Air Gun Home :: View topic

dummyracer36 · Senior Member

had an interesting morning.

allow me to preface; spent a couple hours in my backyard shooting yesterday. have my backstop against my house, so zero chance of stray pellets finding their way to a neighbors window/car/ect. between the 3 rifles, i went thru a tin of 250 pellets. as no one immediately came over or called to complain, i figured i was fine.
NOT the case.
the elderly man that lives across the street (who cannot even see my backyard) came over this morning with an off duty county sherrif to complain, NOT about the noise, but about the danger of what i'm doing!!!!

having researched the laws here before i moved back, not only do i know what they are, but had copies. i was not breaking any county ordinaces, and told them so. showed the sherrif the law, and asked them kindly to leave.

something tells me that this wont be the end of this.
if the powers that be see fit to get the laws changed, i'll gladly stop, but until then... i have no intention of stopping enjoying my sport.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

You have to look at it from the old man's perspective. He's sitting there watching tv all day waiting for his final days to come, when all of a sudden, he hears these loud noises coming from your yard! What's this about, he wonders. Then he looks out his window and sees a man with a menacing looking gun. And since he's never used an airgun himself, then it must be some dangerous gun that can only bring harm to the neighborhood.

That is how these people think.

What did they do when you told them it was your legal right to shoot? What did you show them?

After hearing stories like these it just reinforces my need to keep my shooting/hunting on the down low in my neighborhood. Especially the noise issue. I either try to shoot inside or use my quieter guns when shooting outside.

dummyracer36 · Senior Member

i showed him and the sherrif a copy of the ordinances that pertain to Un-Incorperated St. Charles County. because of our unincorperated status in this area, the rural laws and ordinances apply.

it just surprises me.... i could MAYBE understand, is i was shooting squirrels out of a tree on HIS property... but i wasnt.... i was shooting at a paper target with a more than adequate backstop.

i can see it now..... any and every broken window or what have you... is gonna get pinned on me.
before i moved to florida, it was the bikes, now that i'm back, its the guns.

oh well.... such is life

Jaxom · Senior Member

DR,

Oy! if more people would just be concerned about themselves then meddling in other people's fun! We're adults, you don't need to be protected from youself! Sheesh!

I'd take the offensive side of this. Crank up yell old grill and invite some neighbors over for a "getting to know the new guy" type party. So what if ya happen to leave your shooting bench or targets out, this could be a way to bring up the hobby! For all you know many of you neighbors my be also be ag shooters as well, and might welcome you warmly into their neighborhood.

As far as the old guy goes, kill him with kindness. Ask if he's got problems with racoons raiding his garbage cans or squirrels raiding his bird feeders, offer to remove said offending animals.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

What did the old guy say to you? What was the major concern? Was it a ricochet? Did you tell him that these are relatively low powered guns and can do no real damage if properly backstopped?

jonathan · Member

Come move to New Brunswick. I was shooting in my back yard with my Drozd......loudest gun I own. My neighbor (senior)comes over to see whats making the noise. I show him the gun, let him fire a few rounds.
He comes back 10 minutes later with an old break barrel and tells me to keep it. Smile

dummyracer36 · Senior Member

Jax, i've owned this house for 8 years now, used to rent it out, lived here before we moved to florida, now i'm back. all the neighbors know me quite well.

Roger... all he kept saying was "you shouldnt be shooting that thing here" over and over.

the neighbors here have always complained about one thing or another. in the past i've had people on the block blame me for every loud motorcycle in the area... all because i own a race shop!!! "kill him with kindness"?? i'd prolly get accused of stalking the old bugger!!!

Jaxom · Senior Member

Ugh! DR. Damned if ya do...damned if ya don't.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

When I lived in central florida, the house were crammed right next to each other. Our neighbor across the street was a real SOB and he had his nose in everyone's business, and had nothing good to say about anything.

Fortunately, I didn't have AG's back then, but I'm sure he would've LOVED it if I did.
Rolling Eyes

I can see people being disturbed by the noise. And I can kind of understand them not wanting to get a window shot out or something. But the fact remains that AGs are legal and you have the right to do what you want in your own yard.

scroller99 · Veteran Member

I'll lend you my potato gun for a couple of days Wink

after that he would be happy with the ag

Slavia · Moderator

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Airsoft guns work great for non-lethal pest deterrants. Especially the full auto ones.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Woops, what the hell did I do? Shocked

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

My dogs are so dumb, they'd sit there and eat up all the exploded potato pieces that just hit them.

billandbeaufort · Senior Member

We are planning to sell our house on the east side of I-95 and move to the west side this fall. While talking to our real estate lady I showed her an example house I liked so she could start looking around for us. She asked what I liked about it, and I said I like the 3 car garage and the city owned woods in back of the back yard. She said oh you want privacy? I said no I want 55 yards to shoot! She almost freaked until I said my air rifle when she said Oh that's like a BB gun huh? All of a sudden she was OK with it! LOL. lets not tell people that airguns are up to what 300 FPe now? haha not mine of course, I'm limited to 20 FPe. Shocked