shooting in basement, legal???

[Guest 1817ak47]

I have done and would like to do occasional test firing in my basement but live in the city of knoxville. how legal or illegal is this. I do not have suppression on any of my arms

[Guest bkelm18]

Pretty certain it's illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits.

[molonlabetn]

I can't find it right now, but I am fairly certain that it is unlawful to discharge a firearm within city limits or within a certain distance of an occupied building unless it is at an approved range... hopefully someone else has a citation, my Google-Fu sucks today.

[Guest bkelm18]

Municode - Search

Sec. 19-109. - Discharge of firearms, air guns, etc.

(a)

Discharge of firearms. It shall be unlawful for any person, except such as may be authorized by law, to discharge or fire any firearms within the city.

(

Discharge of air guns, spring guns, etc. It shall further be unlawful for any person to fire or discharge any air gun or air pistol, spring gun or spring pistol, or other device or firearm which is calculated or intended to propel or project a bullet, pellet, air or similar projectile, within the city.

©

Commercial indoor shooting ranges. Because of the ultra-hazardous nature of the operation of a commercial indoor shooting range, and because of the potential threat to the safety of the citizens of the city from the operation of such activity, it is hereby declared to be an unlawful purpose to operate an indoor commercial shooting range within the city limits.

(d)

Confiscation. If any person is arrested for violating the provisions of this section, the police are hereby empowered, authorized and directed to confiscate any such air gun or pistol, spring gun or spring pistol or other device or weapon, and it shall be the duty of the police to turn the device or weapon over to the municipal court for disposition of the device or weapon by the court.

(e)

Exception. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or any other provisions of this Code, nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the discharge or firing of any firearms by anyone lawfully engaged in hunting upon any property owned by the state and managed by the state wildlife resources agency which may be located within the municipal limits of the city.

[Glenn]

Wow, I never thought about air guns being illegal in the city. Since much of my youth was spent in the city limits, if this has been on the books for a long time I must have violated this around 15,000 to 20,000 times.

Glenn

[ftncityfatboy]

so then discharging a BB gun inside the city is illegal?

[Guest bkelm18]

so then discharging a BB gun inside the city is illegal?

Yep. That's a pretty common ordinance. Oak Ridge is the same. Broke the law many times as a kid.

[Guest 1817ak47]

how is someone supposedto get rid of nuisance animals if you can't use bb/air or even a spring gun???

[E4 No More]

how is someone supposedto get rid of nuisance animals if you can't use bb/air or even a spring gun???

Call the exterminator.

[trblmkr13]

I am glad I live in a town and not a city, I'd hate to think I was encouraging criminal behavior by letting my kids shoot the BB gun

[Guest tdtennessee]

I am glad I live in a town and not a city, I'd hate to think I was encouraging criminal behavior by letting my kids shoot the BB gun

yea but we are in nolensville where we can shoot just about anything, lol

[Rightwinger]

So indoor ranges are ULTRA Hazardous ! Hmmmm

These rules were made by adults who failed at LAWN Darts as kids!

[Guest clownsdd]

Paintball gun works on the critters

[LagerHead]

So indoor ranges are ULTRA Hazardous ! Hmmmm

These rules were made by adults who failed at LAWN Darts as kids!

Beat me to it. Ultra hazardous! That sounds really scary.

[gnmwilliams]

©

Commercial indoor shooting ranges. Because of the ultra-hazardous nature of the operation of a commercial indoor shooting range, and because of the potential threat to the safety of the citizens of the city from the operation of such activity, it is hereby declared to be an unlawful purpose to operate an indoor commercial shooting range within the city limits.

-How does a place like Coal Creek Armory fit into this?

[Guest bkelm18]

©

Commercial indoor shooting ranges. Because of the ultra-hazardous nature of the operation of a commercial indoor shooting range, and because of the potential threat to the safety of the citizens of the city from the operation of such activity, it is hereby declared to be an unlawful purpose to operate an indoor commercial shooting range within the city limits.

-How does a place like Coal Creek Armory fit into this?

They don't. I'm fairly certain they are outside the "city limits" of Knoxville.

[TNTitan]

what about CO2 guns?

[gnmwilliams]

They don't. I'm fairly certain they are outside the "city limits" of Knoxville.

What about Coal Creek Armory? Or is that considered a gun store with the range as a side business?

[Oh Shoot]

©

Commercial indoor shooting ranges. Because of the ultra-hazardous nature of the operation of a commercial indoor shooting range, and because of the potential threat to the safety of the citizens of the city from the operation of such activity, it is hereby declared to be an unlawful purpose to operate an indoor commercial shooting range within the city limits.

-How does a place like Coal Creek Armory fit into this?

Not in city limits.

City limits very "patchy" out west, about a block away from them.

I have no idea how the cops keep up with it given any particular exact locale.

- OS

Edited December 7, 2009 by OhShoot

[gnmwilliams]

They don't. I'm fairly certain they are outside the "city limits" of Knoxville.

Im wondering about places like Coal Creek Armory which is in Knoxville right off of I40. Or would they be considered a gun store first and the indoor range a side business?

Edit: Sorry my browser went nuts.

Crazy. I've never thought about where the "limits" are drawn.

Edited December 7, 2009 by gnmwilliams

[Glenn]

It sounds like even a paintball gun or an airsoft gun is illegal in the city.

Glenn

[dats82]

As for the BB gun in the city limits, I had a cop come to my house one time, because a neighbor had called me in. The cop was cool about it and pretty much said the law was stupid, but told me I would have to leave the city limits to shoot my BB gun.

[redneck]

I'm glad I live in the sticks , we shoot anything and everything . I got a neighbor that fires off a cannon every so often .

[Jasongar8]

As for the BB gun in the city limits, I had a cop come to my house one time, because a neighbor had called me in. The cop was cool about it and pretty much said the law was stupid, but told me I would have to leave the city limits to shoot my BB gun.

You neighbor is an A-hole. And I am soooooo glad I dont live inside any city limits.

[Retired Navy GMC]

how is someone supposedto get rid of nuisance animals if you can't use bb/air or even a spring gun???

How about a blow gun? Didn't see that in there.