Author Topic: Air Rifle restrictions  (Read 5292 times)

Offline tuttleje

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Air Rifle restrictions
« on: January 01, 2009, 05:03:01 AM »
Anyone else experience a similar law?  Here is the Williamsburg (Va) City Code section:

Sec. 10-124.  Discharging air rifles or gravel shooters.
(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot an air rifle, BB gun or gravel shooter in the city.
(b)   Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished in accordance with section 1-15. In addition, his air rifle, BB gun or gravel shooter shall be confiscated.
(Code 1975, § 21-30)

According to this regulation, I can't shoot my Gamo Whisper inside my garage.

What's a "gravel shooter"?


Offline tuttleje

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2009, 05:14:49 AM »
Well.......after extensive research (Google), I did discover a reference to a "gravel shooter".  However, I don't think it is exactly the one reference in the City Code.  

It would be VERY effective on the extermination of tree rats (and everything else)  in my backyard.

Here is the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5SAtCfhUxY&feature=related

Offline Big_Bill

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RE: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2009, 05:21:33 AM »


Welcome to the GTA Forums James !



You have found, The BEST AIRGUN FORUM on the Internet !! And, A GREAT PLACE TO BE !!!!!



Don't feel too bad, I live in the C.C.C.P of New Jerkey, where they consider ALL airguns, slingshots, etc. as Firearms ! I'm waiting for the Peoples Governor Supreme to get a splinter from a wooden pencil, then they will be Firearms too ! We sure live in interesting times !



Now that Your a Member of our AirGun family Forum, I hope to see you here often !



HAPPY NEW YEAR !



Bill

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Offline brokenarrowjbe

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2009, 02:26:56 PM »
In the city applies to private property? Time to move to florida or texas or arizona.What about a potato gun?
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Original-Potato-Cannon/
That might not be banned. LOL john
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Offline RedFeather

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2009, 05:05:06 PM »
Probably a sling shot.  You are lucky.  Up here in Fairfax it's a class 3 firearms felony if you hit a house.  Increases to class two if the house is occupied.  You can't legally shoot anything which propels an object.  That would include bow and arrow, as well, unless you are on private property or at a range.  Shotguns and pea shooters - it's all the same to the law.

Offline MEHavey

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2009, 05:24:12 PM »
I've been looking for the Fairfax Regs, Redfeather.  
Where'd you find them online?

Offline RedFeather

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2009, 05:33:05 PM »
I didn't get that online.  I think it came from a conversation with a police officer when I enquired some years back.  Anyway, the regs here are Draconian.  I know one young fellow who was walking with a friend accompanied by an air rifle.  They cut across a school yard and then went into a backyard where his friend asked him to hold his gun for a minute.  Someone reported them and the poor kid was convicted of "brandishing a firearm", a felony, at that.

I'm sure you can find a phone number and maybe the county government can point you in the right direction.

Offline RedFeather

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2009, 05:42:51 PM »
Well, crap.  I looked up a link to the county code.  According to them I can't even shoot within the confines of my yard!

"Section 6-1-2.  Hunting or discharge of firearms in certain places prohibited; exceptions.
(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot any gun in any areas of the County which are so heavily populated as to make such conduct dangerous. Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful to discharge any gun:
(1)   In all areas of the County except those areas which are exempted in accordance with Appendix J to the Fairfax County Code;
(2)   On any lot of real property containing less than twenty acres; and
(3)   On any parcel of land which is not posted with signs giving reasonable notice that guns are in use on that parcel of land and that no trespassing is allowed. Such signs shall be placed where they can reasonably be seen. However, if firearms are in use on only a portion of any parcel of land which meets the acreage and other requirements of the term "parcel of land," as defined by Section 6-1-1, then only that portion of that parcel of land on which firearms are used shall be posted with signs."

Note that airguns are considered firearms.

Here's the link:
http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10051&sid=46


Offline mikeiniowa

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Thats the problem with living in the big city........
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2009, 10:21:46 PM »
When you have to many people in to small an area then this is what happens....I could hit the neighbors house with a shot but I'd have to sneak over there to do it....I also have to drive 60 miles one way to get to a Walmart so it evens out....

Offline Gene_SC

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2009, 02:13:08 AM »
I live withing the city limits but two sides of my property are on the edge of the  county property. The county has no laws about shooting with bb or pellet guns, but the city does. I talked to a cop one day about it and he said it would be a judgment call on the part of a cop if he had a complaint from a neighbor. I only have one neighbor that is close to me. I think the city I live in only has about 12 police officers who drive police cars around. When you see one which is not often, they always wave...:) I shoot amost every day here and never had a problem. Also had one of the GTA Fun Shoots here and no problems. Guess I am very fortunate to have a big place to shoot. Almost 1.5 acres and no homes on two sides within a half mile.
THE ONES I SLEEP WITH: BSA Lightning XL, AA TX-200, AA ProSport, BSA Ultra, HW-97K, Crosman NPSS .177, FX Cyclone, HW-30 Nicle Plated, AA-S200, Crosman Marauder, CZ-634, R-9 DG, Webley/Scott UK Tomahawk, Benji Kantana, Benji Marauder, Benji Discovery.....
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Offline longislandhunter

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2009, 03:04:35 AM »
You are fortunate indeed Gene.  I have plenty of room in my backyard to safely shoot and my neighbors know I shoot and don't care, my one neighbor has his own airgun range in his yard, but I still take great care to make sure the pellets go where they're supposed to and also to avoid having other neighbors get a glimpse of me walking around the yard gun in hand.  Even though I'm legal I'm just not looking for any problems.  All it can take is one "bad" incident to ruin a good thing, plus as we all know,,,, these guns aren't toys and safety is always a must.....

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Offline shadow

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2009, 04:05:05 AM »
I also have some room around me and also access to plenty of hunting turf to get into. Most my neighbors know me as the vermin exterminator and call when they have a problem. :) Ed
I airgun hunt therefore I am... };)  {SHADOWS Tunes & Camo}  airguncamo@yahoo.com

Offline Gene_SC

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2009, 06:32:28 AM »
Ya Jeff, I always take my guns out the back door and I have a wood security fence on two sides of my property that blocks anyone from seeing me shoot or hold a gun. You are right, it is better to be safe and not flash around the pellet guns because from a distance they do look like the real thing.. Last thing you want is to have grandma up the road call the authorities and tell them you were flashing a fire arm around inside the city limits..:( Next thing you know you will be surrounded by a super Swat Team..
THE ONES I SLEEP WITH: BSA Lightning XL, AA TX-200, AA ProSport, BSA Ultra, HW-97K, Crosman NPSS .177, FX Cyclone, HW-30 Nicle Plated, AA-S200, Crosman Marauder, CZ-634, R-9 DG, Webley/Scott UK Tomahawk, Benji Kantana, Benji Marauder, Benji Discovery.....
....

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Offline davee1

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2009, 09:09:49 AM »
Yeah, one time I made the mistake of takin my AK B3 with me just before nightfall. I went out into the hundreds of acres of open land which is rectangular, so it is way longer than it is wide. I'd say 400yrds wide, with a hill in the middle and about a mile long. I can't be seen from any roads, but folks can see me from their backyards and windows. I forgot that to everyone else, that thing looks like a real AK47. Well...somebody called LE, I saw headlights comin, and I hightailed it outta there in seconds, safe back on my property. Another time, in the black of night, I had to *evade a helicopter*, yes they were lookin for me...they came outta nowhere. I was near my property, and was able to hide and run. It was weeks before I went out again. All of this trying to rid the area of an overpopulation of skunks. 10 were taken last year on the land I described, and theres at least three more right around my backyard, on the other side of the fence. The funny thing is, the city has no law about adultsdischarging airguns...there is just an ordinance that says you may not bring an airgun into any park. It is specifically unlawful for minors to be in possession of a bb/pellet gun or discharge one, they must be supervised by an adult. I've been over the regs many times, and feel pretty safe, but its what everybody else thinks that brings LE out to investigate. They have to show that they are doing something, even though they are probably rolling their eyes the whole time.
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Offline MEHavey

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Re: Air Rifle restrictions
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2009, 11:33:50 AM »
I gotta tell`ya, Dave.  The era I [and probably you] grew up in where kids w/ BB guns were a dime-a-dozen and no one gave them a second thought is gone.  

The loss of the family, family discipline/cohesion,... particularly fathers... and the MTV Gangsta do-anything culture spewed out by the Media, is producing some really scary punks.   And people rightly now get fearful seeing kids w/ guns.

Helluva note.