shotshell ranges

[Marineinthewoods]

Okay, a little background. I plan on buying a new home that is under construction in a very good school district. The only downside to the deal I have been able to find is that the subdivision is 400 to 500 yards downrange from a skeet and trap club. The range depends on the station your shooting from. The question is how far will shot in a skeet load actually travel? I don't want my kids to be playing in the yard and have a piece of shot come down in their eye. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Marineinthewoods

[hogdogs]

I doubt you will have to worry at that distance. I would worry more about a bird poopin' in their eye.
Brent

[JWT]

Most trap and skeet clubs do not allow use of shot larger than 7-1/2 and you should have no problems. The max range of shot that small is probably less than 200 yds. Slugs or buckshot would be another issue.

[zippy13]

The standard for trap and skeet range design is a 300 yard safety zone. Which is about 50% farther than a trap load (7 1/2 shot) will shoot. Skeet pellets have a shorter range.

A French ballistics expert, General Journee, years ago worked out a formula to the effect that the maximum range in yards equals 2200 times the shot diameter in inches. For skeet shot of 0.08-inch this is 176-yards.

As a design professional, I've been involved with planning for several gun clubs. Obviously, safety zones are always a design factor. And, there's frequently a Doubting Thomas who questions the standards. On one occasion, we had the range master start from 200-yards and proceed toward a skeet field (behind a sheet of plywood). As he approached, shotguns and an electronic range finder were aimed at the plywood. The plywood started taking hits in the neighborhood of 170 yards. Light and heavy loads were used, but they were all #9 shot.

You needn't worry about shot fall, but noise is another problem. You might want to build you home with a higher STC rating than is standard.

[BigJimP]

Unless the predominant wind from the club is toward your house - I think you're beyond the shot fall zone / but being directly downrange is certainly a big time issue for noise ......

In all candor - I would consider finding a different home.

I live in a suburban city / so there are certainly noises around my neighborhood - Traffic, police and fire sirens, trucks, airplanes, etc .... but 600 yards downrange from a Skeet and Trap range wouldn't be a good thing.... ( and I'm a big time shooter ..).

[Doyle]

Even if you did live in the drop zone, it wouldn't hurt anything. When you are at a dove shoot, you'll get shot dropping on you all the time.

[zippy13]

Even if you did live in the drop zone, it wouldn't hurt anything.
Yes, but you might get stuck with the expense for Toxic Waste clean-up. The Environmental Protection Act says if it's on your property, it's your responsibility to clean it up. It might not seem fair, but it's the law. By the time the problem is discovered, the gun club may be long gone.

[stargazer65]

What if someone tried to shoot a clay with a slug either by accident or on purpose. How far could that theoretically travel and be dangerous? Just curious...

[darkgael]

At 600 yards, the bigger issue, in terms of quality of life, is noise. I have a home a mile from a public rifle range in PA. I surely know when it is being used even at that distance.
Pete

[Marineinthewoods]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm going to look into the noise issue but I don't see it being such a problem, there are plans to build another row of houses between my house and the range that should deaden the noise.

Marineinthewoods