Beaverton Oregon backyard airgun plinking legal?

[BarbusBadarse]

Google has been no help.

Anyone have a link to the laws regarding air rifles or pellet guns in beaverton city limits?

THX

Read More

 

[Ought Six]

The Beaverton City Codes are not available online. You would have to go to a library in the city or to City Hall and look at an actual book of the city codes to find out for sure.

 

[M67]

I am not sure of the exact laws in Beaverton, but i bet it is close to OS 166.220. In my city they consider pellet rifles, etc.. as a firearm.

166.220 - Unlawful use of weapon.

(b) Intentionally discharges a firearm, blowgun, bow and arrow, crossbow or explosive device within the city limits of any city or within residential areas within urban growth boundaries at or in the direction of any person, building, structure or vehicle within the range of the weapon without having legal authority for such discharge.

(2) This section does not apply to:

(a) Police officers or military personnel in the lawful performance of their official duties;

(b) Persons lawfully defending life or property as provided in ORS 161.219;

(c) Persons discharging firearms, blowguns, bows and arrows, crossbows or explosive devices upon public or private shooting ranges, shooting galleries or other areas designated and built for the purpose of target shooting; or

(d) Persons lawfully engaged in hunting in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

[fd15k]

The Beaverton City Codes are not available online. You would have to go to a library in the city or to City Hall and look at an actual book of the city codes to find out for sure.

5.08.225 Discharging a Weapon.

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]

Chapter 5.08 OFFENSES

 

[hermannr]

5.98mm = .2354324"..... 8mm=.3149597"..... .36 gram=5.555664 grain

so larger than .22..so no way a bb or pellet gun...must mean air soft is OK?

 

[The B]

Pretty much every city had an ordnance against shooting BB guns. My boys and I do it in our fenced back yard anyway.

 

[bnz43]

pretty much against the law in every city in the USA. I could be a good way to meet your local tactical team, most of the time someone hears a snap then sees someone with a gun and viola , people with real guns come out of everywhere.

 

[Benihaus]

do you know your neighbors? are they decent humans or are they SamAdamsglasseswearingantirealityliberalmadatallthingsnotprogressivefleas?

 

[Burt Gummer]

pretty much against the law in every city in the USA. I could be a good way to meet your local tactical team, most of the time someone hears a snap then sees someone with a gun and viola , people with real guns come out of everywhere.

Land of the free you know.

 

[DonovanJay]

I don't think this is legal anywhere due to state laws that have been cited above. The only way around this that I see would be to figure out how to set up a shooting range in your backyard and get a permit for it. How much this might cost or where to get it from I would like to know myself. Best of luck!

 

[fd15k]

I don't think this is legal anywhere due to state laws that have been cited above. The only way around this that I see would be to figure out how to set up a shooting range in your backyard and get a permit for it. How much this might cost or where to get it from I would like to know myself. Best of luck!

State law only limits firearms.

 

[westcoastal]

don't see anywhere on there, that it mentions private property.
just into, across or from public.
and seem like if you have reasonable backstop, and regularly use your "shooting range" or "galleries", then you are "not prohibited" and "does not apply"

 

[Doctnt]

I am friends with the BPD PIO and he told me absolutely no on any kind of air-rifle in my backyard within the city limits. It is a city ordinance rather than a state one similar to their restrictions on OC unless you have a CHL. This disappointed me since I have a large backyard with a safe backstop.
Beaverton also has a law concerning air soft weapons too.

Doc

 

[theguncrank]

In reading 5.08.225, it almost makes it sound OK to discharge a firearm in your backyard, just not any other projectile weapons (but I'm sure there are other sections of the code that clarify that). Also, what would it take to make your backyard "a reasonably safe and regularly operated firing range" and who would be empowered to make that determination? Neighbors? Law enforcement?

 

[fd15k]

In reading 5.08.225, it almost makes it sound OK to discharge a firearm in your backyard, just not any other projectile weapons (but I'm sure there are other sections of the code that clarify that). Also, what would it take to make your backyard "a reasonably safe and regularly operated firing range" and who would be empowered to make that determination? Neighbors? Law enforcement?

Except it's complemented by the state law, thus neither firearm or pellet gun discharge is okay. To operate a firing range one needs a specific license from the city, which would not be issued for a residential property.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Well, if you were wanting to get away with such a thing, tomorrow night would be the time ...... just saying.

 

[Dayu]

The Beaverton City Codes are not available online. You would have to go to a library in the city or to City Hall and look at an actual book of the city codes to find out for sure.

Beaverton, Oregon

 

[SantaBob]

Thankful that I live in Bethany which is unincorporated Washington County so at least my sons can plink with BB & airsoft in the backyard. Prob is it only ~50'

My 15 yr old just got a KAR98 sniper rifle that shoots at 550fps so looking for somewhere close with 100yards or so.

Any suggestions?

 

[The B]

Thankful that I live in Bethany which is unincorporated Washington County so at least my sons can plink with BB & airsoft in the backyard. Prob is it only ~50'

My 15 yr old just got a KAR98 sniper rifle that shoots at 550fps so looking for somewhere close with 100yards or so.

Any suggestions?

You might want to double-check on that- I grew up off West Union, also unincorporated WashCo, and had a couple of confirmations that BB gun shooting was NOT legal, over the years.

 

[reaper0d]

5.08.225 Discharging a Weapon.

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]

Chapter 5.08 OFFENSES

your question is not an easy one for sure. as there are 2 sets of lwas both protecting and persecuting you. Oregon state law states that any person/persons over the age of 16 unless occompanied by an adult of the age of 18+ may discharge a AIR RIFLE with a projectile in the state of oregon. also AIR RIFLES do not fall under the category of firearm in oregon either. fals under the category of that slingshots and wrist rockets fall under in state law, which states that any person/persons may use this device where city law is applicable. so it would have to be up to city law, in which they never cover bb/pellet rifles.

so heres a better answer to your question. oregon state law falls under the sub12 category for projectile weapons. you may shoot withing any city in oregon as long as your pellet rifle is shooting sub 12 ft/lbe (foot pounds of energy) which is calculated by your muzzle velocity.pellet weight. my air rifle is shooting at 625fps with RWS superdome pellets which are 8.3 gr putting me at 7.2 ft/lbe at the muzzle. at 60 yards im at 4.5 so im still within limits of longer range hunting.

also if your intent is to control non native animals in your area IE european starlings, house sparrows ECT then you have no reprocussions. also try finding a farmer who will let you use that property for your needs. then its at the discresion of the farmer as to the laws you abide not the police and state law. theres loopholes like this in every state you just gotta know what they are and how to find them