Ruger Pistol Forums banner

Where is it legal to practice firing a firearm in Harris County , GA.?

11K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  cpelliott 
#1 ·
I've done some online research to try to determine where it would be ok to do some target practice with a firearm here in Harris County Georgia, and I haven't been able to find anything on the subject. Does anyone know the Gun Ordinance Laws here in Harris County, Georgia. I live in a subdivision and have a little over 2 acres of land surrounding me, I think it would probably be ok to do some target practice here but I'd like to be sure. Does anyone have any idea?
 
#3 ·
I'm not from there (I live in Texas) but Google shows an indoor pistol range called Shooters of Columbus @ 4445 Milgen Rd about 6 miles from Fortson.
 
#4 ·
I suggest you call the Harris County Sheriff's office if you live in an unincorporated area and pose the question to them. If you are in the Hamilton area, then contact the police department. You may be clear to shoot, but your neighbors (subdivision) might not take too kindly to a shootin' range nearby. JMHO.

Tarheel
 
#5 ·
I live on 40 acres so I can shoot the prairie rats as much as I want. I have a big dirt pile that I use as a back stop for some practice. If I was on 2 acres, I wouldn't feel too good because that is a little close for me. I could see hitting a neighbor's animal or a neighbor. The 22 could hit something unintended.

I agree with Tarheel - call local law and see what your options are.
 
#6 ·
Thanks Guys, Good Suggestions, yes I've heard of the "Shooters" range in Columbus, Ga. They charge $10.00 per half hour but I've heard it's sometimes hard to get a lane. I may go to my older sister's house she lives out in the middle of nowhere and it shouldn't be any problem there.
 
#7 ·
I pay $8.45 for a half hour so 10 doesn't seem too bad.
 
#8 ·
I live in an unincorporated part of Houston County Georgia. Here there are no gun restrictions for the unincorporated parts of the county. I tried some years ago to get the county commission to put in place a local requirement that there be no shooting within 300 feet of a home. They would not even consider it, or bring it to a vote. Seems to many of the county commissioners either own property or have close friends who own property that butts up to subdivisions who rent their fields out to bird hunters each year. The only local restriction I found was that you had to be off a street or main road by at least 100 feet. When I researched this all I could find in the Georgia laws restricting the discharge of guns in the unincorporated parts of a county was that each county has the discression to make their own rules regarding shooting in their unincorporated parts of their county. My suggestion would be to contact the chairman of the Harris County Board of Commissioners, Harris County Sheriffs Department, or your local District Attornies office. Please be sure and get whatever you find in writing since I would guess that you may get different stories from each party.
 
#9 ·
Thanks Guys, I intend to call the Harris County Sheriff's Dept and the Da's office, when I get a chance. It must be okay to shoot in unincorporated areas in Harris County as long as you have permission from the land owner and are the proper distance from houses and streets. I know that here in the subdivision I live in, (where the lots are heavily wooded and range in size from 2 to 5 acres) it must be okay since I hear both rifle and pistol fire all the time, especially in the fall of the year when everyone is sighting in for the deer season. I certainly am not going to complain about it, I'm more likely to get get hit by a golf ball. I had a neighbor once that lived on the hilltop in front of me that almost hit me several times with golf balls when he was out in his front yard hitting golf balls towards my property. I used to pick them up in 5 gallon buckets and sell them to local golfers until I almost got hit. Then I asked him to please try to hit them in another direction.
 
#10 ·
Hi all,
Update , I have called the Harris County Sheriff's Dept. and the Hamilton, Ga police dept and explained where I wanted to do some target practice and was informed by the Captain at the Sheriff's Dept that it would be okay for me and my wife to fire our pistols in my own front yard. He just said to be very careful and observe safety at all times. Harris County does not have any ordinances against firing a firearm in the county as long as it is on private property and is not within 500 feet of a public roadway and not close to anyone's house. In fact when I informed him of where I lived he said that a guy up the street from me has built his own shooting range in his backyard with a dirt berm as a backstop and practices firing his guns there all the time. (I knew that I had heard somebody shooting.) He said if any of my neighbors complain they would come out and check where I had my targets setup and as long as I was following correct safety procedures that they would continue to allow me to shoot. Imagine that, I now can build my own little shooting range and not have to drive 20 miles and pay $10.00 for a half hour of shooting time only when it's available.(The Hamilton County Police Dept. said essentially the same thing except he only specified 50 feet from a major highway?) But I'm okay in any direction where I'll be setting up my targets. So I now have to get my range built but I'll be very considerate as to when I'll practice because I know some of my neighbors wouldn't like it too much if I started shooting in the middle of the night.
 
#11 ·
...excellent report, bolinlamar. I am from Georgia and understand the general acceptance (except Atlanta) of firearms as a way of life, especially in rural areas. That really is a nice feeling to know that someone who owns a gun isn't seen as a Communist. I only wish folks in this part of NC had less than tunnel-vision on the matter. My spouse is in Milledgeville visiting her parents as I type. Her nieces and nephews there think of their guns in no special manner...they just consider it a normal routine part of everyday life to have them around for any particular personal need....no questions or eyebrows raised.

Tarheel
 
#12 ·
Yes Tarheel,
I was amazed at the matter of fact way that both the Captain at the Sheriff's office and the Hamilton Police, discussed with me about the Firearm Ordinance here in Harris County. It seems that local law enforcement appreciates it when citizens call them about firearms and what can or can't be done. They also seem to be extremely comfortable with Law Abiding Citizens carrying concealed firearms as long as we have permission to do so and obey the limitations as to where we can and can't carry. I think every Law abiding citizen should arm themselves, because once the word gets out that we are armed maybe the criminals will at least think twice before trying anything. I'm sure there are a lot of liberals that will disagree, but I believe that if more citizens are armed the crime rates go down. I know that they have in Kennesaw, Ga.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top