DeFacto Gun Registration????

This, from the York County Code:

http://www.yorkcounty.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=4793

OFFENSES - MISCELLANEOUS Sec. 16-38. Sports shooting ranges; range safety; logs.

(a) No sports shooting range or combination of ranges shall be used at any time unless a range safety officer, as designated by the owner or operator of such range, is present on the range. Such officers shall have the duty and responsibility of enforcing the owner or operator's rules and regulations for the safe use of such range.

(b) A log shall be maintained on the premises of every sports shooting range of the name of the range safety officer present on the range and the hours during which the safety officer was present. The range safety officer shall ensure that every person who uses a range is identified in a log to be kept for such purpose; the manufacturer, model, and caliber of each firearm used by each such person; and the time during which the firearm was used. Such logs shall be maintained for a period of at least two (2) months after the latest entry therein and shall be made available for review during reasonable hours at the request of law enforcement officers or the county administrator.

(c) For purposes of this section, a "sports shooting range" shall mean each outdoor area designed and designated for the use of rifles, shot guns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, black powder, or any other similar sports shooting.
Cross reference—Discharge of firearms within three hundred feet (300') of a subdivision, § 16-7.




While the statute doesn't ask for a firearm serial number (many older guns don't have one), it does require a name, make, model & caliber. The facility could easily provide contact information for the individual.

Is the 60 day preservation window more restrictive than State Statute? If an individual used the same set of firearms regularly at least every 60 days, the facility would, in effect, be maintaining a perpetual "registration" of that individual's firearms. Note that VSP must destroy firearm purchase info related to NICS checks after 30 days.

It could be argued that this ordinance is valid because it stems from the County's authority to regulate the discharge of firearms. But is it necessary to know who is shooting which gun? A discharge restriction wouldn't apply by name to an individual.

Yes 2a4all, I was at LGC 50yd Saturday and the range officer told us that it was a local ordinance rather than a simple agreement between York County and LGC. I was surprised.

The sign-in for each range requires you sign in for each gun/caliber that you are going to shoot. It does not necessarily reflect ownership since t33j was there trying out one of my guns.

LGC admin told me (during orientation) that the agreement was made between York County and LGC after a wayward round landed on someones roof. At the time they had no logging of caliber and no way to trace who might be responsible. For this purpose I see no reason to log what model of gun other than maybe pistol vs rifle or barrel length. That info would help determine which shooter had a gun that could reach the range of wherever a future wayward round would land.

So if we/VCDL/LGC plan to lobby against the wording of the ordinance I would support a change to caliber and barrel length rather than model.

So why do you have your panties in a bunch 2A?

You have a CHP so you have already registered yourself.

Fussing about York is like complaining about getting fat on an ice cream cone, after you ate a whole cake.

45acpForMe said:

Yes 2a4all, I was at LGC 50yd Saturday and the range officer told us that it was a local ordinance rather than a simple agreement between York County and LGC. I was surprised.

Click to expand...

I think it was an agreement between York and LGC made binding by ordinance.

45acpForMe said:

LGC admin told me (during orientation) that the agreement was made between York County and LGC after a wayward round landed on someones roof. At the time they had no logging of caliber and no way to trace who might be responsible.

Click to expand...

When the cops rolled up, the guy was still shooting. He was shooting at something on the ground about half way down the 100-yd range, and some bullets skipped over the berm.

I remember the outdoor rifle ranges were shut down for quite a while for implimentation of the baffle system, range officer system, and the sign-in logs.

I avoided any references to LGC in my OP because the ordinance isn't specific to any particular facility.

The question is: If a facility must maintain such a log as described, for inspection by County officials at their request, does this constitute a firearm registration program?

Would this ordinance in York County set a precedent for other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth?

Guess I need to advertise my range safety officer services in York county!