How much land for shooting?

[Stegall Law Firm]

How many acres do you need if you want to be able to shoot on your own land without bullets flying on someone else's property or the neighbors being upset by the sound (assuming no suppression)? I've always been an urban/suburban dweller, but me and Mrs. S. have decided it's time to start looking at getting some land and setting up our own little homestead. We pretty much want to do it for the same reasons everyone else does: freedom, wide open spaces, all that. We're tired of the city life.

Obviously there are going to be a lot more considerations here than just being able to shoot our guns. Proximity to schools, commute to work, where's the water coming from, are there any easements, or restrictive covenants or ordinances...probably many many others. But I definitely want an area big enough to shoot on. And I'm not talking long range. 50 yards would be more than enough probably, but I'd want to shoot bigger than 22 long. And I'd want to be able to do dynamic (not flat-footed) training. Not 360 degrees, but plenty of running, crouching, shooting on the move, etc.

So for those of you who can shoot on your own land, how'd you do it, and what are your dimensions like? Did you build a berm? How many acres would it take? Do you ever get complaints from neighbors? Would love to hear some input on this.

[DaveTN]

I don’t have land I can shoot on, but I would guess the main question would be containment of the rounds you are using and proximity to neighbors.

If I could hear gun fire in my house with the doors and windows closed; it’s too close.

[Mike.357]

I have a little less than 3.5 acres. I shoot in a little hollow out in front of the house in the woods. I built a decent size dirt,mound to set up plinking targets and also to catch bullets. I put it at the base of the rise behind it. The dirt pile is probably 4 feet tall itself, the rise behind it probably increases about fifty feet or more. Lots and lots of trees to catch potential ricochets and splatter.

It is probably 75 yards to the closest house. Probably 40 yards to my house.

It sits at the edge of my land but I am lucky there is four more acres of woods next to it.

As for bothering anyone, no one has come to me to complain about any shooting that has been done. I don't have a regular schedule for shooting or anything. Anymore we pretty much just shoot .22's out there but I have shot every gun I own more than a few times there as well. It is not illegal for me to shoot all I want, i just try to be considerate about the times I shoot. Not too early or too late in the day.

Most important is that I am doing nothing illegal.in Knox County.

For you it might be good to check with the local sheriff or police as to how they will react if called about shooting. I made that call before investing the time to build a range. I was told that as long as I had a safe place and not shooting toward buildings or where people gather that I was good to go.

[Lumber_Jack]

I agree, if you only had 1 acre, but there was a steep bank to shoot against, and your neighbors weren't close enough to care, that's all you need.

Also it depends on how the tract lays. It can be 4 acres but be 250 ft wide and 697ft long.

I would look for as much as you can afford, but the main features being some hills or banks to stop bullets and woods is always a plus as strays would eventually hit a tree of missed the bank. And proximity to neighbors. If you don't have people close enough to complain you can shoot pistols on a pretty small lot.

[Dennis1209]

I went through the same thing when I was looking for my retirement property. I was wise enough to demand from my Realtor any restrictions, on the property, a property map, last years taxes and any other hidden fees, etc.

I learned a few things in the process. Some of the places we looked at were called subdivisions, with 2-20 acre plots. Being an urban / suburban dweller all my life also, I don't want to live in a "subdivision", but that's allot of room here we're talking about. We found a beautiful home with a few acres in one of these so called "subdivisions" and was about to make an offer.

This was the first home entering this subdivision and no doubt considered the eye sore trailer trash of the place, as the rest of the homes in the area were more than a million dollars. This one could be had for 250K more or less. Anyway, I reminded the Realtor agent I wanted the plat map, restrictions, etc. before I made my offer.

$500.00 per year maintenance fee to maintain the common park, roads, etc. No farm animals what-so-ever. And no firearms shooting per subdivision rules. We looked at several places like that and finally told the agent to exclude places like that, and refined my requirements.

Finally found the place I wanted with property, a stocked pond, no restrictions other than state law and few neighbors. Until I joined a gun club, I shot out in one of my back fields where it was surrounded by woods and I would also shoot into a hill side or something. As a courtesy and to make sure no one is in the woods I don't know about, I call my two closest neighbors about a quarter mile away and inform them not to get startled at the gun shots, it was me shooting. That went a long way with neighbor relations, we're now good friends. Of course I didn't make a day of it so I didn't destroy the peace and quiet all day long.

My wife has been an urban dweller all her life. I wanted a place as far from civilization as possible. We looked at a couple places I wanted really, really bad, the closest grocery / Walmart was :45 minutes away if you were in a hurry. The wife would have none of that so I had to comprimise... Walmart is now :15 minutes away But at my age it's comforting to know a hospital is only :15 minutes away if you rush. But, it took the Sheriff's deputy :30 minutes to get here when the burglar alarm went off at 3:00 A.M., but that's another story!

I should have had a property survey done as the real estate agent suggested but, it was an additional $750.00 and didn't want to waste that kind of cash.

If you get a place in country proper, you'll no doubt have well water and a septic system. As a condition of sale I requested the owner have the septic clean out cap located and marked, as well as the submerged well (have no well house, motor / pump submerged). I also had a sample of the well water tested for contaminates to be sure (was 25 bucks if I remember).

That's my experience, good luck.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Great responses so far, thanks. I was thinking you'd need more land than just a few acres. I was thinking at least 10, which I'd still like to get if we can afford it. The more the better.

[Stegall Law Firm]

A little bit more about wanting to get out of the city: where we live, we have great neighbors. Been here several years. But this area is in decline, and it's way too overbuilt. Houses are packed in like sardines. So far this year I've seen the police on my street on five different occasions, responding to calls. And not just cruising by, but actually out canvassing the neighborhood. Five times! The last time was at MY house. This was a few weeks ago, about 8 pm. Several cruisers pull up outside, lights flashing. Two officers knock on my door and I go talk to them. Turns out there was an armed robbery nearby and the suspect was seen driving a car matching a description of my wife's car, which was parked in the driveway. As I'm standing in the doorway talking to them, another officer is strolling across my front yard with an AR15. He'd been checking around the side of the house.

Holy crap! We're getting out of here, I told my wife after that. (This is Memphis, btw.)

Edited October 28, 2012 by Stegall Law Firm

[RED333]

I have 5 acers I can get a 100 yrd shoot into my backstop, we dont shoot the .308 or 7mm very much.

Mostly pistol and shotgun

[gregintenn]

I live on 8 acres, and have a 100 yard range, and a place to build a 200 yard bench, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Had we built the house closer to the road, I could have doubled that distance. What's more important than how much land is what is around it. I've never had a neighbor complain about shooting, but have had a few come shoot with me.

Another thing to consider is what you plan to do with the land. Cattle farm? Row cropping? Hay? I have two boys who like to get out in the yard and play ball, so I mow a LOT of grass.

Edited October 29, 2012 by gregintenn

[Dennis1209]

That's why I retired and moved to the country. I came from a neighborhood just as you're describing.

Once it started and Section 8 arrived, for sale signs were popping up like Orville Wrights microwave popcorn. I was paying outrageous taxes on a moderate 15 years old home with a lot measured in feet. I had to accept 1/3 the appraised value to get out of Dodge, and I was fortunate at that. Talking to a former next door neighbor a few months ago, things around there have got much worse. They have a second mortgage on their home and are stuck there.

It's been my observation in life that when the "hood" starts to turn South, nothing or nobody is going to stop it and you need to get out as fast as you can if financially possible.

It's a damn shame!

[Dennis1209]

Another thing to consider is what you plan to do with the land. Cattle farm? Row cropping? Hay? I have two boys who like to get out in the yard and play ball, so I mow a LOT of grass.

I have about 7 acres and I have to cut the front three acres once a week with one of those little John Deere riding lawn mowers, and it takes almost a full day. There's nothing more in life I like to do than spend a full day just cutting grass. NOT!

I should just let it return to nature but it looks so good nice and neat.

So I feel for ya

[Guest PapaB]

I'd look for 5 acres as a minimum, the more the merrier. The variables include proximity to neighbors, deed restrictions, and whether or not it's in a growing area. A growing area may be okay right now but in 2 or 3 years could have a subdivision popping up. The more rural, the longer your commute will be but the fewer the issues with shooting and the more peace and quiet.

[shaftbass]

This is an important topic for me. I live in Mt. Juliet (not in city limits but still in a suburban neighborhood) so of course I can't shoot here.

In the next 5 years I see myself moving to either Cheatham, Robertson, or Sumner counties. It might increase my drive to work which is in downtown Nashville by 30 minutes or so each way per day, but I really want a place with enough land to shoot on, ride four wheelers on, fly RC planes on, have a large (huge ) shop with a lift for my car hobby, etc.

Not to mention with that land comes the ability to be able to have several large gardens and some animals, and become more self-sustained.

It's moved from a dream to a goal, so I am working through my plan to achieve that goal.

I'm going to look for at least 10 acres.. hopefully with an acceptable house. If not that, I'll have to build which would probably take several more years.

Cliffs notes: I want at least 10 acres

Edited October 29, 2012 by ReefBlueCoupe

[xRUSTYx]

This is what I'm currently in the midst in ...

I've seen plenty of 5 acres homesteads that I just KNOW would piss off neighbors since they are all 5 acre tracts around.

I"m looking for a MINIMUM of 10 acres, preferably 15-20+

Patrick - You plan to say around the Shelby Co area? Or plan to move to Middle TN?

Robertson & Sumner counties have some good land -- and at MOST, 45-50 minutes to downtown Nashville. Cheatem has some good parcels too, but property tax is nuts in Cheatem .... I plan to stay in Robertson or Sumner

[Stegall Law Firm]

We'll be staying here. Couple things I'll definitely be looking at: what's around the land and is it in the way of future development. A lot to think about and consider.

[jtmaze]

I live on 7acres and have a 50 yrd range. Could go out to 100 but would have to clear some major timber and don't want that. My only concern is at the back of my range not enough berm to stop heavy rifle bullets if shooting a high target.

JTM

Sent from my iPhone