Home Range Work

[BrokenolMarine]

It has been a while, but with the latest rain to soften that concrete pile that used to be excess dirt from the dam, I could do a little additional work on the berm on my range I built last fall. The Original dirt I put in front of the Berm Wall had settled a bit, which was to be expected, and I wanted to build up both height and thickness.

Using the Kubota L22501 and the loader, I began moving buckets of dirt from the pile and dropping them over the back of the wall onto the dirt berm, to increase the height. I probably dropped a dozen buckets. Then I looped around to the front of the berm and dropped another dozen or so on the front of the berm. So far I have concentrated on the right side of the berm, in line with the shooting lane. I can only do so much each day for a couple reasons...

1. The dirt in the pile has to have a certain amount of moisture to change from "Concrete hardness to workable." In that state I can cut and pull it with the bucket then scoop and load, and them transport and dump. Too little moisture, it's rock hard. Too much, it's puddin, and creates a suction that makes working with it too difficult without teeth on the bucket edge.

2. I have lower back issues from both careers, so I am limited to about an hour and a half to two hours on the tractor. Too long and I'll pay for the extra time for a couple days. No rush... the dirt and the berm will still be there the next day. We expect more dirt piles from a contract job in the next month or so... more dirt for the berm.


Progress so far. (The new dirt is darker.)

improving the berm 2 230426.jpg (671.23 KiB) Viewed 758 times

[BrokenolMarine]

I hope to do some shooting in the next few days, handgun and rifles.
Oh, maybe even shotgun if the left hand will tolerate it.

[BrokenolMarine]

When I laid out the new range here in Oklahoma I took several things into consideration.

The high heat: Temps in the summer often climb well over 100 degrees.
High winds: The wind here is almost always blowing.
No longer competing... I don't plan to compete in the future so I don't need a standard layout.

* A standard range is laid out in the open, so no shadows would be on the targets or the shooters.

So, I chose this lane down between the trees, giving me 90 yards. Most of my shooting will be handguns, but I will sight in a rifle and shoot a rifle or three. Most of my recreational shooting will be at 15, 25, and 50 yards. In the shade the temps here are often 20 degrees cooler. (Or more. ) The trees on both sides of the range will provide a wind break of sorts, yet still allow some cooling breeze.

My range house sits in the shade at about 85 yards, slip beside it and back a bit and I have 92 yards. This is a view from 50 yards, (but zoomed a bit to allow the view of the berm.) The pic was taken LAST year, so doesn't show the added height or depth... and the range is in heavy shadow at this time of day.

50b.jpg (408.5 KiB) Viewed 740 times

I will be removing three trees when I can get someone to come cut them. (I am no longer allowed to touch a chainsaw since the shattered femur.)

trees to go.jpg (409.52 KiB) Viewed 740 times

[Hatchdog]

Looks great BOM. That will be a first class set up.

[North Country Gal]

Yes, lovely set up. Removing those three trees will also allow more light on the berm.

[fortyshooter]

You are getting more berm work done than I am. I am in opposite position where I need dry weather for the area I want to work on as it stays wet there after the rainy weather....too wet to get tractor or dump truck in there. Looks good what you are able to do! Maybe I need a helicopter dirt drop!

[BrokenolMarine]

Yes, lovely set up. Removing those three trees will also allow more light on the berm.

You are right, but I have had several people that have agreed to come take down the three trees over the last 18 months. Some said they would do it for the firewood, which would have been nice. Others said they would do it for a couple hundred bucks a tree since we told them to just drop them, and cut them into ten foot lengths and leave them...

Not one of the half dozen folks has shown up. I have threatened to cut them down myself, but the doc was very clear. With all the hardware in my right femur, torgue too hard and the bone "could" shatter. Miss T throws a fit if I mention a chain saw. I told my one friend if they could just drop #2 it would really open up the shooting lane.