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Legal distance to discharge firearms from dwelling or road?

manicdevery

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Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
361
Location
Clio, Michigan, USA
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I usually shoot my pistol on the 30 acres my parents own, i have a good berm and i know i am a safe distance away i was just wondering what is the legal distance to discharge a firearm. I can find where it says 150 yards from any barn, house, cabin, dwelling etc, i just can't find out distance from a road or any other details. I would not shoot somewhere where i was positive that it was not safe, just was looking at a few places where it looked safe to shoot just wanted to do some double checking.

Devery

Edit: can anyone find legal distance from a road to discharge firearm? been looking and i can't find anything.
 

BoiledFrogs

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Feb 16, 2010
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63
Location
Michigan
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I have to replace the windsheild in my car this week, and Id like to put a round through the old one first, partly for fun, partly for research. I was wondering if it would be legal to do this inside my dads garage, and if not, where would be a legal location to do this?
 

Yooper

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Aug 14, 2008
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Houghton County, Michigan, USA
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IIRC, the 150 yard thing only applies to HUNTING, not to shooting in general. I think the DNR regs state that as well. For me, it would be illegal to hunt on my property, but not shoot my bow, or gun (provided a safe shooting area).
 

sprinklerguy28

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Dec 9, 2009
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Michigan
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The distance mentioned in the DNR regs is for hunting. Discharging a firearm may be restricted by local ordinances. I would recommend reviewing local codes on any restrictions if any for discharging a firearm.
 

lapeer20m

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Jul 22, 2009
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928
Location
Near Lapeer (Hadley), Michigan, USA
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BoiledFrogs wrote:
I have to replace the windsheild in my car this week, and Id like to put a round through the old one first, partly for fun, partly for research. I was wondering if it would be legal to do this inside my dads garage, and if not, where would be a legal location to do this?
does your garage have a suitable backstop?
 

taxwhat

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
800
Location
S E Michgan all mine, Michigan, USA
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lapeer20m wrote:
BoiledFrogs wrote:
I have to replace the windsheild in my car this week, and Id like to put a round through the old one first, partly for fun, partly for research. I was wondering if it would be legal to do this inside my dads garage, and if not, where would be a legal location to do this?
does your garage have a suitable backstop?
Please Take some Math in Ricochet . Then some in ballistics . Last have Really Good insurance . Buddy has junk yard and gravel pit both work .
 

T Vance

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Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
2,482
Location
Not on this website, USA
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BoiledFrogs wrote:
I have to replace the windsheild in my car this week, and Id like to put a round through the old one first, partly for fun, partly for research. I was wondering if it would be legal to do this inside my dads garage, and if not, where would be a legal location to do this?

where areyou expecting the round to stop? In a seat? Either way, it's not a good idea.

Welcome BTW, but I have to wonder about you since your first post....well, it is rather odd. Hombre?
 

dereksj

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Dec 20, 2009
Messages
21
Location
swartz creek, Michigan, USA
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if i remember right i beleive you can shoot out of your own house or barn , but its your neighbors house or outbuildings that the law applies to at least i hope thats how it is because i am constantly shooting off the kitchen table out the sliding glass door at critters ..(legal critters)
 

BreakingTheMold

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May 1, 2009
Messages
298
Location
Niles & Lawton, Michigan, USA
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Shooting from your home is fine if your farther away then 150 yards from the closest house that does not approve.

I've taken deer out of an area more urban then where i live, but the residents were tired of all the deer, and it was not inside of a township.

I've heard DNR officers say it both ways, you have to be 150 yards away to hunt, and that you can shoot within 150 yards for anything other then wild game.

I shoot out at a friends, rifle, pistol, shotgun and 3 gun matches, and the same thing has been said by police that came out, past the no trespassing signs. Some say were within the law, others say we aren't. Though the ones who have said we weren't never said/did anything else about it.

I have yet to see anything about roads, but as said previously that could be more localized then state.
 

maustin195

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Jan 5, 2010
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, ,
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On page 212 of the Michigan Firearm Regulations there is an opinion by Frank Kelly that states the 150 yard regulation only applies to hunting not target shooting.
 

BoiledFrogs

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Feb 16, 2010
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63
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Michigan
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as far as the backstop, I was going to fire a single round into the car from about 10 feet away , standing, straight through the passenger side. there will be a 16x6x30 inch block of wood in the passenger seat to stop the round. Ive fired rounds into it a couple times, so I know it will stop them.

What about township ordinances? Wouldnt preemption take care of this?

Thanks for the input. Couldnt I drive up north a bit, pull over, and shoot one? Or would I be better to do it in the garage?

Its an old car, Im not really worried about fragmentation or other collateral damage. Just eye and earprotection.:cool:


Ill put up a pic afterwards. Might have to wait a bit to develop them though.
 

manicdevery

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Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
361
Location
Clio, Michigan, USA
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thanks guys, i vaguely remember when i was 13 or so taking hunters safety that we weren't to shoot 150 yards from and uninhabited buildings and i could have swore they said something about roads though i cannot find anything on the topic.

I live on a dirt road pretty far back and i am not worried about any unsafe bullet travel I just prefer to keep all my ducks in a row. . . so i can save ammo and only use one bullet:D

Devery
 

Bronson

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Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,126
Location
Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
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T Vance wrote:
BoiledFrogs wrote:
What about township ordinances? Wouldnt preemption take care of this?
No.

And here's why: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(35qbeemq4koiww45f013tz45))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-123-1102
A local unit of government shall not impose special taxation on, enact or enforce any ordinance or regulation pertaining to, or regulate in any other manner the ownership, registration, purchase, sale, transfer, transportation, or possession of pistols or other firearms, ammunition for pistols or other firearms, or components of pistols or other firearms, except as otherwise provided by federal law or a law of this state.

Pre-emption only applies to those acts above in red. Local governments areallowed to pass laws regulatingthe use and discharge of firearms.

Bronson
 

Yooper

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
800
Location
Houghton County, Michigan, USA
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Seems to me I've seen enough videos where the front windshield has been shot on a vehicle, and the bullet has not penetrated the glass. I don't know if a handgun round can penetrate windshield glass if shot perpendicular to the glass, but I do know that if there's enough of an angle you'd better be able to pull some Matrix moves to avoid getting hit when it ricochets.

Doesn't seem like a bright idea to me, but that's my $0.50 (-$0.15 Fed tax, -$0.10 state tax, -$0.05 Medicare tax, -$0.07 S.S. tax, -$0.05 Medicaid tax, -$0.06 sales tax (this knowledge isn't free) = My $0.02)
 
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