Building a Gun Range on your own property

Take the next left after the High School on Rt 56 heading towards Paxton and follow the signs. It's down on the left hand side of the road.
 
In MA...anything is possible! I remember hearing about some guy in charlemont getting into trouble with his outdoor "range". I think if you have trouble, it will either be with a building inspector demanding some sort of ok (indoor/underground), or with neighbors moaning to the local cops (outdoors noise).

If I were out in the boonies, I would tell my nearest neighbors (and invite them over) so they don't call the cops. Then I would shoot away until someone comes to complain.
 
Out here I usually shoot at my neighbors place. I just feel like I am intruding after all these years and that maybe it is time that I build a range for myself. I call the local PD everytime that I am going to be shooting just in case anyone complains. Over the years the police have never stopped by to see what is going on.
 
I have a tangential question...

Does anyone shooting on their own property (any state) have experience with lead abatement problems? For example...
- has anyone had difficulty selling property where they've had a residential range?
- any experience with a reluctant buyer concerned about lead residue?
- any conflicts with city/town administrations over abatement or cleanup issues?

I'm actively planning for property in NH that would include a range and want to make sure what I'm likely to run into.
 
I was thinking of this same issue just in case a neighbor or anyone in my town complained about the spent lead. My thought was to build a few large steel traps to collect the bullets. The trap would also serve as a target hanger. I could even run a few sting lines out to it to retrieve targets.
 
I built a wood box filled with recycled rubber landscaping material to capture the spent bullets. There is a great castboolits.com thread on the subject. For higher powered rifles the box needs to be pretty deep but, the bullets come out in nearly perfect condition. You paid for the lead might as well keep it....even if its just for a karma. You never know what stupid rules the .gov is going to make about lead down the road.


Titan said:
I have a tangential question...

Does anyone shooting on their own property (any state) have experience with lead abatement problems? For example...
- has anyone had difficulty selling property where they've had a residential range?
- any experience with a reluctant buyer concerned about lead residue?
- any conflicts with city/town administrations over abatement or cleanup issues?

I'm actively planning for property in NH that would include a range and want to make sure what I'm likely to run into.
Click to expand...
 
?????? which Range ??????

If you put a pair of insulated heavy gloves under your shirt you will not experience the sore shoulder from shooting a Mosin Nagant. I do speak from experience of many days shooting anywhere from 300 - 400 rounds in one sitting and walking away with no pain.
 
The one in Leicester. I actually got one of the Shooters Choice recoil pads from Cabelas and it made a world of difference in my M44.
 
Leicester Rod and Gun is a membership club. You need to volunteer xx amount of hours to the club per year. As far as I know you cannot shoot there unless you belong. Maybe someone else here might know like the guy from Rochdale.
 
Thanks for the info. That would work out really good for what I am thinking of doing for the pistol range and much easier to build than a large steel box.
 
JimR said:
Leicester Rod and Gun is a membership club. You need to volunteer xx amount of hours to the club per year. As far as I know you cannot shoot there unless you belong. Maybe someone else here might know like the guy from Rochdale.
Click to expand...

$50, 50 hours per year. Meetings are on the 3rd Monday of every month. Members and guests can shoot, members get $1 off drinks in the bar.
 
8 Points Club is pretty close to the road also. So is Nimrod Club. Also, Wayne's Weapons range is really close (or sounds it) to the rail trail.
 
No the 150ft rule still applies...at the very least there is a notation in the police chiefs guide about it.

HTRN said:
Check the MGL's no 500' or 150' rule applies if it is a range.

Your own personal, a club's or a dealer's, the MGLs don't make a distinction.
Click to expand...
 
You are correct, I stand corrected on the 150' piece.

The 150' is only in Chap 131 under hunting regs.

The rest is here:


Chap 269

Section 12E. Whoever discharges a firearm as defined in section one hundred and twenty-one of chapter one hundred and forty, a rifle or shotgun within five hundred feet of a dwelling or other building in use, except with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than three months, or both. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (a) the lawful defense of life and property; (b) any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his duties; (c) persons using underground or indoor target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof; (d) persons using outdoor skeet, trap, target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant of the land on which the range is established; (e) persons using shooting galleries, licensed and defined under the provisions of section fifty-six A of chapter one hundred and forty; and (f) the discharge of blank cartridges for theatrical, athletic, ceremonial, firing squad, or other purposes in accordance with section thirty-nine of chapter one hundred and forty-eight.
 
My previous Chief showed me two very thick books that he had in his office about 8 years ago. He said to take them and read them because the rules in there contradict themselves. I took his word for it.
 
Heres the excerpt from Chief Gliddens book on 269 12E:

1. Firing Ranges Need Not Be Certified As Such: Clause (d) exempts target ranges but does not require any special certification for a range to qualify. At least one Massachusetts District Court case through out a criminal complaint against a homeowner who had built a do-it-yourself range in his back year near other houses.

2. Neighbors: It appears that if you a on a firing range on your own property it is irrelevant how close your neighbors home is from that range or from the gunshots. While a local noise ordinance may come into play, officers often find themselves unable to satisfy neighbors concerns over noise or safety because of the exemptions listed in this section.

3. Relationship to Chapter 131: Chapter 131, §58 prohibits shooting any firearm upon or across any state or hard surfaced road, or within 150’ of such highway. This section also prohibits possession of a loaded firearm on the land of another or within 500’ of a dwelling in use except as authorized by the owner or occupant. It is unknown whether or not a person might be exempted under Chapter 269, §12E but still be found guilty of Chapter 131, §58.
Click to expand...
 
Ohhh! OOhh! I now know how I am going to annoy the absolute piss out of my 8:00 AM leaf blower wielding neighbor. I have 5 acres parallel to his lot, only he;'s behind me. I have room for about a 150Yd range, with the firing line parallel to his house. Property ends in swampland, so no worries downrange.

What constitures a range? a table, a backstop and some signs?
 
I asked this question to a LEO friend when I researched this and he said in his opinion (which does not mean crap) it would be more than a target stapled to a tree but it did not need to be a dirt berm with formal firing line etc.

Friday said:
What constitures a range? a table, a backstop and some signs?
Click to expand...
 
I would think that some kind of target stand or trap box along with a shooting table and chair would do. You could also pile up a bunch of logs as a backstop. I may do that too just for safety reasons in case people complain. I'm sure that one will surely complain. It would be courtious to post one sign at the property line warning him that there is a shooting range on your land. I've seen the signs near Wayne's range along the Rail Trail. I believe it just read Beware Shooting Range or something of that nature.
 
so, according to what you guys are saying, i could set up a "range" (table and target) near my neighbors house (but in my property) just where there happens to be a deer trail, and if a deer happens to walk by (while im sitting still on my table "sighting my gun") i can shoot it. so technically i could hunt deer, wihtout hunting. He just happened to walk by my "private range", lol and wouldnt have to worry about the 150' or 500' rule.

ps: I wont do this.
 
Church o' Broccoli, I think there's a very good reason why all of the clubs that I've belonged to have their outdoor ranges closed during hunting season... I think that the hunting regulations overshadow the rules during the season.
 

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