Airsoft "Legality" inside City Limits......

[AggieMM]

I want to start teaching my kids proper gun safety, and I thought about going the Airsoft route first. I want to train my kids in my back yard, so I thought I'd read up on the city ordnances to see if they are legal. Here is what I found (City = Cedar Park, Texas):

Code: Select all

ARTICLE 8.01  DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS

Sec. 8.01.002     Prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm, bow and arrow, crossbow or blow gun within the corporate limits of the city. (1998 Code, sec. 7.102)

A firearm is defined as:

Code: Select all

Firearm. Any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance.

Would a CO2 device (such as an Airsoft pistol) be classified as using an "explosion"? What's your take?

Ryan

[seamusTX]

Would a CO2 device (such as an Airsoft pistol) be classified as using an "explosion"? What's your take?

My take is that it would not. The word explosion usually refers to a chemical or nuclear reaction (don't try that in your back yard).

What really matters is what the police patrols have been instructed to do.

I think the best thing would be to talk to the police chief or a lieutenant (I guess Cedar Park is small enough for you to do that) and ask.

- Jim

[Liberty]

I want to start teaching my kids proper gun safety, and I thought about going the Airsoft route first. I want to train my kids in my back yard, so I thought I'd read up on the city ordnances to see if they are legal. Here is what I found (City = Cedar Park, Texas):

Code: Select all

ARTICLE 8.01  DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS

Sec. 8.01.002     Prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm, bow and arrow, crossbow or blow gun within the corporate limits of the city. (1998 Code, sec. 7.102)

A firearm is defined as:

Code: Select all

Firearm. Any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance.

Would a CO2 device (such as an Airsoft pistol) be classified as using an "explosion"? What's your take?

Ryan

CO2 is rapid expansion or a quick boil.

[flintknapper]

I want to start teaching my kids proper gun safety, and I thought about going the Airsoft route first. I want to train my kids in my back yard, so I thought I'd read up on the city ordnances to see if they are legal. Here is what I found (City = Cedar Park, Texas):

Code: Select all

ARTICLE 8.01  DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS

Sec. 8.01.002     Prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm, bow and arrow, crossbow or blow gun within the corporate limits of the city. (1998 Code, sec. 7.102)

A firearm is defined as:

Code: Select all

Firearm. Any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance.

Would a CO2 device (such as an Airsoft pistol) be classified as using an "explosion"? What's your take?

Ryan

CO2 is rapid expansion or a quick boil.

My older brother just moved from Cedar Park to the Magnolia/Conroe area. He lived in Cedar Park for about 20 years (on Deer Run) and NEVER had any trouble.

His two boys probably shot their bows, BB guns, or paint ball guns every day of the year.

I am not contesting the ordinances, just saying that things are relatively "lax" out there, just be respectful of your neighbors and you'll have no problems.

However, if you have a dog that takes even one step off your property (unleashed) you WILL be fined, or will have to retreive it from the pound.

They have an over zealous animal control program there.

[Greybeard]

Quote: "train my kids in my back yard"

And another from long ago "Good fences make good neighbors."

Without a fence, even airsoft guns might cause some folks, even out on the street, to have a panic attic.

[jimlongley]

At least the reg has "burning substance" in it, if they had left it at just "explosion" then it would be perfectly legal to discharge a firearm, strictly speaking gunpowder does not explode, it deflagrates.

Deflagration is a very rapid burning, actually so is explosion, the difference is in the rate of burn, explosions in a firearm chamber have a tendency to cause a rapid disassembly of said firearm.

[KBCraig]

So long as they don't include "rapid expansion of compressed gas", you're good.

Believe it or not, there are places in this vast nation where CO2 guns are "firearms" by state or local law.

Kevin

[Chris]

MOST cities by ordinance prohibit anything being fired within the incorporated limits that "launches a projectile". i'm surprised that they were so specific in their wording.

[kauboy]

I know that Dallas either has, or will soon be instating a law specifically against airsoft guns. Because obviously its the airsoft guns fault for kids being shot after pointing them at officers or using them in robbery attempt.