Shooting Air Gun in City Limits?

Hey guys, so I dont make it to the range or farm to shoot as much as I would like due to work. However I am still wanting to practice with my pistol skills.

I thought about getting an air pistol that I could just shoot in the yard (with a nice back stop, woods beyond that. Completely safe...) However a neighbor told me that the city of Williamstown states that its against the law to fire a air gun in the city limits. Now I know a few of the police here and waiting till I run into one of them to ask them however is there another way I could find this information out?

Thanks for any advice you can offer,

Kevin

Alot of cities have ordinances tHat ban such activities, and they r legal. I have a couple airsoft pistols inpractice with in my house. U can make targets easy and a blanket is all u need for a backstop, and I don't know If u have kids, but my 3 ur old daughter loves Shootn with dad...haha. They r also good to teach gun safety and trigger and sight control with, but u can look up ur cities website and they should have an ordinance section.

I have thought about that as well... wasn't sure how good air soft guns are in practice. I know as a kid I use to shoot the heck out of bb guns and they were always dead on but it seems to me the light air soft shot would vary a lot when shot maybe not... not completely sure why I think that. I do have a 5 year old son whom I have taught gun safety to with use of his toy guns but he hasn't actually shot anything. My wife didn't grow up with guns and thinks he is still too young... myself I first shot dads .357 at the age of 6...

Most cities regulate the discharging of firearms. But I don't think any would have any laws regulating guns (a nail gun is still a gun, so is a nerf gun).

Surprisingly many cities do include bb guns, air pistols, and the like in with their firearm discharge ordinances.

So I was able to find it online... here is what they state;

§ 136.01 SHOOTING AIR RIFLES.

(A) It shall be unlawful to shoot an air rifle on or into a public street or place within the city limits or to destroy with an air rifle any property therein.

(B) Anyone violating this section shall be fined not less than $5 nor more than $10.
(Ord. passed 10‑5‑50)

So I assume yes there is a law against it and I could be fine $10 for shooting even an airsoft gun in city limits?

Public Place

The way I read this is I could shoot on my private property as long as I am not shooting onto any Public property, be it a street or building or park etc.

I grew up in Williamstown. I have hunted in the city limits. I don't think the enforcement of that law is a priority. Now, if you are shooting up the neighbors bird feeder you might get a visit, but otherwise, I wouldn't worry to much.

MY interpretation is if it says "public street or place" then that is exactly wat it means. Ur property is private so as long as u r not shooting in the street u should b fine.

What's a bit funny is back in the day, we used to shoot each other with pellet guns and BB guns, playing army man (on low pumps).

Sometime in the 80s, I think, they included air guns in with the firearms for some unknown reason. Maybe they were getting too powerful.

So I have found out that the reason for laws like this is it can cause a panic due to people think you are shooting a real firearm. Just shows how stupid people can be about guns. I was told that its not advisable to shoot one as if someone was to call police due to it that it could lead to a fine, with that being said they don't ever really get any calls on them unless kids are shooting up the neighborhood. With that being said I have decided that its not that great of practice for the risk of a fine. Being that if I was fine for it then the air gun as then became just as costly as taking my firearms to the range and shooting.

However I have yet to find anything against bows and crossbows... still looking into that for practicing and also for taking care of coons that have been roaming around. Until I find something against shooting my bow the coons are not safe.

Just figure I would give an update, thanks for all the feedback.