BB gun question

Pamela R · Feb 7, 2016

Where can I shoot a bb gun in Beaverton, Oregon?

etrain16 · Feb 7, 2016

Probably nowhere. Last I checked, discharging a BB or pellet gun inside Beaverton city limits is forbidden. Such is the brilliant leadership in cities all around the country. If you want to shoot, you'll probably have to head out to public land somewhere. That, or private property outside the city.

Some folks skate by in their homes (basement or garage), out of sight, out of mind. Or, use very quiet guns in their backyard and hope that no one sees and reports them.

2A2Dend · Feb 7, 2016

Open a window of your house. From inside the window, step back as far as you can. Can you see the target? No? You need to put a target out there first!! Cat food works great! They'll never know where it came from

Great for roaming Possum too

A .22 can be used just as effectively for critters that bury their poop.

BaronVonEvil · Feb 8, 2016

Hi Pamela,

Just as an suggestion, you might check with the high school in your area and see if it has an Jr. ROTC shooting program. See if you can talk with the ROTC Instructor to see if it is possible to use their facilities. They usually have an indoor range for air rifles (Pellet Rifles) to practice for competitions. You may have to use one of the school's rifles with today's concern about bringing outside weapons of any kind to school.

Or it may be that the Instructor will know of a local private indoor air rifle range available for friends/students to use.

Just a thought.

Baron

Joe13 · Feb 8, 2016

Pamela R said:
Where can I shoot a bb gun in Beaverton, Oregon?

Need more info.

Air soft might be a better alternative if you can't shoot a bb gun in your house.

Anyway, needs more info to tailor the responses.

Pamela R · Feb 9, 2016

My boyfriends 12yr son received a spring loading bb gun for Christmas. I am unsure of where you can shoot it in Beaverton or in Oregon at all without scaring little old ladies walking by. We were told by some very nice officers that we were not allowed to shoot the riffle where we were at. They didn't mention where we could though. So I am curious. I don't have money to take him to a range. Plus it seems rather ridiculous to pay money to shoot at soda cans with a tiny bubblegum little projectile. My question was, where do I go, where does everyone else go. I only know of 2 shooting ranges near by but paying by the hr or paying for an instructor to just sit and watch while we teach him how to shoot is beyond me. I understand about safety and I grew up with the"rules". But its not something I consider dangerous. I don't believe soda cans can feel pain.

Certaindeaf · Feb 9, 2016

@Pamela R, I don't know your living arrangements but people have been shooting air guns indoors for a long time. They have steel and clay pellet traps that'll catch/stop the pellet (I wouldn't use steel BB's indoors).
Even phone books can be used.
One must of course be very careful with muzzle and trigger control.. and wear safety glasses.
An old trick is to open a back door and shoot out that door (the access to the backyard must be secure/controlled) from well within the house. Some targets are quite quiet when hit and the "report" of the gun proper will be well muffled.
A recent US archery Olympian used to have to shoot through multiple doors in his parents house and then to the outside to achieve the 30 yard distance common in that sport.
anyway, good luck

Joe13 · Feb 9, 2016

Unfortunately, those are your options:

1. Inside Garage/basement

2. Pay for range time.

3. Drive out to a national forest (out Hwy 26 somewhere - not my area though so I have no help there) where any gun is legal to shoot.

Given the new info - save gas and money on a range and buy a suitable backstop in the garage or downgrade to an airsoft gun to start him off teaching him the basics inside.

Good Luck! We ALL wish there was a better option available to us (minus those lucky guys out in the sticks

).

Koda · Feb 23, 2016

I cant find anything in the Beaverton ordinances against shooting air or spring loaded bb guns.

http://www.codepublishing.com/OR/Beaverton/

etrain16 · Feb 23, 2016

Koda said:
I cant find anything in the Beaverton ordinances against shooting air or spring loaded bb guns.

http://www.codepublishing.com/OR/Beaverton/

It does prohibit it - from the website you linked (note that paintball and airsoft are allowed):

5.08.225, added by Ordinance No. 3703, 12/18/89; Ordinance No. 4009, 6/16/98; Ordinance No. 4423, 2/26/07]

A. No person shall intentionally discharge a firearm into or across a public place or while located in a public place.

B. No person shall intentionally discharge a pellet gun, BB gun, bow and arrow, sling shot, or other similar weapon that expels a projectile by means other than by the action of smokeless powder.

C. This section shall not prohibit the discharge of a firearm or a weapon that expels a projectile by means other than by the action of smokeless powder while at a reasonably safe and regularly operated firing range.

D. This section does not prohibit the discharge of a replica firearm displayed in accordance with the replica firearms ordinance or the discharge of a weapon that expels a projectile by means other than by the action of smokeless powder, so long as the projectile expelled upon discharge is one of the following:

1. A commercially manufactured spherical projectile which contains paint and which is designed to break and splatter upon impact, commonly known as a "paintball";

2. A commercially manufactured spherical projectile with a diameter between and including 5.98 and 8 millimeters, constituted of common styrene plastic or biodegradable plastic, weighing no more than 0.36 gram per sphere.

E. A person who violates this section commits a Class B misdemeanor. [BC 5.08.225, added by Ordinance No. 3703, 12/18/89; Ordinance No. 4009, 6/16/98; Ordinance No. 4423, 2/26/07]

Koda · Feb 23, 2016

etrain16 said:
It does prohibit it - from the website you linked (note that paintball and airsoft are allowed):

5.08.225, added by Ordinance No. 3703, 12/18/89; Ordinance No. 4009, 6/16/98; Ordinance No. 4423, 2/26/07]

there it is, I just didnt scroll far enough

... thanks for helping.

for the first time since high school I'm considering an airgun so for the first time im browsing this forum. Pretty cool

etrain16 · Feb 23, 2016

Koda said:
there it is, I just didnt scroll far enough ... thanks for helping.

for the first time since high school I'm considering an airgun so for the first time im browsing this forum. Pretty cool

What really surprises me the most is how many cities prohibit airguns, slingshots, etc. Over time it seems politicians have just chipped away quietly at our rights. Thankfully many folks can get by shooting in a basement or garage. I'm lucky enough to live outside city limits in Clackamas County, so I can shoot in my yard.

Koda · Feb 23, 2016

I live in unincorporated Wa. Co. so I think I'm still good to go legally but am interested in a quieter air rifle because my neighborhood is typical suburbia. There is virtually no end to the laws one must sift thru to do anything anymore, its smart of the OP to inquire first.