Have any of you used your pond dam as a backstop for a shooting range? I've been thinking of building up a berm for a backstop, and now I'm wondering if I could just let my pond dam double as a backstop. This would be very lightly used. Just myself and occasionally a few friends.

I assume that if I'm firing from outside the pond into the dam there's no way for water flow to carry lead into the pond?

Do you think there's any chance that bullets could penetrate the dam enough to cause leaks?

I'd lay off the .50 BMG just to be sure.

I don't see a problem. I built a 100 yd shooting range and the backstop is a lot thinner than a dam. A whole lot thinner, something like 6 ft. The lead only penetrates a couple of inches with my 30-06.

So long as it's minimal shooting I'd say go for it. You just might want to change the target loc. once in a while to let the vegitation take root to prevent erosion. If alot of shooting you should look into lead mitigation. I can find out but IIRC lime in the pit will help.

Have been shooting into the dam and pond for ever, Did not know to worry about it

Depends on how much you shoot, some guys I know around Austin shoot allot and kept getting complained on..One of the neighbors even called the EPA and EPA made them move the berm because of lead mitigation, now the berm is even closer to the neighbor who called EPA

I have been doin it all my life. In my younger days, I built a range that went out to 600 yards, and practiced often. Everything from .22s to the mighty .338 Lapua Magnum. Used this range in this manner a LOT for 20 years, but now only occaisonal sight in / practice with deer rifles and pistol practice.

Never had a problem one.

Like otto said, I never even considered it might be a problem.

Bullets break up rather fast on impact with the ground. It would take a lot of shooting to cause a lead problem.

I do a lot of clay target (trap, skeet, sporting clays) shooting. One of the local trap ranges is now on a year-to-year lease with the city rather than the 5 year leases they previously had.

The shot from all the shells falls into the city's only waste water lagoon and when they went to dredge it out the shot caused a ton of problems/damage for the dredge.

This is a small range with only 10-20 guys shooting one night a week.


Lead is also an issue if waterfowl eat it. If you every plan on having a flock of ducks it might cause a problem.

I've researched a lot on lead and waterfowl and a lot of the lead is bad for waterfowl is hype. Not to say a duck eating lead pellets isn't bad for them but it isn't nearly as wide spread as many make it out to be.

The NRA has a great text with all you would ever want to know about setting up a range (private or commercial) I only know this b/c I am going to do the same on my property. It is available on their website. From a safety standpoint your dam is plenty thick enough. I would be concerned about what is behind your dam , and also to a 90 degree angle to either side. I would not be concerned about lead so long as it is just you and a couple budies shooting every so often. It will be negligible. Make sure neighbors are aware and follow local ordinances (ask me how I know). Good luck

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I shoot across the length of my dam,and across my pond ,and have for years,No problems observed.Amen to CJBS2003,the hype over lead exposure period is overblown.In my area,along the Ohio river,every old city had lead water lines going to each house.For well over a hundred years people drank and bathed in this water.They still do to this day.

I think that the folks worried about lead must have eaten paint chips as the main course for most of their meals as children. Right up there with the "new and improved" pressure-treated lumber.