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Tires for backstop

9K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  Bing1 
#1 ·
We're planning to "rehabilitate" my buddies range at his place upstate. Since my stepfather owns a repair shop, I have unlimited access to used tires. Does anyone have any experience building a backstop out of used tires? I've looked up a few example online but I'd like to hearthe downsides, if any.
 
#2 ·
No actual experience, but when stacking them, id fill them solid with dirt... I could imagine it being a lot of work, but would make for a decent backstop.
 
#3 ·
Filled with dirt, I'd think they would make a pretty good backstop. You may have to have two rows that are offset though. You wouldn't want a round squeaking through where two tires come together.
 
#4 ·
The downside is the "structure" of it. As celt said, the tires should be filled. A tire house I used to shoot at in the southern tier used sand as the filler, dirt would work as well. Stagger the rows, obviously, and go at least 3 deep.

But if there is no structure of posts set in the ground to hold them in place, eventually, they will begin to sag and the whole thing will fall apart.
 
#5 ·
Our plan so far is to fill them with sand to create a wall behind and around the current dirt berm. So they would be exposed, but not on the shooting side.

I'm seeing comments on a few forums that buried tires will eventually self-combust? Is that realy true of a structure comprmosing 100 tires at most?
 
#7 ·
Our plan so far is to fill them with sand to create a wall behind and around the current dirt berm. So they would be exposed, but not on the shooting side.

I'm seeing comments on a few forums that buried tires will eventually self-combust? Is that realy true of a structure comprmosing 100 tires at most?
Is this more like a bunker to contain the existing dirt berm? If that's the case I would think you could do away with any "structure" and just lay the tires around the berm. Maybe 2 tires on the bottom row, 3 on the next (to account for the slope of the berm, 4 on the next, and so on. Fill with dirt or sand and they should not move.

As for the tires doing a spontaneous combustion thing in the ground...... never heard of this one but there is a lot of stuff I don't know. Sorry, can't help here.
 
#6 ·
Davis in Goshen uses tires as their backstop in the indoor range. I was talking to RSO about it a few years ago and I think he said it was about 10 or 12' deep and they still get a round or so making it through every now and then. I'm not sure if they are filled or not. Filled with sand, I think you would be GTG with at least 3 rows, 4 would be better. Then again, it also depends on what you're shooting... pistol and small caliber rim fire would probably be good with two rows. No experience with this so take anything I've said with a grain of salt (or sand as the case may be).
 
#8 ·
Pretty much just to clean up and contain the existing berm. He had someone dump a huge pile of dirt and has just let it overgrow for the last few years. I suggested squaring it off, cleaning some of the junk off, and building the tires out as side-containment walls.
 
#9 ·
Buried tires always seem to find their way to the surface. During the winter, frost heaves the heaviest of objects. Tires will fill with water through rain and snow melt and freeze (expanding) and thaw repeatedly causing the structure to eventually become unstable. This might not be apparent for the first few years, but eventually you will see the effects of frost heaves on your tire structure.

What about shredding the tires (after removing any steel belts)? If you have access to an unlimited supply of recycled tires this might be a great way to repurpose them for a great backstop.
 
#11 ·
masterswimmer said:
What about shredding the tires (after removing any steel belts)? If you have access to an unlimited supply of recycled tires this might be a great way to repurpose them for a great backstop.
Do you anything about how to shred tires? I'd definitely look into that but I'm guessing we can't do it ourselves without special equipment. These aren't "recycled" tires per se, just used tires from the shop that haven't been picked up yet.
 
#16 ·
Now that Blue mentions it, I think that tire house I shot in had no steel belted tires in it.

I'm sorry, Airborne, that was damned near 20 years ago and I only shot there, was not involved in construction.

Any Hornell Sportman's Club members on here that can weigh in on the old tire house?

But then, if all you are using the tires for is to shore up the existing berm you should not have a problem anyhow.
 
#17 ·
I have not experienced this directly, but I have heard stories of a bullet bouncing back off of tires. Do some google searching. Here are a few links that I found.

shooting a tire - WaltherForums
Tires for a backstop - good idea? - THR

We have large tires, from large front end loaders, stacked up for 100 yard backstop at Greene Rod and Gun Club. I can't quote page and paragraph of any law, but I was verbally told EPA or NYSDEC won't allow tires to be filled with dirt since it would be considered to be buried. I'm guessing it is illegal to bury tires.
 
#22 ·
I have not experienced this directly, but I have heard stories of a bullet bouncing back off of tires. Do some google searching. Here are a few links that I found.

shooting a tire - WaltherForums
Tires for a backstop - good idea? - THR

We have large tires, from large front end loaders, stacked up for 100 yard backstop at Greene Rod and Gun Club. I can't quote page and paragraph of any law, but I was verbally told EPA or NYSDEC won't allow tires to be filled with dirt since it would be considered to be buried. I'm guessing it is illegal to bury tires.
Jeff, good to know this. I was thinking of using tires as a reinforcement/retaining material for a new berm at the New Berlin Club. My plan was to fill them with dirt, but I guess with this info we will do something else. Thank you!
 
#21 ·
I stacked tires four high and filled with sand. Probably 1000 rounds of 308 into it. Jacketed surplus and hand loaded hunting rounds. Never had one exit. 125 yards max range. Even the jacketed ones stop within 6 inches.
 
#23 ·
I google searched for "illegal to bury tires in new york". I did not specifically find a new york law, but found some more related links, including federal EPA.
Tires as shooting backstops - Target & Prop Design and Construction - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!
Frequent Questions | Scrap Tires | US EPA
Tire Fires | Scrap Tires | US EPA
Science and Technology | Scrap Tires | US EPA

I then searched "NYSDEC tires" and found more info. Mosquito breeding and fires seem to be the recurring theme.
Waste Tires - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/material...nt_and_Recycling_Act_Art_27_Title_19_2013.pdf
 
#24 ·
In your final link, interestingly in section 1911, it states that burial at a landfill is prohibited, but the wording of the section does not imply to me that merely combining tires with dirt to create mounds would be considered creating a landfill.
 
#25 ·
Environmental bureaucracy and opinions aside, speaking only in terms ricochet risk, filling tires with rock or some other hard substance I would agree would be a bad idea. Filling the tires with sand, like others have said above, should absorb the bullet fine, especially if typical automotive tires where the bullet will penetrate the tread. The sand should also prevent the mosquito risks with standing water. Bullet holes should provide a path for any water to drain out. Keep road flares and other sources of fire away, and should be good to go. As far as using the very large tires from earth moving equipment, perhaps the bullet may have more trouble penetrating the thick rubber??? Sounds like a job for the mythbusters with their high speed camera's.

I apologize ahead of time for those that have never heard of theboxoftruth web site since you may be on his site for hours reading all of his experiments. Here is a link to an interesting penetration experiment with drywall and sand. The Box O' Truth #7 - The Sands O' Truth The Box O' Truth Although this test does not use tires, I can imagine the same or similar penetration depth into sand-filled tires.
 
#26 ·
You would think the old Poly tires would work fine but steel belted ones? I can see a bullet coming back, especially a handgun bullet. Magnums, and rifles not so much because of their energy. A .22 could be a sure bet returning to the shooting line. This is just my opinion.
 
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