Shooting in your back yard?

[czechsonofagun]

My neighbor has little bit over one acre, but still he shoots in his back yard in open space .45 acp. I told him once, that in my opinion he can not do it. Well he called the sheriffs dept. and somebody there told him - he says - that he is just fine. I did not have time to call the sheriff yet, but I will do it as soon as possible. Does anybody have an idea what are the rules in this case?

I spent more hours on the shooting range than I care to remember but we were always concerned with a back stop and side blocks and safety procedures and marking the hot zone - and here somebody is just blasting away into a pile of lumber? There is no back stop, just open space behind and a pond and woods cross the pond; I mean personally I know better than to try anything like that, but what to do with a neighbor who will not listen to me?

 

[captaincrab55]

I shoot a gun in my back yard and it's legal... If I lived 2 miles away it would be against the law..

 

[MossRoad]

Good luck with that. Unless there are specific laws he can shoot all he wants.

You need to get a copy of the laws in your area.

Around here, you cannot shoot inside city limits and you cannot shoot within X many feet of a residence in the county.

 

[om21braz]

Folks like him are as much of a danger to the 2nd amendment as others we'll not bother to mention here. Good Luck working this situation out - maybe a trip to the zoning committee of your county, etc. could help. There may be some minimal requirements for a home range that the Sheriff's Dept. does not realize are in place.

 

[/pine]

In several counties I am familiar with...you are not allowed to discharge a firearm within 100 yards of a dwelling...occupied or not...

 

[Bird]

I think it's usually illegal to discharge firearms in the city limits in most towns, but our city has a few exceptions:

[FONT=Rockwell,Bold]

[FONT=Rockwell,Bold]ｧ 130.02 DISCHARGING OF FIREARMS, AIR GUNS AND BB GUNS PROHIBITED; EXCEPTION.[/FONT]
​

[/FONT](A) Except as listed in division (B) of this section, it is an offense to discharge any firearm, air
gun or BB gun within the corporate limits of the city.
(B) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of force, including deadly force, in the
protection of one's life or property, or the lives or property of theirs, as allowed under Chapter Nine
of the Texas Penal Code, or the use of firearms for legitimate agricultural uses, or for the protection
of livestock from predators, or the eradication of varmints or reptiles on property owned or
controlled by the person involved, and used in a manner that does not pose a threat to the lives and
property of others, or for the shooting of targets on a legitimate target range approved under the
zoning code of the city, or the shooting of targets on ones own property of three acres or more, and
in a manner that does not pose a threat to the lives and property of others.
(Ord. 89-9-21-25, passed 9-21-89) Penalty, see ｧ 130.99​

[FONT=Rockwell,Bold][FONT=Rockwell,Bold]ｧ 130.03[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Rockwell,Bold]
[/FONT]

 

[EarPlug]

I live on 2.5 ac in the county and per the sheriff our only requirement is "the projectile cannot leave the property".

Jack

 

[zzvyb6]

Here in Michigan, the Attorney General has stated an opinion that there is a difference between hunting and target proactice. No hunting less that 150 yards from an occuoied building. The ruling is posted on the State's website.

w w w .legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/firearms.pdf

Target practice is anywhere unless local ordinances override.

 

[2manyrocks]

Whether criminal law prohibits it or not, he would be civilly liable if he injures or kills someone. If he is shooting on one acre with an inadequate backstop, he is putting others at risk and you'd think he'd know better. If what he is doing is dangerous enough, I suppose you could ask the local sheriff what the requirements are to make a case of reckless endangerment even if shooting is not per se prohibited.

 

[CurlyDave]

I think what he is doing is both rude and dangerous, if not illegal.

If I were downrange from him, I would be complaining to whatever authority I could find, as well as the local newspaper and anyone else I could think of.

If I were not downrange the situation would be different. I would point out to him that he was being dangerous, and I would warn the people who live downrange, but after that it is their battle to fight. If they asked me to help them, I would, but if I don't have a dog in the fight I am not going to raise trouble.

Google Earth is your friend in this regard. You can quickly identify the addresses of houses downrange from his "backstop".