Shooting on your own acreage...

[HappyValleyAP]

I'm considering building a shooting backstop and then re-looked at the Clark County map that shows shooting restrictions and realized the coloring of my area (despite it being out of city limits and me having over 5 acres) shows it as "shotguns bows and muzzle loaders" not "no restrictions" as I previously thought it was. (Maybe I'm color blind)

What about BB, pellet etc?

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[therealhitman]

One word for you....drones.

 

[PiratePast40]

One word for you....drones.

Get an el cheapo awning from Harbor Freight and set up a covered shooting area.
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x-10-ft-popup-canopy-62899.html

 

[PBinWA]

I suspect it all depends on your neighbors. One complaint and you will probably have some hassles to deal with.

I don't have any restrictions but I still shoot most of my big calibers through a silencer and a shooting tube I built out of old tires covered in dirt. I just stick the muzzle in the tube and it helps to absorb a lot of the extra noise. I've asked several neighbors and they don't seem to even notice when I am shooting inside the tube. I don't have to do this but I the acoustics in my neighborhood are bad and noise travels so I wanted to be respectful.

 

[Joe13]

I'm about to build my shooting backstop and then re-looked at the Clark County map that shows shooting restrictions and realized the coloring of my area (despite it being out of city limits and me having over 5 acres) shows it as "shotguns bows and muzzle loaders" not "no restrictions" as I previously thought it was. (Maybe I'm color blind)

Can Clark County actually distinguish on what I can and can't shoot on my private property that's 5+ acres in size providing I have a safe backstop? I'll be shooting silenced as to not disturb my neighbors but don't want to spend several thousand constructing a backstop only to find out that I'm restricted to only shotguns bows and muzzle loaders.. I'm at the end of a private drive and surrounded by trees so no one would visually even see me on my lot..

IMO, I would talk to your neighbors on the down low and feel out how they feel about it.

If everyone's on board then there shouldn't be any reason for the cops to be called, especially if your shooting with a silencer.


On the flip side, you could try and get some legal assistance and apply for an exemption or try to get the area rezoned. Being brush prairie though I'm guessing the population density is too high unless you have a real good backstop.

 

[Joe13]

Agreed on the neighbors idea. Problem is I'm the first to build out there in the immediate area (and my range faces land that's forested with no dwellings) not the neighboring lots that won't be built on likely till next fall or winter.. No one will occupy likely till next summer.

Then get r done before they move in!!! Sounds like you have a best case senario.

As neighbors move in, IMO I would welcome them with a baked desert or something similar (alcohol can be great if they drink but that's hard to judge). While there I would provide my cell phone and other contact information and be upfront about how you do shoot on your land, it's not aimed at thier property, your not useing ammo that will ricochet or start a fire (bs but to an anti gunner it may help to cover your bases) and let them know you only shoot during X to Y time so as to be curtious about any noise that it may cause in the area.

Shotguns are about as loud as an AR or AK so if your careful, no one will ever be the wiser. Just don't post stuff on Facebook or have a big group over to shoot all at once, i.e. Common sense for the most part.

 

[Joe13]

Well.. the project started Thursday.. cleared about a 40 foot wide 40 foot deep section of forest in my back yard... Leveled out the earth, cemented in some posts to be backings to the railroad ties. Today we're stacking ties. Going about 24 feet wide at the back, then ties will extend outwards at about a 45 degree angle in the front to be closer to 30 feet wide on the front. Think of a U but the edges are not at 90. I'll post pictures potentially later this weekend if we finish. Should make for a VERY nice area to target shoot. Excited!

When's the opening celebration?

 

[Joe13]

No one has broken ground near me yet but I am thinking it's best to wait until my silencers are approved and only shoot suppressed out there as to not annoy other folks in the area... I'm tempted though to put a few rounds into it this evening if we finish in time! Ended up being quite expensive - 80 railroad ties at $12 a piece, and several grand in labor for the heavy machinery that was brought in to move the earth.

Ouch!

But so worth it in the long run

 

[Joe13]

Pellet guns and shotguns to tide you over?

 

[Velzey]

Sounds like its going to be a very nice range!

 

[The Heretic]

As one person mentioned, put together a "shooting tube" for the really loud stationary shooting.

I can legally shoot on my property, but I rarely do. I have neighbors who shoot almost every week, but on my property I have neighbors in three directions and no good backstops. Only on direction could I safely shoot in and the distance isn't very much.

One neighbor complained about another neighbor downslope who shot .50 BMG - asked him to shoot in a different direction so it wasn't so loud. Neighbor ignored him. Be a good neighbor and most people won't mind.

 

[jbett98]

Check out this guy in Florida.
His homemade backstop is questionable, but it's legal.

 

[etrain16]

Well...here she is. 30 feet wide, 10.5 feet tall. Still have another half day of work to finish her. Tons more Dirt (trying to get it up as near the top as possible) and then need to saw off the back posts and the sides to clean it up. It turned out amazing overall, couldn't be happier.

Nice work! I hope to be able to do something like that some day - won't happen where I currently live, but maybe....someday.

 

[Arleyg]

I see that Florida just passed a law this year to prevent this from happening from now on.

I'm not too impressed with a guy building an open shooting range in a close residential area such as that. The noise alone would be enough to get complaints from neighbors.

Apparently it's not that safe since he had to look for boats before he started shooting.

Also, if I was a local dirtbag I know who I would visit when they were on vacation, because they told me they have guns!!!!!

Just my .02

Check out this guy in Florida.
His homemade backstop is questionable, but it's legal.

 

[Cigarlvr313]

I'm about to build my shooting backstop and then re-looked at the Clark County map that shows shooting restrictions and realized the coloring of my area (despite it being out of city limits and me having over 5 acres) shows it as "shotguns bows and muzzle loaders" not "no restrictions" as I previously thought it was. (Maybe I'm color blind)

I hate to be the only "bubblegummer" in the crowd but I have lived in Clark County for over 25yrs and I'm still fortunate enough to live on property that is "unrestricted" for shooting. I guess I'm trying to figure out why you would intentionally break the law and put the rest of us at risk? Have you looked into the penalties for shooting inside the "City Limits"? I believe that is what you will be charged with? I thought we were supposed to be putting the best face possible on gun owners, not thumbing our noses at law enforcement? This could turn into a pretty big deal if you get the wrong people involved. I advise that you think this over long and hard before you start shooting. Clark Rifles has been having problems for years with neighbors and most of us that can shoot legally do so with the highest consideration for our neighbors in mind. I'm not interested in getting people in Clark County riled up and turned against legal gunowners. With the housing prices in PDX it is only a matter of time until the entire county will be "No Shooting..........." Why give the anti-gunners more "ammo" to use against us? If you are in the "Shotguns, Muzzle-loaders & Bow" area why not be happy with what you are allowed?

 

[The Heretic]

If you are in the "Shotguns, Muzzle-loaders & Bow" area why not be happy with what you are allowed?

A person doesn't have to be happy with restrictions - they just have to obey the law.

I am not happy that I have to do a BGC/etc. every time I buy or sell a gun, but I do obey the law.

Just my rant - I hate it when people say "why can't you be happy with what you got?"

 

[Cigarlvr313]

Just my rant - I hate it when people say "why can't you be happy with what you got?"

I think we are on the same page Heretic......maybe the political correctness bug has had an effect on me...,