Build cheap Hesco-style berms for a home range — but engineer them right

If you have ever priced out commercial Hesco barriers for a home range build, you know why Tactical Rifleman went looking for a cheaper option. In a short video, the channel breaks down how the military builds bunkers and range berms with Hesco baskets, then shows a budget workaround using materials you can grab at a hardware store.

Key points

• What Hescos do: the video explains that military Hesco baskets are collapsible wire containers lined with fabric and filled with earth, used for bunkers, perimeter walls, and range berms, and that they pack flat for transport by truck, helicopter, or aircraft.
• The cost problem: Tactical Rifleman notes that commercial Hesco units work well but carry a steep price tag, which is what pushes the DIY approach.
• The cheap substitute: the fix shown is building your own baskets from chicken wire or similar fencing, lined inside with landscaping fabric instead of the commercial liner.
• Filling and placement: the baskets get filled with earth using a Bobcat or comparable loader, with construction moving section by section down the length of the range.
• Safety caveat: any berm meant for live fire needs real engineering attention — ricochet angles, bullet penetration, drainage, stability, and local legal compliance all have to check out before it's load-bearing for bullets.

Quick take

This is a solid starting concept for range builders working on a budget, but it is a short clip, not a how-to with measurements or fill depths. Treat it as inspiration to look further, not a finished blueprint for a backstop that has to stop rifle rounds.

Watch the full video: Tactical Rifleman