Unmanned Ranges?

MrWhiteRabbit · Oct 19, 2007

Is there anything like that in MD?

I was visiting some friends recently in SC and we went out to a state-managed rifle range. They had berms at 50 and 100 yards, a covered firing line with ambidextrous benches, and a large dumpster. That's all. No range master, nothing like that.

You could bring your own targets (computers, like shown in the YouTube video on another thread were stacked up at the dumpster, or the water jugs and soda cans I brought) and it was clean when we got there ~3pm so the shooters did a good job of cleaning up after their time on the range.

Is there something similar to that in MD? I hear horror stories of some strict range officials, minimum heights from the ground, one-hour firing cycles, and so on ... is there anywhere to go and bring your own targets and fire at will?

--- If it matters, I'm near Catonsville just outside 695 on the SW corner, but I'd be willing to drive an hour or two for the ability to take out a few phone books or gelatin blocks and get used to the new 30-06.

novus collectus · Oct 19, 2007

Private property.
If you know a farmer and he lets you, then cool.
If you don't know a farmer, then someone with a bunch of acres would work too. YOu are allowed to shoot on private prroperty with the owners' permission under many circumstances in most areas in MD.

Norton · Oct 19, 2007

Elk Neck in essentially like you describe, but targets are paper only.

DelMarVa for the most is part is self regulating. The guys leave you alone and let you enjoy yourself.

MrWhiteRabbit · Oct 19, 2007

novus collectus said:
Private property.
If you know a farmer and he lets you, then cool.
If you don't know a farmer, then someone with a bunch of acres would work too. YOu are allowed to shoot on private prroperty with the owners' permission under many circumstances in most areas in MD.

Are there any landed gentry on this forum?

Your land will be well-watered and clean of debris when I leave! :bowdown:

jpk1md · Oct 19, 2007

MrWhiteRabbit said:
Is there anything like that in MD?

I was visiting some friends recently in SC and we went out to a state-managed rifle range. They had berms at 50 and 100 yards, a covered firing line with ambidextrous benches, and a large dumpster. That's all. No range master, nothing like that.

You could bring your own targets (computers, like shown in the YouTube video on another thread were stacked up at the dumpster, or the water jugs and soda cans I brought) and it was clean when we got there ~3pm so the shooters did a good job of cleaning up after their time on the range.

Is there something similar to that in MD? I hear horror stories of some strict range officials, minimum heights from the ground, one-hour firing cycles, and so on ... is there anywhere to go and bring your own targets and fire at will?

--- If it matters, I'm near Catonsville just outside 695 on the SW corner, but I'd be willing to drive an hour or two for the ability to take out a few phone books or gelatin blocks and get used to the new 30-06.

You're pretty much describing DelMarva.....

smores · Oct 19, 2007

The IWLA range in Germantown is like that. The only time a range officer is guaranteed to be there is noon or 1-5PM (depending on season) on Saturday and Sunday. However, they have rules as to what kinds of targets you can use.

But I remember I went to the range with a friend when I was at school in PA, it was just a small concrete pad with a little pavillion over it, with 3 benches. 25, 50, and 100 yd target stops from right to left. It was in the middle of farm land.

MrWhiteRabbit · Oct 19, 2007

jpk1md said:
You're pretty much describing DelMarva.....

Is that descripton of DelMarVa in the "strict range officials" portion or the "water jugs and soda cans" portion?

Guess I'll find out on the 28th!

Norton · Oct 20, 2007

MrWhiteRabbit said:
Is that descripton of DelMarVa in the "strict range officials" portion or the "water jugs and soda cans" portion?

Guess I'll find out on the 28th!

DelMarVa is about as close to gun range Nirvana as you're going to find in this state.

Good berms
25-300 yard lanes
Target backers provided
Cheap to shoot
No membership commitment
Covered benches
Staplers, ear, rests provided
Nice people
Self-regulating firing line

mdsuave13 · Nov 16, 2007

does anyone have a pdf of howard county laws as far as discharging a firearm on private property? i have 10 acres of land and have plenty of room to set up a 25 yd private handgun/small caliber rifle range for private use.. and its in a spot as to not bother people too bad.

anyone know about this?

I would just try it out, but i don't need to break laws, and if you go ask police about it, they will just say no regardless of what the law really is.

coinboy · Nov 16, 2007

mdsuave13 said:
does anyone have a pdf of howard county laws as far as discharging a firearm on private property? i have 10 acres of land and have plenty of room to set up a 25 yd private handgun/small caliber rifle range for private use.. and its in a spot as to not bother people too bad.

anyone know about this?

I would just try it out, but i don't need to break laws, and if you go ask police about it, they will just say no regardless of what the law really is.

Here: (Starts on page 13)
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/statelaws/24thedition/maryland.pdf

mdsuave13 · Nov 16, 2007

thanks coinboy, although it is a lot of reading and no clear answer that i can find, has a lot of info in it! much appreciated

coinboy · Nov 16, 2007

mdsuave13 said:
thanks coinboy, although it is a lot of reading and no clear answer that i can find, has a lot of info in it! much appreciated

Welcome to trying to decipher laws. It's not and easy task. Novus Collectus is pretty good at it though.

It looks like to me that if you are hunting it is allowed in the metropolitan district as long as you have written permission of the owner and are on no less than 10 acres of land.

It also seems that if you are not hunting in the metropolitan district you will still need the written owners permission.

It says nothing about if you are not hunting and just shooting. So it would seem that there are no restrictions on non-hunting. I am not a lawyer though. If I were you, I would stop by the local police department that runs the area and ask them what you need to do to shoot. Let them know you will be shooting in the area. I persoanlly have done this in Anne Arundel County with my machine gun with much success. The police seen nice to help you if you are just trying to follow the laws.

Once again I am not a lawyer, but this is what I would try as an average joe.

mdsuave13 · Nov 16, 2007

yea, i agree.. asking the police(if you talk to the right officer) can be helpful, but like i've found out while open carrying my pistols in virginia (which is completely legal) cops are often ignorant of local laws and just go based on the fact that guns in citizens hands are not legal and blah blah...

I think i may stop by there tommorow, although i doubt that will be benefitial to my cause (based on my looks)

oh well, i just hope i can legally shoot my .22lr pistol and rifles in peace without worrying about going 40 miles to a range and spending my life savings there...

coinboy · Nov 16, 2007

Good luck! Keep me posted.

K31 · Nov 16, 2007

MrWhiteRabbit said:
I hear horror stories of some strict range officials, minimum heights from the ground, one-hour firing cycles, and so on ... is there anywhere to go and bring your own targets and fire at will?

Anal-retentive range officers are definitely a way to get me to stay away from a range. One-hour mandatory cease-fires aren't any big deal to me.

Fixed heights for targets on stands that don't have berms directly behind them are a must however. If you have an intermediate distance target line )such as a 50yd. line on a 100yd, range) and shoot at a target at any old height it's possible for the rounds to strike the ground at a shallow angle behind the target and go right over the berm. You can go back before the berms at some ranges and see skid marks in the ground where this has happened. This is bad for all of us.

There may be cosmetic and monetary reasons for it too, like the rounds may hit something they are supposed to if the target is placed wrong. This is not as important as the rounds staying on the range but can cause ranges fees to rise, bad feelings and closure of ranges for repairs.

mdsuave13 · Nov 16, 2007

i cant stand using a traditional range for sighting in a gun. i like to fire and walk to the target to see what happened... unfortunetly, people dont like 5 min cease fires... so that leaves me with my property on the eastern shore to shoot... i can shoot at will at whatever distances i prefer (up to 300 yards)

3rdRcn · Nov 17, 2007

You can get a fairly inexpensive spotting scope to see the targets with, I have a 20-130 power that I can see .22 holes at 200 with.

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