Berm for .50 BMG?

I have found some data that is showing me what it will take. I was wondering if anyone has more data.

Here's the worst case scenario, armor piercing at 50 yards, multiple rounds.

What I'm looking at is a left side, back, right side cross tie enclosure, 8' wide X 8' deep, 4' to 5' high. A sheet of 1/2" AR 500 on the back wall, then the whole thing filled with dirt.

We just shoot our AP rounds into a plastic 55 gallon drum fille with sand, in front of a regular berm. 8x8 is pretty big, unless you plan on missing

You understand it's 8 wide, 8 deep, but mot 8' tall right? It will be used at 600 yards, also. That's about how wide the current berm is.

At 600 with a fifty and an 8’ berm. I wouldn’t pull the trigger. Too easy to overshoot that little berm. That round is way too destructive. It’s gotta be stopped every time.

Didn’t you watch the original tremors movie? The 50 BMG doesn’t penetrate dirt well

IT WILL NOT BE EIGHT FEET TALL!

With a proper scope, it's easy to keep rounds on the berm. Didn't have any .308 leave berms yesterday, while I was teaching. And that was a new to that distance shooter.

I'm thinking 8 feet of dirt, for it to travel through, will get it done.

I see that now, that’s even more dangerous.

Hey, visit NTSA and look at their 50 yard range. It’s set up as you describe with a taller berm. You might get some ideas re construction.

That height is not dangerous. My berms are 5' tall, max, and work every day. The guys shooting the .50 will be competent. This is not for general use.

I've read what the military has decided is sufficient thickness, and it looks like I'm doubling what they require.


From: The Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers by John Plaster. 

Sand at 600 meters: 12" 
Sand at 1500 meters: 6" 
Clay at 600 meters: 26" 
Clay at 1500 meters: 21" 

50 Cal armor piercing (Muzzle velocity not given): 

Sand at 600 meters: 12" 
Sand at 1500 meters: 6" 
Clay at 600 meters: 27" 
Clay at 1500 meters: 21" 

50 AP at 100 yards: 

Concrete 9" 
Timber (logs) 96" 
Dry Soil: 28" 
Wet Soil: 42" 
Dry Sand: 24" 
Wet Sand: 36" 
Dry Clay: 42" 
Wet Clay: 64

Might wanna go higher than 8'.

Read closer. His berm is 4’-5’ tall.

I read what he wrote before I posted.

Yes, I can read.

Why is this only at 600? Is that just the berm you want to use? What gun are they using? The Barrett barrel for AP rounds isn’t very accurate. We were shooting 2 MOA and that was considered good by Barrett. Obviously, a 5 foot berm will be plenty for 2 MOA at 600.

JG...will this be ready for the Precision Match in July?

600 is the distance some ammo needs to be tested. Don't know what rifle.

No

I feel like you haven’t thought this through enough

For some reason I think the usual saying applies:

Rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Play it safe man, you have nothing to lose really so why not? You did come for opinions correct?

You shut up.

No, I came looking for experience, and all I'm getting are opinions. Kmon1 has had a .50, not sure whom else has.

I don’t have a 50cal but have read this before and find it interesting

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2013/05/f1/Range_Design_Criteria.pdf

Figure 2 (pg 13) gives various materials and how many inches is needed to stop various calibers including 50 cal

Just a couple more for reference as you already had most labeled

Earth, packed or tampted 60"
.......undisturbed compact 66"
.......freshly turned 72"

Yeah by the numbers you look good...


If it were me, being a bit risk adverse, I would put a layer of some gravel filled concrete blocks at the back so it would be plate, concrete blocks then dirt. Or if you wanted to be ultra paranoid fill them with concrete.

I know some people are concerned about how it will work, but I am 99.9% sure you will only allow people to do this with explicit permission and in certain ways. I doubt you are going to let someone walk up with a 50 cal and let them shoot long range.

Personnelly I don’t see the value in 50cals but the beauty about this country is it don’t matter if I would do it, you can do what you what as long as it’s safe

I think my idea of 8' of soil, a sheet of armor steel, followed by cross ties will get it done.

And you're right, 50 BMG I've completely forbidden, and after this berm is built, it will only be used by one organization. I'm still not going to allow anyone else to launch .50 out there. If someone swings a muzzle off the range, and a bullet hits a neighbor's cow, they get reimbursed for a cow, and then there's friction between us, that doesn't exist now. I will keep it that way.

I too have no desire to own one. There's better extreme range target rounds, that don't need this level of precautions, and are less expensive to load for.

Don’t own one. But have been through the 5 day school with that heavy bastard. I told you what we use, and it works just fine and we often recover the rounds. Our distance are 100, 200, and 300 yards.

I went back and read what yall have shot into. That's telling me my, what I'm planning to build will hold up.

You are way overkill, but when dealing with flying bullets and lives, there really is no such thing. Make sure the berm is free of rocks. The berm we shot into for the school want, and a round exited the top of the berm after finding that rock.

I don’t have any experience with the .50, bu I don’t see any way in hell that it’s going to go through timbers, 8 feet of dirt, AND a piece of AR500.

Can you bring someone out that has a .50 to see what your current backstops do? I would try to judge what I already had before planning something that may be total, entire overkill.

Sir, he is a fireman. I have seen how they build houses. They over engineer the F out of everything. Just let him be lol.

That may very well be.

After reading this thread, it sounds like everybody thinks a 50 will go through 15’ of concrete, 12’ of dirt, 7 Sherman tanks, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Well welcome to the Texas Hunting Forum That is funny

Only a 6.5 Creedmoor can do that. Duh!

No point in that. I've got berms, without enclosures. Depending on which part of the berm the 50 is shot at, it will go though.

Your suggestion is like just sharpening a knife, and running your finger down the edge to see if it's sharp. Know how that ends?

You're smart, Josh.

We know how good we are at tearing up [censored].

Jason you know where a 50 is if you want to try one when you get the berm built.

JG,
I have the NRA Range Development manual, which I am happy to lend to you.

If you would like to review it, pm me your mailing address and it will be on the way.

I am honored for the offer! Loaning another man his rifle is akin to allowing him to dance with his wife, in my opinion.

If I end up needing to build this thing, I may take you up on that. And I am more than happy to reimburse ammo expense.

I appreciate it Jeff. Reading several sources online, and learning BigPig's experience with it, I think I have the numbers worked out.

You’re welcome.