agree to it!

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus,
I think it's a great idea to work on form in the basement, I do it and I live in Georgia. Once I get warmed up, and a have good feel for where the target is I'll shoot with my eyes closed just to get the feel for what I'm doing, wouldn't dare do that outside and/or at anything over 15 feet.

RE: Basement Range
 

I have made my broadhead target from the foam you can buy at home depot. I used a sheet of the 2' X 8' and cut it into 2 X 2 with layers of a woven astroturf (fake grass) between the layers. The foam is 2" thick and after the astroturf layers and a couple layers of duct tape around the whole thing it is about 9" thick and weighs around 5 lbs. Total cost was under 40$. If you used two 4 X 8 sheets and made a 4' X 4' target (You better not miss that! :D) im sure you could do it for under a hundred bucks.

I have shot hundreds of shots with my crossbow at close to 330 fps and have only needed to refresh it once with a new coat of duct tape and a 5$ can of spray foam insulation. Hmm.....the more i think about this the more i want to make my own.;)


Rolln.

RE: Basement Range
 

a good cheap backstopespecially since it will be in the dry would be card board stacked with a couple of blocks to weight it down

I used to use the boxes bows came in to make backstops for the shop range they worked perfectly as a back stop.

cardboard is a cheap plentiful resource if you are willing to do some dumpster diving:D

RE: Basement Range
 

Corvus,
I can shoot up tp 20 yards into my garage. I practice at night cause thats my only time to . Just spending that time with my bow , practicing form , and gaining confidence is good . If I dont shoot for 2 -3 days its weird , I need to keep a fresh feeling of correct form or I slip up a bit.
This is America, land of the free (mostly)try it , if no work o'well ;)