Like a good dad, I bought my girls Red Ryder BB guns for Christmas. They absolutely love shooting the guns in the backyard and beg me everyday to go out shooting every day it seems. I'm in hog heaven!

Then my worrywart grandmother-in-law mentions to me yesterday that I should probably go talk to the neighbors about the guns to let them know that my girls are always under supervision and we are being safe, because it is against the law to fire a bb gun in San Antonio city limits and she doesn't want anyone calling the cops on me. I laughed pretty hard since like most boys, I grew up with a bb gun at my side almost all the time in the backyard and never had any problems. Well I decide to go check it out just to prove her wrong, and although I can't find anything firm, it does seem like most cities outlaw firing a bb/pellet guns in city limits.

Is this real? Are we that far removed from my childhood (I'm only 32!)? I realize there is virtually no chance of me being ticketed or anything if police were called, but I'd like to avoid any negative situations with police in front of the kids, no matter how trivial.

Unless I knew my neighbors well, I wouldn't say a thing to them. I would tell my kids to be careful when and where they shoot it though.

Yeah most municipalities' ordinances against shooting firearms within their limits include pellet and BB guns.

Sucks but that's the way it is.

Be smart and discreet... and you should have no problems.

Thanks for the replies. This is the first thing the girls have shot, so safety is huge part of our experience right now.

I'll check to see if I can peruse the city ordinances to see if they maybe put a min fps limit in there.

As far as the neighbours go, one is a little old lady, and the other would probably attract all the police attention if they were called out, so not really concerned about them.

College Station's Ordinance:

quote:

---

'Firearm' as used in this section means specifically, but not exclusively, any
shotgun, pistol, rifle, air rifle or pistol, B.B. gun, bow & arrow, or any other
mechanism that discharges or ejects any bullet, buckshot, or any other projectile
of any size by force of combustion, mechanism, or air. This term does not
include pitching machines or similar devices that are designed and used only as a
substitute for a human action.

---

That outlaws sling shots, airsoft guns, paintball guns, etc.

By the letter of that law your mouth could be a firearm by spitting sunflower seeds. Stupidity...

A pitching machine uses a "mechanism" to propel a baseball at a potentially lethal velocity. A BB gun uses a "mechanism" to propel a BB at less than lethal velocity. The assumption here is that a pitching machine won't be aimed at backyard squirrels and the ball going over or through the fence and kill the neighbor.

Isn't the use of any firearm a "substitute for a human action?" All you're doing is throwing a small rock hundreds of times faster and farther than Cro-Magnon could.

Nanny state.

Interesting---

Sec. 21-151. - Definition of firearm.

As used in this article, the term "firearm" shall mean any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance or any device readily convertible to that use.
http://library.municode.com/HTML/11508/level3/PTIICO_CH21OFMIPR_ARTVIREFIWE.html#PTIICO_CH21OFMIPR_ARTVIREFIWE_S21-151DEFI

Maybe you could put up some old carpet on your fence. Should stop all bbs and surpress some noise, though red ryders aren't that loud. I shoot mine at squirrels all the time inside CS

Ok, so now after reading that info I am okay with the bb guns, but really ticked about 21-153 and 21-157. How can they even get away with that? Just took the CHL class last month and am pretty sure I'm allowed to carry most of those places (not schools, polls or meetings).

By the way, thanks for finding that, gonna get bookmarked.

I'm on my phone so just noticed small writing at the bottom with some pretty old dates. Maybe pre-conceal laws.

Buncha busy body old fart HOA types get these ordinances pushed through.

If you don't like those then you may also not like 21-17 though it deals with knives

The couple that lives next to me had a roughly a 12 year old daughter at the time....the family that lived next to them at the time had 8,10 & 12 year old boys....a couple of Red Ryder's and a pellet gun. They were always plinking in the corps land behind us. My neighbor came home from a vacation and found about $6,000 worth of wood windows shot out....most of which were in the daughters upstairs bed room window. BB's and pellets. Total denial after the confrontation.

I never saw them plinking again.

My pops set up a target range for my BB gun on the door of our wooden shed in the backyard in the middle of Bryan. To this day there are still tons of marks on that door from the BBs hitting it.

I did, however, get my ass beat for sniping at chi-chi birds out the back windows with the BB gun when my parents weren't at home.

I took my son out after Christmas to shoot his pellet gun. We went behind our neighborhood in a field on a seldom used road. A policeman passed by and stopped. He thanked me for coming to the field to shoot and not shooting in our backyard. He also thanked me for teaching my son proper gun safety. This really made an impression on my son. Props to the policeman.

I grew up in okc and Houston. I still shot my bb gun, but I was careful when and where. One nice thing about them is since compressed air is used to propel then bb they are nearly silent.

I would suggest you set up a target and ensure any misses won't leave your yard. If your neighbors do complain then address it, but I wouldn't risk anything before hand. I think it's better to find out after the fact and enjoy what time you do get shooting, than to inform and ask with the risk of complaints and inability to use it.

Absolutely do not say a word to the neighbors. Anything that goes wrong on their property will be needing an explanation, and the fact you've confirmed bb guns are being fired next door will fill in that explanation. Thus, you will be blamed for any dead animals, and broken windows, and dings on cars, etc. etc. etc.

Keep it on the quiet as long as possible. I know several people who only shoot in their garages, and others who shoot from the house through an open window in order to prevent being seen while shooting. Safety and responsibility are paramount, and it sounds like you have that covered. But do not advertise the fact you are using anything resembling guns on your property.

Meanwhile, either obtain a piece of property out of the city limits or visit a friend who has some.

[This message has been edited by techno-ag (edited 1/2/2011 2:25p).]

Speaking of slingshots, I've come into possession of a really nice one complete with a good deal of ammo (steel ball bearings) but the tubing is busted with dry rot. Can I just go to a pharmacy or medical supply place and get some standard surgical tubing to replace it?

Obtain a piece of property you say? Already planted that seed with the wife. Hopefully it will be sprouting in the next months.

you can buy replacement bands for a sling shot at academy.

I have mixed opinions on the issue.

A cousin of mine was hit in the eye by a ricochet bb. He spent the next few weeks in a hospital flat on his back with his head fixed in position in an effort to save the sight in that eye. It didn't help much.

Another problem is that some kids go crazy and have bb gun wars. That includes some that really should know better.

All I can say is thank God for silly laws where I live. I have several inconsiderate idiots for neighbors who let their kids do anything with no thought given to those around them. I would hate to see their spawn armed with any weapon.