Home gun range considerations

[bigpingel88]

Good evening everyone,

First post and i didnt see anything thread wise i knew i could for sure put this question into and the rules say to post in the bear pit if you arnt sure. Anyways, me and my wife will soon be purchasing our first home. We currently live in a small neighborhood where even shooting pellet guns and bow and arrows is out of the question. We hope to find a place where at minimum i can shoot my pellet gun (Benjamin marauder 22) and compound hunting bow on the property. But i would really like to have a 50 or even 100 yard range to zero rifles and do load development on. Does anyone have any regulations from where they live for shooting ranges at home? Not that it would necessarily apply to my area but they may have good ideas i could take. Besides lots of land, very heavily wooded or hilly lands for back drops with no one around im not sure if there are a good set of guidelines for shooting ranges to keep things safe or make them safe. I've seen some interesting berm and bullet trap ideas on smaller properties and wonder what some of your smaller acreage ranges look like or considerations you took when making yours or buying property with shooting in mind.

Thanks for your thought or opinions on the subject

 

[sea2summit]

You always own the bullet until it comes to a full and complete stop. Start with that in mind and you’ll be fine.

Next, talk to the local sheriff office. They will know everything, or at least everyone you need to talk too.

 

[wade2big]

I wouldn't involve law enforcement at all. Why? Haul in some dirt and now you have a backstop.

 

[Eli17L]

I have steel out to 1400 yards from my deck. Only problem I have had is needing to reinforce the deck as I found it vibrates a bit when the dogs are playing next to me. I also discovered that ported guns aren't as fun under a tin roof.
Never asked permission my land my rules.

 

[hollowoutadime]

I'm in a township across the road from a large city park. It's legal to shoot in the township, not across the street in the city (park or not). You should start with something similar, where it's legal, no need to talk to local police.

I shoot suppressed(.22lr at bowling pins, .17hmr at raccoons, and occasionally 6br to confirm zero) and shoot in the opposite direction of the park, keeps noise down and soccer moms from getting spooked. You need to be a good neighbor. Railroad ties in a u shape with sand in front is going to be my solution. My neighbors behind are about 800 yds out, but an errant round over the top would be bad.

I lived in a country club in the city for 19yrs, then moved out to the country for the space and the option to shoot a few times a week.
Best of luck and welcome aboard.

 

[TexPatriot]

I wouldn't involve law enforcement at all. Why? Haul in some dirt and now you have a backstop.

Never invite 'the man' into your life, especially if it involves firearms. You may think it's a harmless interaction but the fact you own guns will not go undocumented.

I've built public and private ranges. You can hire someone with heavy equipment to level off an area, scrape the topsoil into berms and shoot. You should try and make the berms high enough to where a normal person doesn't shoot over it and if they do it doesn't land on the immediate neighbors property. I say this because If and when some turds fleeing Chicago or Portland buy the property next to you and hear you shooting they will call 'the man.' When he comes to talk to you you can show him how there's no way lesbian Karen and her partner are in danger of being shot. Be polite but if he asks you how many guns you own, ignore the question.

If I sound cynical it's because I've been around and I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two.

 

[tnichols]

It’s simple. Say goodbye to the Burbs and move somewhere close to the ass end of nowhere. Places where uncomfortable climates work well. Push up a solid backstop, and enjoy. An acreage in Hooterville is a good start. Bring your work britches as I always tell folks, don’t underestimate the amount of work/equipment it takes to keep a rural property proper.

I can step out through the kitchen slider onto the deck and engage steel from 650 yards to 1K+. Pistol range is 30 yards to the left. Good luck.

 

[MtnCreek]

Look up laws re discharging firearms in the state/county you're looking at. Only law here is have to be 50 yds off the rd. All bullets need to stay on your property. That's not just the 98% that go exactly where you wanted.

 

[TexPatriot]

Look up laws re discharging firearms in the state/county you're looking at. Only law here is have to be 50 yds off the rd. All bullets need to stay on your property. That's not just the 98% that go exactly where you wanted.

In Texas you need to be 150 yds off the road and be on at least ten acres of land.

 

[MtnCreek]

In Texas you need to be 150 yds off the road and be on at least ten acres of land.

Tx is bigger than Ga.

 

[Blue Sky Country]

Never invite 'the man' into your life, especially if it involves firearms. You may think it's a harmless interaction but the fact you own guns will not go undocumented.

I've built public and private ranges. You can hire someone with heavy equipment to level off an area, scrape the topsoil into berms and shoot. You should try and make the berms high enough to where a normal person doesn't shoot over it and if they do it doesn't land on the immediate neighbors property. I say this because If and when some turds fleeing Chicago or Portland buy the property next to you and hear you shooting they will call 'the man.' When he comes to talk to you you can show him how there's no way lesbian Karen and her partner are in danger of being shot. Be polite but if he asks you how many guns you own, ignore the question.

If I sound cynical it's because I've been around and I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two.

New York City is basically a test tube version of "don't invite the Man"...

Out of town tourist: "Excuse me officer, I see the sign on the 9/11 Memorial says that no guns are allowed inside. Where can I leave my Georgia licensed concealed handgun while we visit the memorial?"

NYPD: "Put the gun on the table. Now put your hands behind your back. You are going to jail"...

Out of town tourist: "Huh?"...

NYC Courts: "You are charged with first degree criminal possession of a loaded handgun. After your life savings have been completely used up in defending your case however, we will drop the charges and allow you to go home. Thanks for the free gun. You want your "property" back? LOL, consider yourself lucky that we are not throwing you in prison for 3 years... Now get out of my face, I got motorists to extort..."

 

[CountryShooter]

I shoot almost every day in my yard. Natural lay of the land provides a perfect back stop. I can only shoot about 200yds though because of short sight lines dictated by the terrain. It does take a huge amount of time in upkeep. Mostly bush hogging, limb cutting, and fixing broken equipment. I have a mix of woods and clearings. Flat spots don't exist, so I'm shooting slightly up hill to get distance. I wouldn't trade for any life in town. 50 acres.

 

[TexPatriot]

New York City is basically a test tube version of "don't invite the Man"...

Out of town tourist: "Excuse me officer, I see the sign on the 9/11 Memorial says that no guns are allowed inside. Where can I leave my Georgia licensed concealed handgun while we visit the memorial?"

NYPD: "Put the gun on the table. Now put your hands behind your back. You are going to jail"...

Out of town tourist: "Huh?"...

NYC Courts: "You are charged with first degree criminal possession of a loaded handgun. After your life savings have been completely used up in defending your case however, we will drop the charges and allow you to go home. Thanks for the free gun. You want your "property" back? LOL, consider yourself lucky that we are not throwing you in prison for 3 years... Now get out of my face, I got motorists to extort..."

I got pulled over outside of Austin but still in Travis Co. about ten years ago. The cop said I was weaving and wanted me to submit to a FST. I hadn't been drinking and could prove where I just came (Dr's office) didn't serve alcohol. I was charged with refusal to submit to field sobriety and arrested. Also, I told the arresting cop to get my .45 out of the truck so it didn't get stolen in the impound yard. The cop asked "Where!?" When I told him he and the others mobbed the front seat and all reaching over each other to finger bang my customized RIA. I was then charged with UCW since I was presumed intoxicated.

Long story short, my lawyer got the BS DWI thrown out and the UCW charges dropped with no record it ever occurred...on the condition that they keep my gun. They wouldn't budge on that. I probably had $1k tied up in the gun and had to weigh that against the lawyer fees to fight it which would have been triple. I was poor so some cop probably now has my custom tuned RIA with handcarved grips and 3.5 trigger in his safe.

Fuck Austin, Travis Co. and it's boys in blue.

 

[TexPatriot]

Edited reply

 

[OldSalty]

In my AO you just need to be outside city limits.

Of course the basics apply.

Shoot in safe direction and into a berm etc. If your setup is solid, you will have no problems.

Many around here shoot on private property, its part of the reason public gun ranges are pretty scarce.

If you are new to the area or recently put up a home shooting range...the sheriff may stop and check you out if called. But in my experience they only want to make sure you being safe and not full-on-potato.

Had it happen a couple of times at different places. Never had a single problem.

God bless my state.

 

[oneshot86]

You always own the bullet until it comes to a full and complete stop. Start with that in mind and you’ll be fine.

Next, talk to the local sheriff office. They will know everything, or at least everyone you need to talk too.

No, you will be surprised how much the Sherriffs dept doesn't know.
Type in your state and gun laws, read them for yourself. Florida just changed a couple years ago and you need at least an acre and a half.
Don't call it a range, I have a dirt pile I shoot in, not a range.

 

[Franko]

Don't bring law enforcement into your life. Find an attorney that specializes in firearms law, tell him what you want to do and get a written opinion from him that says what you are planning to do is fully legal. Get two or more copies and store them in safe places. That written opinion isn't a gauranteed "get out of jail" card but its damn close. After all, you were just doing what your attorney said you could...

 

[W54/XM-388]

I got pulled over outside of Austin but still in Travis Co. about ten years ago. The cop said I was weaving and wanted me to submit to a FST. I hadn't been drinking and could prove where I just came (Dr's office) didn't serve alcohol. I was charged with refusal to submit to field sobriety and arrested. Also, I told the arresting cop to get my .45 out of the truck so it didn't get stolen in the impound yard. The cop asked "Where!?" When I told him he and the others mobbed the front seat and all reaching over each other to finger bang my customized RIA. I was then charged with UCW since I was presumed intoxicated.

You can thank the vile folks at MADD for that experience, along with all the karens and many others even here that are always demanding more draconian laws be used because "drunk drivers." At this point, you might as well just be a murder suspect, you'll actually have more rights and a better shot at fair procedures than in many states.

Unfortunately the stupid laws don't allow you to say, "well if you want to be all in my face about it, I demand we go right now to a proper hospital and have a proper professional do a blood draw and we'll have that settle the matters".

Some filthy vile states even let the police ham fist doing a blood draw on you at gunpoint and won't let you get it done by a professional.

The FST is a total bunch of BS and I bet if you did the same thing to the prosecutor in court, they probably would fail.

Here's the bad news that I know from a family members experience......
They might give you a breath test and you pass as well below the legal limit, but still they might arrest you and charge you claiming that you were still somehow intoxicated. A good lawyer will have it laughed out of court immediately with prejudice, but not before a lot of money came out of your pocket.

Once again the karens and all the "good" folks gave the state huge amounts of power to mess with the citizens because of something they got all up in arms about and as always, it never only gets used on the "bad guys".

 

[vh20]

You can thank the vile folks at MADD for that experience, along with all the karens and many others even here that are always demanding more draconian laws be used because "drunk drivers." At this point, you might as well just be a murder suspect, you'll actually have more rights and a better shot at fair procedures than in many states.

Unfortunately the stupid laws don't allow you to say, "well if you want to be all in my face about it, I demand we go right now to a proper hospital and have a proper professional do a blood draw and we'll have that settle the matters".

Some filthy vile states even let the police ham fist doing a blood draw on you at gunpoint and won't let you get it done by a professional.

The FST is a total bunch of BS and I bet if you did the same thing to the prosecutor in court, they probably would fail.

Here's the bad news that I know from a family members experience......
They might give you a breath test and you pass as well below the legal limit, but still they might arrest you and charge you claiming that you were still somehow intoxicated. A good lawyer will have it laughed out of court immediately with prejudice, but not before a lot of money came out of your pocket.

Once again the karens and all the "good" folks gave the state huge amounts of power to mess with the citizens because of something they got all up in arms about and as always, it never only gets used on the "bad guys".

And yet texting drivers are far more dangerous, simply because of the numbers.
Where is "MATD"?

 

[bigpingel88]

Found an interesting article about the subject from vortex including another link from the nra with additional tips. Interesting read if nothing else but still relevant.