Shooting Restrictions

[Fyrediver]

Trying to locate the county and city laws for shooting on property I'm considering buying; it lies just outside Rogersville.  I know sound will be an issue for some people and fully intend to purchase a suppressor upon moving to TN but it's just too much of a hassle to have one and drag it across the country with the patchwork of laws.   

I will be contacting the Rogersville PD as well as the Hawkins Sheriff of course, but would still like to read what's been written.  

Also, any decent Rod and Gun clubs that are recommended in the area?  

Thanks in advance!

 

[Chucktshoes]

Welcome! 
 

If the land you are looking at is in an unincorporated area outside of the city limits, the Rogersville PD will be of no assistance because it’s not their jurisdiction. As far as the county goes, you may contact the Sheriff’s office to see if there are any county ordinances prohibiting shooting on private land. That said, I don’t know of any county in the state that has that prohibition. 
 

As a general rule of thumb though, as long as you are shooting in a safe manner not near or at any structures you don’t own (your neighbor’s house) you are good to go. 

[A.J. Holst]

Welcome aboard!

My only personal experience is: you can legally shoot in Knox County, in a safe manner, unless the neighbors really complain.

I could be wrong, but unless you have one of those live off the land, neo hippy progressive types in your area, most (rural) county residents are not bothered by gun fire from time to time.

Being very selfish, keeping my neighbors happy would be the last reason I bought a suppressor.

[Alleycat72]

For a suppressor, all you need to do is fill out an address change form. Your supposed to do that even if you just move across town. Most do not. I do it for temporarily moving a SBR out of state for hunting. 

[billyblazes]

The address change form, ATF Form 20, generally comes back within a few weeks.  It's really not a big deal.

The fact that the rules for discharge of firearms in Tennessee differs from municipality to municipality points to the need for preemption at the State level in this regard.

[ReeferMac]

Hahahahhahaaaa!!!

I used to have a customer in Rogersville, been there maybe a dozen times.

Unless you're looking at living "downtown "(), I'm certain you won't have any issues at all. Ever.

Its a beautiful part of the country, and most folks here are supportive of gun use when done so responsibly. Welcome! You're gonna like it here.

[DaveTN]

24 minutes ago, billyblazes said:

The fact that the rules for discharge of firearms in Tennessee differs from municipality to municipality points to the need for preemption at the State level in this regard.

IMHO the state doesn’t need to be involved; that would simply end with banning discharging a firearm anywhere other than rural areas. However, cities, towns and counties should publish their firearms laws. Hawkins County may have done that, but they aren’t making it easy to find.

[peejman]

I used to work in Rogersville and lived in Hawkins County. My memory is the laws are similar to most other places in TN... you can't shoot within the city limits, you can in the county as long as you've got a good backstop. Hawkins County isn't quite as... cosmopolitan as the more metro areas. Its beautiful and id still be there if I didnt have to move for work. 

[Dirtshooter]

Welcome. The very best way to keep your neighbors happy is to invite them to come and shoot with you.

[Chucktshoes]

23 minutes ago, Dirtshooter said:

Welcome. The very best way to keep your neighbors happy is to invite them to come and shoot with you.

Barring that, invite the deputy when he shows up.

[gregintenn]

Be respectful of your neighbors and I doubt you’ll have any problems. If you are outside the city limits, I do not know of any reason you can’t shoot on your property.

[Chucktshoes]

I always love these threads. You have someone from out of state asking about shooting on their own property outside the city limits (usually from a commie state). They are invariably met with confusion as everyone from here is basically like “why couldn’t you? It’s your property.”

[Alleycat72]

I mean we've never had the cops show up when we shoot machine guns except when the cops show up wanting to shoot their machine guns. LOL

[billyblazes]

18 hours ago, DaveTN said:

IMHO the state doesn’t need to be involved; that would simply end with banning discharging a firearm anywhere other than rural areas. However, cities, towns and counties should publish their firearms laws. Hawkins County may have done that, but they aren’t making it easy to find.

I will respectfully disagree. On the one hand, if there’s no written law or ordinance prohibiting such, it’s not against the law. On the other hand, a patchwork of laws from one municipality to the other as they fill voids which the State has not addressed is nothing but a hodgepodge of regulation waiting to trip someone up and allowing multiple fiefdoms within the State.  

I wouldn’t think preemption in this area of firearms would be a concern in Tennessee.  I thought Tennessee had a strong gun rights climate, even among the State level politicians.  The fact that a gun can be legally safely discharged for target practice or similar recreation on a 1/4 acre or smaller city lot in the heart of busy Orlando or in congested Miami but at the same cannot be done in certain municipalities in Tennessee just blows me away. 

[VolunteerJeff106]

17 hours ago, Dirtshooter said:

Welcome. The very best way to keep your neighbors happy is to invite them to come and shoot with you.

Bingo!

 

[Johnny Rotten]

12 hours ago, alleycat72 said:

I mean we've never had the cops show up when we shoot machine guns except when the cops show up wanting to shoot their machine guns. LOL

Me too, I was at a local range when 3 guys showed up and started shooting FA so I walked down and was checking them out, 2 of them had neutered M16's with the GI sear pulled out (the 3 hole had no pin), the other had a FA M4, so I determine them as cops or TWRA.

I walk back down to my group, did a mag dump, 1 guy comes down and said that's a illegal gun, I said no it's not, he said let me see your badge, me I don't have one, him that's a problem, I said not to worry I have a stamp, I'll show it to you but I really don't have to, you might want to call your supervisor or the city attorney before you do anything, he says I'm the chief of police, me I'm 100% legal here I can google the phone number for the ATF Nashville office and you can confirm, he does a 180 and leaves.

[ReeferMac]

Good for you Johnny.

Much respect for police.... but arrogant asses like that need to have their $hit re-adjusted by their employer from time to time.

Should have called the ATF for him and had them look at those modded M16s. I'm SURE he's got his stamp in order.

- K

[Alleycat72]

15 minutes ago, Johnny Rotten said:

Me too, I was at a local range when 3 guys showed up and started shooting FA so I walked down and was checking them out, 2 of them had neutered M16's with the GI sear pulled out (the 3 hole had no pin), the other had a FA M4, so I determine them as cops or TWRA.

I walk back down to my group, did a mag dump, 1 guy comes down and said that's a illegal gun, I said no it's not, he said let me see your badge, me I don't have one, him that's a problem, I said not to worry I have a stamp, I'll show it to you but I really don't have to, you might want to call your supervisor or the city attorney before you do anything, he says I'm the chief of police, me I'm 100% legal here I can google the phone number for the ATF Nashville office and you can confirm, he does a 180 and leaves.

I've got a buddy that's TWRA. He was issued a 16 that had been converted to semi auto. They had several. When they decided to get rid of them and upgrade to new guns I offered to give them two guns of their choice for every M16 they would transfer to me. They didn't go for it. LOL. I didn't figure they would, but you never know. 

[Johnny Rotten]

46 minutes ago, alleycat72 said:

I've got a buddy that's TWRA. He was issued a 16 that had been converted to semi auto. They had several. When they decided to get rid of them and upgrade to new guns I offered to give them two guns of their choice for every M16 they would transfer to me. They didn't go for it. LOL. I didn't figure they would, but you never know. 

I'd bet those were not transferables, feds probably wanted them back at some point.

About 10yrs ago Clyde armory in Ga ( < I think that's the name ) somehow got 15-20 M16A1 transferables from a PD department up north, there was a lot of discussion on ARFOM about that score.

[Alleycat72]

16 minutes ago, Johnny Rotten said:

I'd bet those were not transferables, feds probably wanted them back at some point.

About 10yrs ago Clyde armory in Ga ( < I think that's the name ) somehow got 15-20 M16A1 transferables from a PD department up north, there was a lot of discussion on ARFOM about that score.

1976 guns. I was told they had paperwork, but who knows.  I'll keep trying to get a DIAS.

[billyblazes]

5 hours ago, alleycat72 said:

1976 guns. I was told they had paperwork, but who knows.  I'll keep trying to get a DIAS.

I sold a Lightning Link for a little north of $11k a couple of years ago. Given the price I see them going for now, I guess it was sold at a bargain. 

[Fyrediver]

On 9/6/2020 at 2:14 PM, Chucktshoes said:

I always love these threads. You have someone from out of state asking about shooting on their own property outside the city limits (usually from a commie state). They are invariably met with confusion as everyone from here is basically like “why couldn’t you? It’s your property.”

In fact I am fleeing a Communist state but you can still shoot on your own property here if you're outside city limits. 

I was looking in TX and there are LOTS of restrictions on properties even if you have good place to shoot.  Property advertised as "good hunting land" only to find out there are restrictions and one can't shoot on the property.  I try not to make too many assumptions.  

Thanks everyone for all their help!

[Chucktshoes]

I like Texas, but they ain’t all they’re cracked up to be. 

[Garufa]

45 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

I like Texas, but they ain’t all they’re cracked up to be. 

I’ve had the pleasure of spending time on my wife’s uncle’s ranch about 90 miles west of San Antonio in the hill country.  Middle of nowhere, cellphones don’t work,  closest store is 20 miles away.  No one around.  That part of Texas is heaven.

[DaveTN]

15 hours ago, Chucktshoes said:

I like Texas, but they ain’t all they’re cracked up to be. 

You and Beto talk guns when you go there?