Our new range here at the camp in Iraq

[tacman605]

We have now completed our firing range here at the little base in Iraq.

The building itself is made from Hesco barriers and has three internal lanes with exhaust fans installed. It is virtually soundproof as to not piss off the neighbors.


The lanes are 25 meters long with double sandbag backing in front of 8 feet of Hesco's so no danger of anything passing through. (not all the sandbags are up in this picture) with each lane having it's own shooting bench.


We can shoot up to 7.62 belt fed without problem. It is not much of a challenge for the M-14's or M24's but it is fun to just get the chance to shoot.
The M4's with optics have little problem but if you take a soldier out of his comfort zone or take away his optics it gets challenging for him rather quickly.
Because it is lighted it is open 24/7 as long as one of the range officers is willing to go.

Now the challenge it to keep up with getting ammo. 5.56, 7.62 Nato, 7.62 x 39 and PKM are fairly easy to get but 9mm is golden.

I will post up pics of the weapons as we go along.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[buckeye .45]

Looks a lot better than any of the ranges I got to use while downrange, nicely done, a PKM in there must be fun, or a 240B perhaps? Double up on the ear-pro. And isn't Hesco amazing for basically being a dog cage and burlap?

[alachner]

Congratulations on the new range at your base!!!

[tacman605]

Yep that describes a Hesco. Wish I had invested in them years ago.

[buckeye .45]

Yep that describes a Hesco. Wish I had invested in them years ago.

Doesn't anyone who has ever lived on a base of any size in Iraq of Afghanistan? We use them for more stuff than sandbags now.

Out of curiosity, what kind of roof did you add to the range?

[tacman605]

LOL well it has some long 4x4 posts, some 8 foot engineer stakes, 3/4 inch plywood that no matter what anyone says was not taken from another camp under the cover of darkness and loaded on a truck that sped away with people chasing it , 1 foot of dirt, covered in a tarp that the Iraqis made and sandbags on top of that to keep the helo's from blowing it off.

Don't know what it will do when it rains yet but we will see.

[OPFOR]

Well done. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, I found the "higher ups" to be reticent to support training while in-country. Only through a bunch of lobbying and by doing most of the work ourselves were we able to get a range built in A-stan. Iraq had some good ranges, but they could be a pain in the butt to get to. I sincerely applaud your initiative in getting something built that NEEDS to exist; just because you're in theater doesn't mean you magically retain all those perishable skills...

[joker1]

Congrats on the new range. You brave men and women need the most practice (I'm not saying ya'll can't hit nothing but that you are under fire way more than most people will ever be). Stay safe and get home soon. Thanks for your service.

[GM]

Very good job . Congrats!

[Pepsi]

nnice, now i can build one in my basement! lol jk jk

[Andy W.]

Nice range! Thank you for your service.