Pellet gun discharge

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so what if you're shooting just air? I use my pump airguns to knock out houseflies (once they've landed--I'm not that good a shot!) in my house--much cleaner than using a flyswatter, but if it's illegal...

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My airgun strictly prohibits dry firing. It says that "it can cause piston to bottom out in the cylinder and permanently damage the rifle". Too bad i read it AFTERdry firing it twice...nothing seems damaged to me, but i am still worried.

P.S. So what is the possible penalty for this violation?

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Chaingun81 wrote:

My airgun strictly prohibits dry firing. It says that "it can cause piston to bottom out in the cylinder and permanently damage the rifle". Too bad i read it AFTERdry firing it twice...nothing seems damaged to me, but i am still worried.

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Well, mine are cheap plastic pump Crosman airguns; if they break, oh well!

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Mine isn't very expensive either. $99.99 in Sports Authority including 4x32 scope. But it looks and feels like a real thing - weights about 4 lbs., all blued heavy steel, nice wooden stock. In fact it's longer and heavierthan my 22LR plinker.

Any advise onwhat a penalty might be again?

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Chaingun81 wrote:

My airgun strictly prohibits dry firing. It says that "it can cause piston to bottom out in the cylinder and permanently damage the rifle". Too bad i read it AFTERdry firing it twice...nothing seems damaged to me, but i am still worried.

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This is a concern with spring piston guns, but not pump-ups or CO2.

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KBCraig wrote:

Chaingun81 wrote:

My airgun strictly prohibits dry firing. It says that "it can cause piston to bottom out in the cylinder and permanently damage the rifle". Too bad i read it AFTERdry firing it twice...nothing seems damaged to me, but i am still worried.

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This is a concern with spring piston guns, but not pump-ups or CO2.

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How dangerous (for the rifle) it actually is? Do you think that dry firing it twice woulddo anydamage (mine is spring piston)?

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Damn if I knew this. The squirrels attacking my bird feeder have gotten a reprieve from my air-soft. Thanks, Gerry Connolly.

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Chaingun81 wrote:

Any advise onwhat a penalty might be again?

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On the firstpage of this topic it says a Class 3. I did read somewhere that it's a Class 4. YMMV...

Code of Virginia
COV 18.2-11. Misdemeanors
The authorized punishments for conviction of a misdemeanor are:

1. For Class 1 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for up to twelve months and a fine of up to $2,500, either or both.
2. For Class 2 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for up to six months and a fine of up to $1,000, either or both.
3. For Class 3 misdemeanors, maximum fine of $500.
4. For Class 4 misdemeanors, maximum fine of $250.

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Chaingun81 wrote:

KBCraig wrote:

Chaingun81 wrote:

My airgun strictly prohibits dry firing. It says that "it can cause piston to bottom out in the cylinder and permanently damage the rifle". Too bad i read it AFTERdry firing it twice...nothing seems damaged to me, but i am still worried.

Click to expand...

This is a concern with spring piston guns, but not pump-ups or CO2.

Click to expand...

How dangerous (for the rifle) it actually is? Do you think that dry firing it twice woulddo anydamage (mine is spring piston)?

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Two times shouldn't hurt it. IMHO, a bigger danger than the piston bottoming and damaging it, is the piston extending down and retracting like a well pump. If you have any oil in the barrel, it could be sucked back up and cause dieseling on the next shot. That can cause a great deal of damage.

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DoubleR wrote:

Chaingun81 wrote:

Any advise onwhat a penalty might be again?

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On the firstpage of this topic it says a Class 3. I did read somewhere that it's a Class 4. YMMV...

Code of Virginia
COV 18.2-11. Misdemeanors
The authorized punishments for conviction of a misdemeanor are:

1. For Class 1 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for up to twelve months and a fine of up to $2,500, either or both.
2. For Class 2 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for up to six months and a fine of up to $1,000, either or both.
3. For Class 3 misdemeanors, maximum fine of $500.
4. For Class 4 misdemeanors, maximum fine of $250.

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ALSO POSSESSION OF LOOK ALIKE OR DUMMY WEAPON WITHOUT CHP IS GOING TO GET CHARGED AS WELL JUST AS IF HE HAD THE REAL GUN ON HIM. THERE IS A LOOPHOLE THAT NEEDED TO BE CLEARED.

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Looks like someone forgot to turn off the caps lock....

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Here in PA, I've taken many a squirrel, field mouse, chipmunk, crow, pigeon, sea gull, and even a rabbit with my GAMO Whisper air rifle chambered in .177, and rated at 1000fps with lead. More than enuff power to humanely drop these varmints, and quiet enuff not to disturb the neighbors due to the supressor. It also came with a 3x9 power scope.

A perfect setup for teachingbreathing / trigger control to my daughter, as well as nice quality time with her punchin' paper.

http://www.gamousa.com//Catalog.aspx?Product=234

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the fairfax county code apparently provides an exception for shooting in your basement, ie a completely indoor range
- see (5) below
(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections (a) through (f) of this Section, the following acts shall not be violations of this Section:
(1) Hunting with a shotgun, when such shotgun is loaded entirely with ammunition consisting of multiple ball shot on a parcel of land for which the land owners, tenants in possession or agents of such landowners and tenants have been issued an approved registration pursuant to Section 6-1-3 and when such hunting is carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of such registration and this Chapter; provided, however, that such parcel of land complies with the requirement to post appropriate signs in accordance with Subsection (a)(3) of this Section.
(2) Recreational shooting with any gun by any person who has an approved registration from the Chief of Police and who is shooting on a parcel of land in accordance with that registration.
(3) Shooting or discharge of any gun upon a lawful target, trap or skeet range, or hunting preserve, when such shooting is in accordance with the provisions of any approved registration.
(4) Shooting or discharge of any gun by any law enforcement officer acting in the performance of the duties of a law enforcement agency. For the purposes of this Section the term "law enforcement officer" includes any person defined as a law enforcement officer pursuant to Virginia Code § 9.1-101 and any animal control officer acting in the performance of his or her duty.
(5) Discharge of any gun in an entirely indoor target range, provided that adequate provisions are made to retain within the structure all projectiles discharged.

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This thread is amazing. I wonder when the air rifle laws went into effect?

Most of my early "gun" training took place in Fairfax County, and not in the more rural parts.

Lived off LRT, Rt. 236, between City of Fairfax and Annandale, in the early '70's.

Next door neighbor was 2-4 years older than me and had an old Daisy lever action. We spent HOURS shooting up scale models and toy soilders in his back yard, probablyless than a half acre lot. Then we would pile the plastic up and set it on fire. And shoot at it some more. Sometimes we would set the toy soldiers on fire first, then shoot at 'em. This took place in a small sand pit behind his house with a plywood backstop.

When the Crossman 10-pump pellet guns came out, we thought we were in Heaven! So, the squirrels on the undeveloped acreage across the street started coming down with lead poisoning.

I think there are apartment buildings where the woods used to be. (sigh)

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There are an insane number of local laws/ordinances regarding how you can discharge a firearm. Preemption only seems to deal with possession, not discharge.

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riverrat10k wrote:

This thread is amazing. I wonder when the air rifle laws went into effect?

Most of my early "gun" training took place in Fairfax County, and not in the more rural parts.

Lived off LRT, Rt. 236, between City of Fairfax and Annandale, in the early '70's.

Next door neighbor was 2-4 years older than me and had an old Daisy lever action. We spent HOURS shooting up scale models and toy soilders in his back yard, probablyless than a half acre lot. Then we would pile the plastic up and set it on fire. And shoot at it some more. Sometimes we would set the toy soldiers on fire first, then shoot at 'em. This took place in a small sand pit behind his house with a plywood backstop.

When the Crossman 10-pump pellet guns came out, we thought we were in Heaven! So, the squirrels on the undeveloped acreage across the street started coming down with lead poisoning.

I think there are apartment buildings where the woods used to be. (sigh)

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Henrico, Hanover, Richmond have the same basic ordinance. It's just rarely enforced.

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Armed wrote:

Can someone point me to the actual code? I'd like to read it, but can't seem to locate the actual code on the LIS web.

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One of the best places to research city and county ordinances is Municode.

http://www.municode.com/Library/Library.aspx

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Damn it, I was going to practice archery in my back yard this Summer (maybe).

Sec. 16-6-41. Discharge of firearms within city.
It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or cause to be discharged any firearm within the city; or to hunt with other weapons, specifically to include, but not limited to, bows and arrows, crossbows, sling-shots, slung-shots, air rifles, BB guns, pellet guns, etc., or similar devices; provided, that this section shall not apply to any law enforcement officer in the performance of his or her official duties, nor to any other person whose willful act is otherwise justifiable or excusable at law in the protection of his or her life or property, or that of another, or as otherwise specifically authorized by law; provided further, that this section shall not apply to any person shooting in licensed shooting galleries or shooting inside a building on a shooting range so constructed as to prevent the shot, projectile or other missile which has been fired from escaping or ricocheting; provided further, that this section shall not apply to any citizen who, having obtained permission and a permit from the chief of police, may shoot at rats, birds or other noxious animals upon his or her premises; and in addition shall not apply to any person, who in compliance with section 29.1-529 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, is granted permission to kill deer on any land which is zoned for agricultural use and contains at least five (5) acres.

(Ord. of 3-24-87; Ord. of 8-9-05) Editor's note: Authority of city to regulate or prohibit discharge of firearms, Va. Code, § 15.1-865.
Secs. 16-6-42--16-6-50. Reserved.

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Wait, if I'm not hunting, I'm good.