Private Property Shooting

[Ian]

Growing up in MT, we used to drive 1/4 mile out of town, and shoot on state land, pretty much anywhere. We had the undersheriff stop by, but only because he wanted to try out what we where shooting. Sigh, those where the days...

 

[j_h_smith]

Growing up in MT, we used to drive 1/4 mile out of town, and shoot on state land, pretty much anywhere. We had the undersheriff stop by, but only because he wanted to try out what we where shooting. Sigh, those where the days...

I did the same thing when I was a teen in the 70's. But I was in Baltimore County, in Middle River. Right off of Bengie's Road. There was a perfect shooting range. Pull off on the side of the road. Trees on each side of you with an open shooting lane of at least 100 yards. Dirt berms at different distances from the shooting area. Great for shooting and safe for everyone. Never had a problem shooting anytime there. I wouldn't think anyone would want to try that today.

Those were the days!

 

[j124l]

Where do I find out about specs for a backstop? House I am considering is on 6acres in Anne Arundel county but seems any structure or road is ~450-500 ft from the house, unless I shot towards my house which is totally stupid idea. I agree shooting towards road isn't smart either, although it would be through wooded area and on incline, still couldn't see doing that though, realized stupidity of that question after I asked. So seems as if a proper backstop is way to go, do not know how to do that though. Any references?

 

[AlanInSilverSpring]

Where do I find out about specs for a backstop? House I am considering is on 6acres in Anne Arundel county but seems any structure or road is ~450-500 ft from the house, unless I shot towards my house which is totally stupid idea. I agree shooting towards road isn't smart either, although it would be through wooded area and on incline, still couldn't see doing that though, realized stupidity of that question after I asked. So seems as if a proper backstop is way to go, do not know how to do that though. Any references?

Why ?

If you plan on building a sufficient backstop then shooting towards your house shouldn't concern you. If it does I'd suggest reevaluating the whole idea, or what kind of backstop/shooting you plan on doing.

If you wouldn't shoot towards your house why would you shoot towards someone else's ?

 

[fabsroman]

Where do I find out about specs for a backstop? House I am considering is on 6acres in Anne Arundel county but seems any structure or road is ~450-500 ft from the house, unless I shot towards my house which is totally stupid idea. I agree shooting towards road isn't smart either, although it would be through wooded area and on incline, still couldn't see doing that though, realized stupidity of that question after I asked. So seems as if a proper backstop is way to go, do not know how to do that though. Any references?

The backstop should be a ton of dirt that is high enough that if you miss the target on the high side the bullet is still going into the dirt. One of my favorite shooting spots was an old quarry with 20+ foot walls as a backstop. Some trees had grown down there and it had been used for dumping old appliances, etc. It was just a great spot to shoot to about 150 yards.

Another friend of mine north of Pittsburgh used a large wood box made our of full sheets of plywood and he filled it with sand. However, he was shooting down into the box and even if he missed the box he would be hitting green earth. He was also on 30 acres. Got to sight in my .220 Swift for the first time at his place. This all brings back memories. It was at about the same time I met my wife that I went up there for a groundhog hunt with these PA guys.

 

[Pinecone]

I did the same thing when I was a teen in the 70's. But I was in Baltimore County, in Middle River. Right off of Bengie's Road. There was a perfect shooting range. Pull off on the side of the road. Trees on each side of you with an open shooting lane of at least 100 yards. Dirt berms at different distances from the shooting area. Great for shooting and safe for everyone. Never had a problem shooting anytime there. I wouldn't think anyone would want to try that today.

Those were the days!

Similar. We shot in railroad right of way off Rt 100, between 95 and 295.

Police would stop by every so often, just to see what was going on.

We lost that site to some people deciding to shoot at 6AM on Sunday and woke up the nearby residents.

 

[Pinecone]

Google is your friend:

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=shooting+backstop+plans

Took 0.51 seconds.

 

[lazarus]

With 6-acres, depending on what the neighbor situation looks like I'd plan on not being able to shoot on the property. Depending on those property layouts you'd likely only be 100-150yds from most of your neighbor's houses. Even if the county doesn't straight ban that distance or have something else stupid, 100yds from your neighbor doing much other than silencer shooting is probably going to piss off the neighbor's a lot.

Now different folks take different tacks with neighbors, but I prefer not to really piss them off. One thing to piss of my neighbors because they don't like me shooting on my property when we are all 20 or 30 acres and I probably can't even see my neighbors houses, but 6 acres, makes you pretty close to your neighbors.

Of course your neighbors might be cool or even want to join in.

Or they are kind of sensitive and you end up just shooting sub 22lr to keep the noise down. Or just shoot while they are at work.

 

[Sewer Rat]

Yeah, absolutes drive me nuts. NEVER EVER use absolutes, EVA, EVA, without providing some wiggle room.

NEVER EVER ok to shoot towards a roadway while target shooting. I'd be alright with that. Then again, there has got to be a roadway in the direction you are shooting. Granted, who knows how far away it is. Is it on the other side of a mountain? Is it a mile away? There just has to be some road in the direction you are shooting.

Then, what happens if the axe murderer is running right at you and there is a roadway behind him? Do you wait until he is upon you, hope he misses with the first swing, wait until his momentum pulls him past you, and then fire when the roadway is no longer behind him? Yeah, I am being a smarty pants and smart Alec all at the same time. lol

I'd bring up common sense and using it, but not enough of it nowadays. That is why we have all these ordinances and statutes.

You are an ass.

Follow Coopers Rules, which is common sense... but reading your posts, I guess you are above that.

 

[j_h_smith]

You are an ass.

Follow Coopers Rules, which is common sense... but reading your posts, I guess you are above that.

He just likes to be argumentative. I've learned to love him for that.

At least that's what the Good Book says you should do!

 

[kraftyone]

Growing up in MT, we used to drive 1/4 mile out of town, and shoot on state land, pretty much anywhere. We had the undersheriff stop by, but only because he wanted to try out what we where shooting. Sigh, those where the days...

Idaho and BLM land were great for shooting when I was in the Airforce those were the days

 

[fabsroman]

You are an ass.

Follow Coopers Rules, which is common sense... but reading your posts, I guess you are above that.

Yeah, tell me something I don't already know. Ironically, a lot of people that think I am an "ass" also happen to call me friend. It is all good.

Now, how can anybody be above common sense, unless they happen to be a moron, and I'm not going to admit I am a moron just yet. Maybe in a day or two. lol

 

[fabsroman]

With 6-acres, depending on what the neighbor situation looks like I'd plan on not being able to shoot on the property. Depending on those property layouts you'd likely only be 100-150yds from most of your neighbor's houses. Even if the county doesn't straight ban that distance or have something else stupid, 100yds from your neighbor doing much other than silencer shooting is probably going to piss off the neighbor's a lot.

Now different folks take different tacks with neighbors, but I prefer not to really piss them off. One thing to piss of my neighbors because they don't like me shooting on my property when we are all 20 or 30 acres and I probably can't even see my neighbors houses, but 6 acres, makes you pretty close to your neighbors.

Of course your neighbors might be cool or even want to join in.

Or they are kind of sensitive and you end up just shooting sub 22lr to keep the noise down. Or just shoot while they are at work.

I read the Anne Arundel ordinances last night, and the only thing that is required for discharging a firearm is that the shooter be 100 yards from any occupied dwelling, and if the shooter is on somebody else's property, that the shooter have written permission to possess firearms on the property and discharge firearms on the property. A sample of the permission language is actually included in the ordinance. I'll attach the ordinance to this post as a pdf. Almost makes me sad that I bought in Howard County. Thought I was getting an upgrade by moving from MoCo to here. In some cases, I got an upgrade. With shooting and hunting, meh.

Might actually draft that petition you and I talked about the other day and see how many signatures I can get from gun owners in HoCo so we can try to get some "common sense" changes made to the ordinances. There is no reason somebody in the rural areas (i.e., where sewer is not offered) of HoCo should not be able to shoot a pellet gun on their property. Might have to discuss whether we need to limit that to lots of one acre or more, but I think we go broad to start with. Then, maybe a 100 yard safety zone for shooting firearms in the rural areas.

 

[vgplayer]

Sometimes I think about sending a neighbor a postcard that says something like, "Just a friendly reminder, silencers are legal in MD"

 

[fabsroman]

Sometimes I think about sending a neighbor a postcard that says something like, "Just a friendly reminder, silencers are legal in MD"

Yeah, but they are still NFA items. Most people do not want to go through the NFA hoops. Heck, I didn't even want to until Rule 41f/p was proposed. Kind of like FSA2013. I was fine with one handgun, 1 AR-15, and 1 AR-10. Then, FSA2013 came along and now:

1) I have more lowers to complete than I know what to do with,
2) I have more guns than I have time to shoot (my idiot self is looking at buying two more bolt guns and contemplating an MRAD as a third), and
3) I know a heck of a lot more about 80% lowers and handgun frames.

Look at what the law makers have made me do. Hoping the Hearing Protection Act actually gets passed. I'll buy a couple more suppressors if that happens. Oh yeah, suppressors for shotguns suck.

Good times.

 

[vgplayer]

Yeah but there is a such a thing known as common courtesy. A "Knob Creek" shoot on Easter Sunday T'd off the whole neighborhood. Especially granted that we are in 1-3 acre lots and honestly I would not feel comfortable shooting in any direction from their property.

 

[lazarus]

I read the Anne Arundel ordinances last night, and the only thing that is required for discharging a firearm is that the shooter be 100 yards from any occupied dwelling, and if the shooter is on somebody else's property, that the shooter have written permission to possess firearms on the property and discharge firearms on the property. A sample of the permission language is actually included in the ordinance. I'll attach the ordinance to this post as a pdf. Almost makes me sad that I bought in Howard County. Thought I was getting an upgrade by moving from MoCo to here. In some cases, I got an upgrade. With shooting and hunting, meh.

Might actually draft that petition you and I talked about the other day and see how many signatures I can get from gun owners in HoCo so we can try to get some "common sense" changes made to the ordinances. There is no reason somebody in the rural areas (i.e., where sewer is not offered) of HoCo should not be able to shoot a pellet gun on their property. Might have to discuss whether we need to limit that to lots of one acre or more, but I think we go broad to start with. Then, maybe a 100 yard safety zone for shooting firearms in the rural areas.

I am on board and I'd imagine I could get at least a few signitures for you.

 

[fabsroman]

Yeah but there is a such a thing known as common courtesy. A "Knob Creek" shoot on Easter Sunday T'd off the whole neighborhood. Especially granted that we are in 1-3 acre lots and honestly I would not feel comfortable shooting in any direction from their property.

You know what they say, it is because of a few bad apples that the rest of us pay the price. Then again, you have to wonder what the homeowners around AGC feel like with shooting each and every day. Kind of like moving by a railroad and then being surprised that you hear a train. If you live out in the "country", this sort of stuff goes on. The neighbors might have had some family in from out of state, they like guns, and they decided to try out all their FSA2013 purchases. Have you talked to the neighbor about it?

 

[j_h_smith]

I can't shoot on my property, but I always hear shots being fired all around me. Last weekend, someone must have hit the lottery because they must have gone through a few thousand rounds. The shooting lasted for about 3 hours and there were more mag dumps than single shots by far.

I was actually glad to hear it. It was like music to my ears.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Just banged steel for a few hours on my friends big backyard range this weekend.

I've always been a "farm shooter" and having a lane, rules, ammo restrictions, no holster, no movement et al just isn't for me.