I'm confused! Where can I shoot?

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  • Markp

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 22, 2008
    9,392
    Sec. 57-5. Discharge of guns outside the urban area.

    (a) Prohibition. Except as provided in subsection (c)(1) through (c)(6), outside the urban area, a person, other than a peace officer or employee of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources performing official duties, must not:

    - (1) discharge a gun:

    -- (A) onto, across, or within 50 yards of a public road;

    -- (B) onto or across property located within 50 yards of a public road;

    -- (C) into or within the safety zone (150 yards of a building or camp designed for human occupancy) without the owner or occupant's written consent; or

    -- (C) from, onto, or across public or private property without the owner or occupant's written consent;

    - (2) discharge a full metal jacketed bullet of any caliber from a gun; or

    - (3) except as provided in subsection (b), discharge any fixed ammunition of a caliber higher than .25 caliber from a rifle or pistol.

    (b) Exception - High Caliber Ammunition. A person may discharge fixed ammunition of a caliber higher than .25 from a rifle or pistol at:

    - (A) legal game or varmints on the ground; or

    - (B) a target on or near the ground that will not deflect a bullet.

    (c) Other Exceptions. Except as provided in Sections 57-7 and 57-11, a person may discharge a gun:

    - (1) on any indoor or outdoor target, trap, skeet, or shooting range that the Firearm Safety Committee has inspected and approved in writing;

    -(2) in a private basement or cellar target range;

    - (3) when necessary to protect life or property;

    - (4) to kill a dangerous animal;

    -(5) for discharge of blank cartridges in musical and theatrical performances, parades, or sporting events;

    -(6) for salutes by firing squads at military funerals; or

    - (7) under a deer damage control permit issued by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

    Ok, so let me get this right according to section a, I can't fire a gun unless I fall under exception b.

    b states that I can target shoot as long as the caliber is greater than .25 cal and the target is on or near the ground and won't deflect the bullet, and I am outside the urban area?

    So does that mean I can target shoot in a Montgomery County Park outside the urban area??? I am confused. If so, I still can't use a jacketed bullet?!? WTF, or is that part of the exception which does not specify no jacket?

    Mark
     

    boricuamaximus

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 27, 2008
    6,237
    basically, it's a catch all. Only if you live in places like Boyds that you have some property and then you still need to make sure you dont fire at an elevated target and yada yada.
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    If you have a basement you can shoot in urban and non-urban areas in it as long as you do not violate any sound ordinances from what I understand and you can use any ammo.
    If it is outdoors or not in a basement, it has to be outside the urban area.
    If it is outside the urban area, then you cannot use FMJ and if greater than .25 caliber your target has to be lower than you so that the round will end up in the ground if you missed the backstop basically.
    The dirt cannot be so hard as to deflect a bullet basically.

    Pay attention to restrictions and laws for the municipality too.

    If you are outdoors and outside the urban area, you can shoot at a target near the ground with any caliber with FMJ unless you are within 150 yards of a building without the owner's written permission.

    Believe it or not, the shooting restrictions in Monkey co is way less than in PG co.

    I am not a lawyer.
     

    Cold Steel

    Active Member
    Sep 26, 2006
    801
    Bethesda, MD
    Well, what about pellet guns?

    Apparently, you CANNOT shoot a pellet gun in your back yard, even with a suitable stop, right? What about with a steel pellet catcher in one's basement?

    Where CAN one shoot a pellet gun?

    Regarding Montgomery County, discharging of a firearm in any circumstance is asking for trouble. (Apparently the police take a dim view of shooting stop signs and red light motion detector cameras.) According to the folks at the Gilbert's range in Rockville, county people come in there all the time looking to harass them. They also say that local laws require people to buy ammunition from them, which is way overpriced for just shooting!

    Isn't there a shooting club in Montgomery County, in Germantown or somewhere?

    When I worked on a newspaper in western Kentucky, I used to drive to a rock quarry and shoot against a dirt backdrop. Places like that are being shut down nationwide by litigation and insurance. We're certainly living in horrible times in many ways.

    .
     

    Markp

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 22, 2008
    9,392
    Well, what about pellet guns?

    Apparently, you CANNOT shoot a pellet gun in your back yard, even with a suitable stop, right? What about with a steel pellet catcher in one's basement?

    Where CAN one shoot a pellet gun?

    Regarding Montgomery County, discharging of a firearm in any circumstance is asking for trouble. (Apparently the police take a dim view of shooting stop signs and red light motion detector cameras.) According to the folks at the Gilbert's range in Rockville, county people come in there all the time looking to harass them. They also say that local laws require people to buy ammunition from them, which is way overpriced for just shooting!

    Isn't there a shooting club in Montgomery County, in Germantown or somewhere?

    When I worked on a newspaper in western Kentucky, I used to drive to a rock quarry and shoot against a dirt backdrop. Places like that are being shut down nationwide by litigation and insurance. We're certainly living in horrible times in many ways.

    .

    Well there is CRESAP in Frederick County and there is the Issac Walton League near Germantown... BUT you cannot rapid fire a weapon there. Which is a little irritating, because how am I supposed to practice firing at speed if I have to fire 1 round a second?!?

    If I am obeying the law, I should not be asking for trouble... I understand that reality is different than what is right, but the laws are not meant to be interpreted by the police, but enforced by the police. Which is why it's important to understand what is or is not legal, and it appears that I am not much closer.

    While I could shoot in my basement, I think it's unwise to uncork my SKS, AR-15, or RPK down there... much less my Mosin or 8mm Mauser.

    Ok I think I have this figured out:

    So,

    I can shoot provided that I am not using a FMJ bullet... I guess that means a Jacketed Hollowpoint is OK. :P
    I can shoot provided I don't shoot in the urban area (lots more rules inside the area.)
    I can shoot provided I don't shoot within 150 yards of a building or camp, and not within 50 yards of a public road or across that road.
    I can shoot provided that I don't shoot any caliber above .25 cal at a target/varmint that is not on or near the ground. So I can shoot my hollow point .223 at things in the trees, but not my .380 auto... makes sense. NOT!
    I can shoot provided that I have written permission of the owner/occupant of public or private land... so who is the "owner/occupant" of public land?!?


    Regardless, I can shoot at an "inspected" range, in my basement, at a military funeral, blanks for a variety of reasons, to protect myself, property or to kill a "dangerous" animal, and finally under a deer damage permit.

    Mark
     
    Last edited:

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    Well there is CRESAP in Frederick County and there is the Issac Walton League near Germantown... BUT you cannot rapid fire a weapon there. Which is a little irritating, because how am I supposed to practice firing at speed if I have to fire 1 round a second?!?

    If I am obeying the law, I should not be asking for trouble... I understand that reality is different than what is right, but the laws are not meant to be interpreted by the police, but enforced by the police. Which is why it's important to understand what is or is not legal, and it appears that I am not much closer.

    While I could shoot in my basement, I think it's unwise to uncork my SKS, AR-15, or RPK down there... much less my Mosin or 8mm Mauser.

    Mark
    .....that is what silencers are for......:D

    You could also use subcaliber inserts and shoot pistol ammo out of the Mauser and Mosin.
     

    Cold Steel

    Active Member
    Sep 26, 2006
    801
    Bethesda, MD
    The brutal truth is that most repressive laws are written by people who don't know sh-- about firearms, calibers or bullet configurations. They outlaw shotguns thinking they're outlawing fully automatic weapons because they don't know how to describe what they're trying to ban. They are, alas, idiots.
     

    K-Romulus

    Suburban Commando
    Mar 15, 2007
    2,427
    NE MoCO
    Yeah, I read the MoCO law to ban even paintball shooting in the "urban area."

    MoCO law bans any firearms or ammo within 100 yards of a park (and is arguably a valid law under state preemption). The Maryland-National Capital Park Commission bans all guns in their parks unless allowed for hunting during specific seasons in a particular park, and you get their hunting permit to use the park land.

    In MD, I would say that the "relevant government" (state or local) owns the public land (unlike how it is in the rest of America).

    There is the Monocacy Pistol Club somewhere out by Damasus. You can fire pistol-caliber carbines on their ranges. And they have IDPA matches, so that should take care of the "rapid fire" part.

    I'm not a member, but knew people who were members. Over at The High Road, there is a writeup or two with photos.
     

    jwbryson1

    Member
    Jul 23, 2009
    2
    I am damn frustrated now. I just received a new pellet gun as a gift and intended to shoot it in my neighborhood or backyard with a decent backstop, but if I cannot shoot within Monkey County at ALL, then what is the point of even owning it? Should I just send it back and get a refund? That really pisses me off. Thought? Suggestions? Comments?
     

    HardHatMan

    FBHO
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,473
    Virginia
    I am damn frustrated now. I just received a new pellet gun as a gift and intended to shoot it in my neighborhood or backyard with a decent backstop, but if I cannot shoot within Monkey County at ALL, then what is the point of even owning it? Should I just send it back and get a refund? That really pisses me off. Thought? Suggestions? Comments?

    I grew up in Germantown and used to shoot pellet guns and BB guns all the time in my backyard at old phone books. We never had any problems.
     

    Kman

    Blah, blah, blah
    Dec 23, 2010
    11,987
    Eastern shore
    It's MD...
    THEY don't want you to shoot anything, other than yourself.
    Whatever you do is wrong...just concentrate on not getting caught.
     

    jwbryson1

    Member
    Jul 23, 2009
    2
    A neighbor buddy of mine (3 doors down) is a cop. I was thinking of asking him what he thinks. He's cool, and will tell me straight. I am an attorney and I have a lot to lose, so I have to obey the law. Damn liberals!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     

    Markp

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 22, 2008
    9,392
    A neighbor buddy of mine (3 doors down) is a cop. I was thinking of asking him what he thinks. He's cool, and will tell me straight. I am an attorney and I have a lot to lose, so I have to obey the law. Damn liberals!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I am in similar straights, I am an officer in the military, and likewise, I have too much to lose. It's all fun and games until you lose your livelihood.

    Mark
     

    swinokur

    In a State of Bliss
    Patriot Picket
    Apr 15, 2009
    55,394
    Westminster USA
    I live in Monkey County. What is defined as an "urban area"?
    What does on or near the ground mean?

    I have not read it lately but MD code 4-209 is the statute that gives MD preemption over all county ordinances. There are a few exceptions that spell out what counties and incorporated areas can do. Other than those exceptions the county laws are invalid

    http://law.justia.com/maryland/codes/2005/gcr/4-209.html

    asshats
     

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