Rifle range

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A rifle range is an area specially constructed for target rifle shooting.

Some other range related information can be found at Shooting range.

1 Ranges and Range Types
2 Rifle and Range Types
3 Firing Point Base
4 Covered Firing Points
5 Targets
6 The butts
7 To be expanded on:
8 External links
9 See also

[edit] Ranges and Range Types

A range will normally consist of the following elements:

A firing point

Target or Target Area

Butts

Civilian Target Rifle Ranges vary from a short 6-yard indoor air rifle facility through to a large calibre (full bore) range of 1200 yards and more. Military ranges with other characteristic may also be used.

The type of range, its construction and safety certification will determine and limit the rifle type and position in which the firer may assume when firing (e.g. Prone (Lying down), kneeling or sitting, Standing and bench rest).

[edit] Rifle and Range Types

Air Rifle ranges usually start at 6 yards and the international distance is 10 metres (both with the firer standing). Longer ranges may also be used with the firer allowed other positions depending on the shooting discipline currently engaged.

Small-bore Rifle (rim fire 0.22”) is often used indoors at 15, 20 or 25 yards, and out doors up to 200 yards. The international (Olympic) distance is 50 metres.

Full-Bore Rifle may be used at very short range of 25 yards (and shorter for “Zero” ranges), but will often be used at ranges between 100 and 1200 yards.

“Zero” ranges are used to check that the sights are set correctly (within a tolerance) for the range to be used next.

[edit] Firing Point Base

The firing point will normally be at a defined point on the ground, and on a civilian range will usually be level and flat. Outdoor ranges without a covered firing point are usually grass, often on a slightly raised, flattened mound. Outdoor ranges with a covered firing point are usually concrete or tarmacadam. Outdoor military range firing points are not usually covered and may have other configurations, e.g. sloping, a gravel base or hole in the ground.

[edit] Covered Firing Points

The firing point cover can be as simple as a tent, to a frame with only a roof (to keep off rain or sunshine) to a substantial building with appropriate appatures to shoot through.

[edit] Targets

Civilian Targets are usually made of paper, sometimes with a canvass or hessian back on the larger long range types. Most competitive targets are a solid black circle on a white background. The black circle may have scoring rings. Targets of other shapes may be used (particularly in pistol (hand gun) target shooting).

Other target types include falling plate where a metal plate is knocked over by the bullet.

A target that is sometimes used at extreme long range (2000yards?) is a painted metal plate. Hits mark the paint which when scored can be painted over again.

[edit] The butts

The butts is the area behind the target into which the shot safely falls. Outdoor and sometimes indoor ranges have earth or sand butts. Indoors angled plates with collectors may be used, often with a rubber curtain through which the bullet passes and is then stopped by a metal plate.