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Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:02 pm
by Sodbuster
I'd like to know if anyone has the correct info regarding a minimum plot of land for discharging a CENTERFIRE firearm in Tx...I've always heard it was 10 acres, but now I read that it's apparently 50 acres according to Local Government Code 229.002...I can't locate anything relating to rural areas so I assume the 50 acres applies to all private lands in Tx...any thoughts, anyone?
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:47 pm
by Pinkycatcher
Sodbuster wrote:I'd like to know if anyone has the correct info regarding a minimum plot of land for discharging a CENTERFIRE firearm in Tx...I've always heard it was 10 acres, but now I read that it's apparently 50 acres according to Local Government Code 229.002...I can't locate anything relating to rural areas so I assume the 50 acres applies to all private lands in Tx...any thoughts, anyone?
10 acres for shotguns, rimefires, and something else small
40 acres for centerfire anything
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:58 pm
by Mike1951
Pinkycatcher wrote:Sodbuster wrote:I'd like to know if anyone has the correct info regarding a minimum plot of land for discharging a CENTERFIRE firearm in Tx...I've always heard it was 10 acres, but now I read that it's apparently 50 acres according to Local Government Code 229.002...I can't locate anything relating to rural areas so I assume the 50 acres applies to all private lands in Tx...any thoughts, anyone?
10 acres for shotguns, rimefires, and something else small
40 acres for centerfire anything
Sec. 229.002. REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON. A municipality may not apply a regulation relating to the discharge of firearms or other weapons in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality or in an area annexed by the municipality after September 1, 1981, if the firearm or other weapon is:
(1) a shotgun, air rifle or pistol, BB gun, or bow and arrow discharged:
(A) on a tract of land of 10 acres or more and more than 150 feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
(B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract; or
(2) a center fire or rim fire rifle or pistol of any caliber discharged:
(A) on a tract of land of 50 acres or more and more than 300 feet from a residence or occupied building located on another property; and
(B) in a manner not reasonably expected to cause a projectile to cross the boundary of the tract.
According to this, 10 acres for a shotgun, bow, or air rifle and 50 acres for any handgun or rifle.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:11 pm
by Mike1951
The above section pertains to municpalities.
For counties, the following applies:
Sec. 235.022. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE. To promote the public safety, the commissioners court of a county by order may prohibit or otherwise regulate the discharge of firearms on lots that are 10 acres or smaller and are located in the unincorporated area of the county in a subdivision.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:19 pm
by ldcarson
So does anyone know the statue that allows indoor ranges to operate? They certainly are not on 10 acres, probably not even 1 acre.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:27 pm
by Mike1951
I think you're reading these codes wrong. The code for municipalities stipulates the situations where they may not enact their own restrictions. It does not say that these are the only situations where discharge is legal.
Likewise with the county code. The state simply grants the counties the authority to restrict discharge on less than 10 acre tracts, if they wish.
Neither code rules out other situations that may be legal.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:43 pm
by Skiprr
ldcarson wrote:So does anyone know the statue that allows indoor ranges to operate? They certainly are not on 10 acres, probably not even 1 acre.
That varies by municipal authority. The §229.002 and §235.002 referenced above set limits at which municipalities and counties, respectively, may
not restrict the discharge of firearms on private land. If you have 50 acres, are more than 300 feet from a building located on another property, and have a suitable backstop, you're golden. But that doesn't mean counties and municipalities can't allow shooting ranges on lots much smaller than 50 or 10 acres.
Thank goodness, or we wouldn't have indoor ranges at all.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:20 am
by flb_78
Yep, them's the laws for inside city limits.
Out in the country, as long as your bullets do not cross property lines without permission, you're gold.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:54 am
by Sodbuster
Id've thought there was a specific state law or statute just for consistency's sake, but I guess the county by county power to regulate or not is in general keeping with the design of the USA...does anyone have any idea how one might locate the statute for a specific county, ie: COLLIN? The county's website is as useful as the text of the tax code...I was also wondering what might constitute a "subdivision" for purposes of the county regulations...would it be a clump of homes in general proximity to one another, or would it need to be a more formally organized and/or structured neighborhood?
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:48 pm
by Mike1951
I believe you can find the county information in the hunting booklet that the TP&W publishes.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:57 am
by lws380
It was mentioned in our local paper yesterday that one of the top 10 things that our local state reps wanted to accomplish, was to increase the county acreage to 20 acres.
Hope that doesn't fly. Any ideas on how to fight that potential move?
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:52 am
by KD5NRH
lws380 wrote:It was mentioned in our local paper yesterday that one of the top 10 things that our local state reps wanted to accomplish, was to increase the county acreage to 20 acres.
Hope that doesn't fly. Any ideas on how to fight that potential move?
Keep them busy with more important stuff would be my suggestion.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:45 pm
by Skiprr
lws380 wrote:It was mentioned in our local paper yesterday that one of the top 10 things that our local state reps wanted to accomplish, was to increase the county acreage to 20 acres.
Hope that doesn't fly. Any ideas on how to fight that potential move?
What county?
And I'd contact TSRA right away. Get this on their agenda.
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:41 pm
by lws380
Skiprr wrote:lws380 wrote:It was mentioned in our local paper yesterday that one of the top 10 things that our local state reps wanted to accomplish, was to increase the county acreage to 20 acres.
Hope that doesn't fly. Any ideas on how to fight that potential move?
What county?
And I'd contact TSRA right away. Get this on their agenda.
Comal county!
Re: Tx law on minimum acreage for discharge of firearms?
Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:36 pm
by Weg
It depends on the county. I live in Hays, and after the accidental shooting death of a child last year the county commissioners considered banning shooting on 2 or 3 acres or less. They did not pass it. Then again, in Comal ( one county south ) they have the 10 acre rule. I shoot pistol on my 8 acres all the time, no probems. All the state law does is allows countys to regulate shooting on propertys 10 acres or less, does'nt mean they will exercise it.