Illegal discharge of firearm?

[cityartisan]

Hey INGO's
Been trying to find laws regarding penalties for illegal discharge(when,where,and not to shoot) example: your in an open field in the middle of nowhere and decide you want to test fire a round-someone hears it and reports you-what might happen? Yes, i mean in the great state of IN Anyone have any info?

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

In the middle of nowhere, as in outside of city limits?

The actually legality of the act of discharging a firearm in and of itself depends on local ordinances.

Are you shooting on someone else's property without their permission? Are you just shooting into the distance, with no backstop, potentially placing people at risk? That could start other problems.

There are plenty of ranges around where you can test your new firearm.
List of Indiana Shooting Ranges
Those would be the best place to go. Not too expensive, some are even free during regular hours.

If you are on your own property "out in the middle of nowhere" and there is no ordinance barring discharging a firearm, you could set up your own range. There are a few members on Ingo that would most likely answer questions you have, if you were to ask. Here's one thread on the subject: Home Range Expanded

If you haven't done a lot of shooting (depending on the caliber), I might suggest taking a trip to the Eagle Creek Pistol range, currently under the administration of Tactical Firearms Training, a member of INGO and all-around nice guy: Tactical Firearms Training, LLC

 

[TaunTaun]

Is it your property, or you have permission to be there on someone's property?

 

[ocsdor]

look up the codes of the city or county you plan on shooting in.

In Lafayette, you can't even shoot a bb gun except in self-defense.

*Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer nor giving legal advice.

 

[Darral27]

I would say never discharge a firearm in a area you are not totally familiar with and you do not have permission to do so. If you did odds are unless you were really setting up shop to do some shooting you would be gone long before police would show up. It is still not the proper thing to do. There are a lot of good ranges around indy. I live in Elwood and we have a conservation club out here. I can shoot anytime the sun is up for $65 a year. If you need a place to shoot there are lots of people on here who I am sure would be happy to show you around. If you ever get out to Elwood I would be happy to let you check out our club.

 

[Sylvain]

I would say never discharge a firearm in a area you are not totally familiar with and you do not have permission to do so. If you did odds are unless you were really setting up shop to do some shooting you would be gone long before police would show up. It is still not the proper thing to do. There are a lot of good ranges around indy. I live in Elwood and we have a conservation club out here. I can shoot anytime the sun is up for $65 a year. If you need a place to shoot there are lots of people on here who I am sure would be happy to show you around. If you ever get out to Elwood I would be happy to let you check out our club.

I would agree with that.
Guns are not toys, you just dont shoot them anywhere you wish.Even if it's legal it might not always be safe and smart to do so.
Unless you are talking about self defense of course.
But even in self defense you dont shoot if it's not safe or smart to do so of course.

 

[700HPGT]

I had this same basic question when I bought a new home out of city limits. I just called the county sheriff since I could not find the information I wanted online.

They told me I need a proper backstop and had to be shooting 500' away from anyone else home except mine. They had no actual backstop specs listed though.

I built a backstop and called the county sheriff out before I ever even started shooting. I am sure this has saved me lots of headache in the long run.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Hey INGO's
Been trying to find laws regarding penalties for illegal discharge(when,where,and not to shoot) example: your in an open field in the middle of nowhere and decide you want to test fire a round-someone hears it and reports you-what might happen? Yes, i mean in the great state of IN Anyone have any info?

1. Do you have permission to be on the land?

2. How is the land zoned?

3. Do you have a proper backstop?

4. How far away from a domicile are you?

If you are where you are allowed and the land is zoned for it, nothing will happen to you.

If you are where you allowed but your bullet ends up in a not good place (and just because it is MEYE RIGHTS) does not mean you just get to shoot wherever you want, then you may be sued as well as prosecuted from Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon.

If you are not where you are allowed, you could be arrested for Criminal Trespass or just thrown off.

 

[cityartisan]

Thanks for the feedback guys. My question was intended to pinpoint firearms laws regarding this and not to leave the impression that i was planning on going off wild west style somewhere. That was simply an example i thought many would be able to relate to since IN has so much open land. My apology if it left that impression. I know it's a common occurrence in some cultures especially during celebrations where guns are fired randomly into the air. I'm digging to find a general statute if there is one that would cover any and all random discharges w/o the intention of hitting a particular target.

 

[cityartisan]

look up the codes of the city or county you plan on shooting in.

In Lafayette, you can't even shoot a bb gun except in self-defense.

*Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer nor giving legal advice.

wow-however, i'm not all that surprised.Isn't Lafayette where Purdue is? If Lafayette is known as a "college town", that can make a big impact on legislation.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Thanks for the feedback guys. My question was intended to pinpoint firearms laws regarding this and not to leave the impression that i was planning on going off wild west style somewhere. That was simply an example i thought many would be able to relate to since IN has so much open land. My apology if it left that impression. I know it's a common occurrence in some cultures especially during celebrations where guns are fired randomly into the air. I'm digging to find a general statute if there is one that would cover any and all random discharges w/o the intention of hitting a particular target.

You are responsible for every round you shoot. At our New Year's celebration guns are fired into the ground at a rural location in a county with no restrictions on it.

I fire guns on my property all of the time at no particular target but I have a metric buttload of property and my firing area is in a deep valley with very few neighbors anywhere nearby. About the only thing I might shoot in the air is a .22lr at a squirrel in a tree and even then I usually try to backstop the round into the tree or aim in a direction I know to be least populated (and in my case there's like 4 neighbors in a 1 mile radius) in case I miss the squirrel.

 

[cityartisan]

You are responsible for every round you shoot. At our New Year's celebration guns are fired into the ground at a rural location in a county with no restrictions on it.

I fire guns on my property all of the time at no particular target but I have a metric buttload of property and my firing area is in a deep valley with very few neighbors anywhere nearby. About the only thing I might shoot in the air is a .22lr at a squirrel in a tree and even then I usually try to backstop the round into the tree or aim in a direction I know to be least populated (and in my case there's like 4 neighbors in a 1 mile radius) in case I miss the squirrel.

Glad to hear you are mindful of when/where you shoot. Having said what you have brings to mind the question of what is it that is keeping you accountable for every round fired. Law(s), religion, neighbors...? Not being a wiseguy, just curious.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Glad to hear you are mindful of when/where you shoot. Having said what you have brings to mind the question of what is it that is keeping you accountable for every round fired. Law(s), religion, neighbors...? Not being a wiseguy, just curious.

Kind of 'all the above'. If you shoot somebody or somebody's property, you are responsible for the damage, injury, legal reprecussions (sp?), etc...therefore you are responsible for where your bullets land and everything they pass through.

 

[handgun]

wow-however, i'm not all that surprised.Isn't Lafayette where Purdue is? If Lafayette is known as a "college town", that can make a big impact on legislation.

West Lafayette.