Backyard Practice

[WW2]

I am a newbie to Cowboy Action Shooting. Just tried it at one of the free "new shooters" clinic and fell in love with the sport. However, living in California, it can be difficult to get started. First, since we can only purchase one handgun every 30 days :barf:, it takes a couple of months to just get your guns. Next, the nearest range to my house is a 45 minute drive (without traffic, with traffic is can take and hour and a half ). Shooting live guns in the back yard will get my neighbors in a fit, and land me in jail. So...

I purchased a Crosman 357-6W .177 pellet CO2 revolver that can be fired either single action or double action. I took it out on Monday and practiced with an 8 inch target at 25 feet. I had a blast! Now I want to set up stages in the back yard to practice so that when I get on the range I have taken care of the basics and can just do the necessary adjustments for the .45LC revolvers.

However, as for rifle and shotgun practice, any suggestions on BB or Pellet rifles or shotguns that could help get the basics down in the back yard?

[Doc Hoy]

I had a similar situation with BP rifles which I used to shoot but no longer. I bought a good quality pellet rifle for keep my hand in. (I can get a fairly clear 200 feet on my property.) Then I got so hooked on shooting the pellet rifle that I stopped shooting the BP rifles. I traded them off for a milling machine.

[ClemBert]

Being a native Kalifornian myself (Riverside) and now a resident of Florida your story reminds me of why I will NEVER move home.

[SigP6Carry]

The rifle is an easy one: there's tons of lever action BB rifles to choose from. The Shotgun's got me befuddled.

[the Black Spot]

daisy used to make a SxS bb gun, might still find some on the used market. you even had to break it open to cock it.

[SigP6Carry]

oh, I remember the break open SxS gun, actually. Those things were cool. An uncle of mine had one sitting around (well, he wasn't an uncle, he was an "uncle," you know?) I wonder what's happened to that these days.

[Don H]

WW2,

You might want to check whether shooting a pellet gun is legal in your minicipality. Some jurisdictions define a firearm as anything that fires a projectile by the use of an expanding gas, thus a pellet gun is legally treated the same as a .44 Magnum. Other localities specifically prohibit the use of pellet and BB guns, airsoft, etc. Nosy neighbors have been known to make a phone call anytime they see anything that looks like a gun.

[Delmar]

I am just across the street (and in the next township) from the city limits. Since I am in the county I can shoot all I want as long as I am shooting in a safe direction. I have never had a visit from the cops, but I don't shoot early in the morning, or late at night.

[hockea]

...makes the Viper Express air powered shotgun. I have one and it will assist you in getting used to the shotgun sighting system

[WW2]

Thanks Don H. Here is what I found for my area:

Section 3. It shall be unlawful in either the Western Zone or the Eastern Zone for any person to shoot or discharge any firearm within 300 yards of any occupied or unoccupied building, house or dwelling place, without the written consent of the owner or occupant thereof, or any shotgun within 150 yards, or any other firearm within 300 yards of any corral, paddock, feed yard, dairy, barn or other farm building where cattle, horses, sheep or other animals are raised, milked, fed, trained, housed or confined, without the
written consent of the owner or operator thereof, or within 300 yards of any park, public campgrounds, or state riding and hiking trail, or for any person to shoot or discharge within 300 yards of any public highway, public road or public street any firearm other than a shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license.

Section 4. It shall be unlawful in either the Western Zone or the Eastern Zone for any person to shoot or discharge within one mile of any incorporated city any firearm, other than a shotgun used in lawfully hunting game pursuant to a valid hunting license.

Section 5. It shall be unlawful in either the Western Zone or the Eastern Zone to shoot or discharge any firearm between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise of the following day.

Section 6. It shall be unlawful in the Western Zone for any person to shoot or
discharge any firearm, or to have in his possession within said zone any loaded rifle...

So much for the Second Amendment in Riverside County California. :barf:

[WW2]

Turns out that the ordinance does not apply to:

Any person possessing a loaded firearm or discharging a firearm or causing a firearm to be discharged at an established firing, shooting or target range, or hunting or gun club, or on a properly constructed indoor home range on private property under his ownership or control...

So, If I construct a proper pellet gun range in my garage I can still shoot! Dang, there goes the cost savings.

[WW2]

By the way, you can read the 5 page ordinance here:

http://www.clerkoftheboard.co.rivers...500/514.10.pdf

[robhof]

You can get bullet traps for pellet guns that aren't too expensive and they work for the primer powered plastic bullets too.