How many people have got mad at you for shooting???

[El Tejon]

Yet another reason to move suppressors to Title I!

 

[armoredman]

I agree - poor thinking on the shooters part. I work night shift, and while I love thundering with my Mosin, I would be very irked if smoeone was doing the same next to my place when I was trying to sleep.
Look into suppressors, or find a public range. Actions like that are what spark grass roots rights-destroying campaigns. Next thing you know, you neighbors have successfullyt banned guns in your suburb, and you either move, or go to jail.
Sorry, but they aren't the problem.

 

[crawfish]

Take it from someone who has been down that road a few times. I have been on my farm since 1983, started buying the land in 1968, it has always been farm land for as far back as we can search deeds. One of the very first things I did was put in my own six bench 500 yard range. My farm is big and my nearest neighbors are more than a mile from my range either way. They were there first so I visited them and let them know that the range was going in just as a neighborly jester. Even though I am well outside of the 500 feet standoff from any buildings than my own I always drop by or call to let them know when I’ll be using the range. On the weekends when I know I’ll have a bunch there I always invite them over for food if not to shoot. Recently there has been very rapid growth in out section on NC. People wanting to “live in the country†without the slightest idea of what that involves. They buy there 2 acre “farm/ranchet†in the fall or winter with out the slightest inkling of the farmer next door who has lived there his whole life and his father’s before that, who every year in the spring brings in 6-10 feeder pigs to raise for his table and sell for extra Christmas money. The first hint the new “farmers†have of those pigs is the first warm day in the spring when they smell “that smell†while they were out on their deck grilling veggies and tofu burgers. I have heard that in Maine all out of state property transfers mush take place on the property at the height of the black fly season “just so they will knowâ€. I don’t know if that is true or not but that seems like a good idea for people moving out to the country. Had a new county resident who wanted the 500 feet standoff changed to 3000 YARDS. That would have locked down much of the county. That man was almost run out on a rail. He was arrested last deer season for hunter harassment. He would get in his car and drive the dirt (most private) roads around hunting blocks blowing his horn.
Most of NC is under the 500 feet rule. You can shoot if you are 500 feet away, between 300 and 500 you MUST let your neighbor know IN WRITING that you will be shooting. They have the option of calling the Sheriff with a noise complaint.
In these days after 9/11 people are really aware of gunfire. On 6 occasions since then I have had a deputy show up at my gate about the shooting, someone passing on the road made a cell phone call.
So my take is; be neighborly to a fault, BE SURE you are 100% within the law almost don’t cut it, and handle all visits by the local PD calmly and with respect, only you can loose.

 

[444]

Personally, I wouldn't do anything (within reason) that caused my neighbors to get P.O.ed. It is bad for you, it is bad for gun rights etc.
I certainly wouldn't fire a centerfire rifle close enough to other people's houses that I could hear them yelling at me about it.
To me, this isn't about gun rights, it is just common courtesy. I don't want my neighbors playing loud music, I don't want them revving up loud engines etc. There is a place for all that: a neighborhood isn't it. Even if it is perfectly legal, it might not always be the best thing to do. The Golden Rule comes into play here.

Being a gun owner, and an avid shooter: having my neighbors shooting in a safe and responsible manner wouldn't bother me. But, I realize this isn't the case for everyone. By the same token there are things that they do that bother me. In order to live in harmony, hopefully we both try to make an effort to keep the other happy.

 

[jeff-10]

I just reread the original post by 9m&m and I think he may be pulling our leg. Skeet shooting and having neighbors move out in a residential area? Doesn't seem right but who knows.

 

[joe sixpack]

Although if I had to choose between smelling high concentrations of pig manure or hearing small arm fire, I'd pick the latter.
Would be nice if pigs were either given enough land to disperse their natural activities, or fitted with suppressors...

cheers, ab

 

[Et Spiritus Sancti]

I have to drive 45 minutes to go to a range. You can too. You should be lucky they haven't sued you for reduction of life quality.

 

[Muzzleflash]

Some kids trespassing and littering on my property came straight up to me to yell about my shooting bothering them (!).





What did I do?












I took the high road and made friends.

 

[hso]

If you've got plenty of property to shoot safely, ~100 yards for 240 degrees of arc of unpopulated field for skeet (berm for handgun/rifle), then you only have to be concerned with the nuisance the noise represents to your neighbors. If you have less than that then you may be a real physical threat to their safety.

I am very fortunate in that I have a berm and the clear skeet shooting area, but neighbors are close enough for me, and Tamara, and John, and Paul, and Jerry (who shoot at my place) to try to be considerate of them and stop shooting by 1800 and not start before 1300. The only time I've been "asked" to knock it off was a very humerous, "Mike! You about out of ammuniton?", "Yes, Marty.", "Thanks. We were about to sit down to supper.", a few years ago. This was after 5 people shooting nearly non-stop for 4 hours with everything from .22 to .45 and .357. Since I'm only a moderately egomaniacal jerk and have spent the last 47 years living with these folks (and hope to spend another 45 doing the same) I want them on my side.

No ones asked, so I will, is the small field next to your house your propety or property that you have permission to use for shooting?

 

[cslinger]

I warn my neighbors that I shoot airguns off the back deck into a pellet trap. I just think it is common courtesy to try to be neighborly and if your neighbors don't like the noise work out a schedule when they are not home. If not find a range. I drive 45 minutes to one of my ranges. Obviously only shoot in areas it is safe to do so.

This isn't a gun issue it is a noise issue. I don't mow my lawn at 0530 on Saturday and I don't work on my car/race the engine at midnight either. I also turn my stereo down when turning into my community if I have my windows down. All these things are perfectly legal for me to do but that doesn't make them right. A little common courtesy goes a long way. "COMPROMISE".

If I were you I would buy my neighbors a bottle of wine or a 12 pack of beer knock on the door apologize and ask them if you could possible work out a schedule when your shooting would not bother them or if maybe a smaller caliber might be in order. Heck I have bothered people with my M38 Nagant at the RANGE!!!!!! and politely apologized for the blast wave and flamethrower effect throwing their shot off and I either put the beast up or make sure I shoot while they reload.

I bet this isn't as big a deal as you think it is and I bet you could work things out easily enough. Heck you might even be able to bring a new shooter or two into the fold if you are really creative. Don't make somebody vote for another gun ban just because they are PO'd at the noise you are making.

Chris

 

[Sawdust]

cslinger sez:

All these things are perfectly legal for me to do but that doesn't make them right.

Exactly.

<soapbox>

Just because you can...doesn't mean you should. I think, as cslinger pointed-out in his post, this applies to all aspects of life.

Furthermore, I believe it is the lack of civility and respect for others that is the root of the majority of ills in our society today.

Personal responsibility, folks...personal responsibility.

Find an appropriate place and time to shoot; to do otherewise not only makes "us" look bad, it just encourages others to do "whatever they want, when they want".

</soapbox>

Sawdust

 

[SapperLeader]

This is just being unneighborly. Shooting when they ask you not to, is downright rude. I would do something to make ammends, (cook dinner, invite them over for drinks, etc) and explain your situation to them. No one wants to hear loud noises at all hours, but most people are willing to put up with it. For example the 13:00 to 18:00 seems fair, but see what works for them. For all you know, some of them work nights, or have children sleeping, or some other issue with it. I would also save the bigger calibers for shorter sessions, or formal range sessions. No matter what you do, go talk to them and be freindly. No one wants to be the neighbor that nobody likes.

 

[SteveS]

I would agree with the others that have suggested trying to find some type of compromise. There may be a time when you need some type of help from your neighbors. Being a bad neighbor may have some long term negative consequences, such as local laws restricting shooting activities. The range that I belong to spends a good portion of our dues defending against people that would like to see it shut down.

I answered by emptying my M-1911 into a target. Seconds later, the guy shouted "A**hole!" and he fired his hunting rifle twice (into the ground I hope!) Because of his attitude, we kept shooting well into the evening. [/i]Had he attempted to act like a mature adult[/i], we most likely would have quit for the day.

I guess if I were hunting, I would have tried a more polite way of asking you to stop, but I'd have to admit that I think doing a major amount of target shooting during hunting season is bad manners (depending on how far away you are from others, of course).

 

[44Brent]

9 m&m, I think your actions are inconsiderate of your neighbors. Every person has a right to enjoy a peaceful existence on their own property, free of noise. What you are doing is no different than someone who cranks up their stero and blasts their neighbors.

 

[Sam Adams]

Personally, I wouldn't do anything (within reason) that caused my neighbors to get P.O.ed. It is bad for you, it is bad for gun rights etc. I certainly wouldn't fire a centerfire rifle close enough to other people's houses that I could hear them yelling at me about it.

To me, this isn't about gun rights, it is just common courtesy.

I couldn't agree more. There's no better way to make someone into an anti-gun fanatic than to act like the stereotypical rude and/or dangerous shooter. As others have said, I don't mow my lawn at 5:30 AM, and I wouldn't shoot when it so severely annoyed my neighbors (certainly not as described by 9 M&M).

 

[sendec]

Good point about hunting season...

I do not hunt, at least not anything with more than 2 legs, and I try to schedule range work around the big gun seasons, if for no other reason than hunters may be wandering around some of our impact areas without knowing it.

Am I the only guy who lives in an area where the day before the opening of gun season sounds like the Battle of the Marne?

 

[9 m&m]

I try to tell them guys but they dont care!!! My other neighbors (pro-gun) do NOT mind the noise at all. So my options are A) Stop shooting altogether or B) Keep on shootin. I personally choose B. I mainly just shoot my .22's but they STILL get mad so my origional point stands.

 

[Frohickey]

If you want to be undiplomatic, you could always go...

"I think that you have just made my case for repealing the $200 tax on sound suppressors, as passed by Congress and FDR during the 1930s."

 

[Mark13]

Whenever shooting near someones home you should make sure it doesn't bother them. Sure there's no pleasing some people. Just consider that nonstop gunfire would be annoying to even gun enthusiasts.

 

[sumpnz]

My neighbors beside me get mad daily at the noise.

Dude, have some freakin respect for your neighbors. When my next door neighbors moved in they had (and still have) 9 untrained dogs. They don't breed them, show them, hunt with them, work them. I have no idea why they have that many, they just do. At first they kept the dogs confined to the small portion of the fenced yard (we're on full acre lots, I'd guess this portion of their fencing contained about 1/15 of the acre). This kept the dogs about as close to my house as possible without being on my property. My master bedroom is also on that side.

Those damn dogs would bark from sundown to sunrise. Any time I'd try to sit in my back yard they would bark until I went inside. They had every legal right to own that many dogs. But they did not have the right to keep us awake becuase they were too damn lazy to deal with the problem. I can't tell you how many times we rang their door bell at 3AM becuase their dogs had been barking for 2 hours straight.

By the way, I own 2 dogs myself, and every one of my neighbors has at leat one dog, so I expect and can tolerate some degree of barking. 30 seconds of barking and I probably won't even notice. 30 minutes and I'm getting pretty annoyed. 130 minutes and I'm downright livid, particularly if I'm trying to sleep.

You have the right to own all of your guns (I assume you're not a felon anyways) and shoot them on your property. But you do not have the right to piss off your neighbors like that. My neighbors (finally) got their dogs under control to the point that, while they still sometime bark, I can at least tolerate it since it's not an everyday occurance. Heck any more it's maybe a couple times per month (the endurance barking that is). Just as they found a way to keep the peace in the neighborhood so should you.

 

[captain obvious]

I still am amazed that some of you guys can just go into your backyard and shoot. One of my friends nearby has about 23 acres, and even with that much land around 6 police and a helicopter came after we fired less than 10 rounds from his AR.

Speaking of people mad at my shooting, my aunt still refuses to ship my case of CMP 30-06 to me(was stuck at her house), claiming she feels like a criminial shipping the ammunition.

 

[FullClip]

When I moved into my house I could shoot trap off the deck as the nearest year round neighbor was half a mile through the woods. Over time several year round houses have been built around the lake, so I very seldom shoot clays at home anymore. Everyone knows how sound carries over water and just in case they buy a stinkin' jet ski and start driving me crazy, I don't want to give them ammo for any noise war. So far so good with the year round folks.

A couple camps closer to me aren't much of a problem as the folks are only there for a little bit and I'll just keep it to .22 shorts out of the Marlin 39, which makes no noise at all. When they clear out I'll do some shooting of everything up to 30-378 as my "range" trail is an old logging road that goes 200 yards into the woods and has a big berm at the end. Shooting on the far side of the house with the muzzle pointed away from the lake cuts way down on any noise the year round houses may hear and I keep my shooting to "buisness hours" and don't go to wild. I save the big blast fests with the AR-10 and such for a gravel pit outting, about 4 miles from anybody.

Never had a complaint from anybody, but I do miss the trap shooting from the deck.

 

[9 m&m]

I shoot 500-600 yards from my neighbors house. They complain if they hear a even a faint noise.

 

[PigPen]

P9M&M,

You might be on your own property and maybe you shoot in such a way as to keep the projectiles on your own property, but, the sound of gun fire is not confined to your property. I think that is something that you are over looking and unfortunately your neighbor is not overlooking!

I am glad that you brought this topic up because I have been known to shoot on my own property (but near to a neighbor who is located behind me when I am shooting). I have never fored for very long (Maybe a half hour at a time) and never at an hour that is apt to find someone asleep (though you never know).

I am basically with you man but I guess you better consider the neighbors and the sound and make some concessions (shorter shoots, early daytime, small calibers, ........ maybe ask them (a) Is now a convenient time? (b) would they like to join you and your friend, etc.) C. you make this one up.

PigPen

 

[9 m&m]

THANK YOU PigPen for actually seeing my point of view!!!!!!!!!



P.S Only 2-3 out of about 50 people who have replied have actually answered my origional question. I didnt ask for you to jump all over me, but tell me about YOUR experiences.