Are blank gun illegal to shoot in your back yard or in a house?

Question

on you tube i have seen people shooting colt .45 blank guns and people shooting in there back yard and in the house even. a while ago i wanted one because i didnt have enough money to shoot a real gun at range. i know of a place that is more then 500 feet away from a house so i could shoot it if its illegal to shoot in your back yard so please anwser my question because i would like to buy one thank you

Answer 1

In city limits they are usually illegal.  Outside of city limits they can be legal.  Just talk to the people at a good gun shop and they will tell you what is legal in your area or they will refer you to someone who does. When in doubt, don't shoot.  

Answer 2

Shoot is a relative term when talking about a blank firing device.

The proper term when discussing a normal pistol is 'discharge'.  If you insert a blank into a normal pistol and discharge it - you are still discharging a firearm within city limits and subject to arrest.

A blank pistol designed to only fire blanks is not considered a firearm by many cities and states.  However, since the noise is more than 87db using it will come under your cities noise ordnances.  You can be cited and the blank gun confiscated.

Blank guns are not toys.  They are used to signal traditional race start signalling and training.  Hearing protection MUST be worn when using a blank gun - or it will damage your hearing.  (That means it is not much fun because you can't hear it, understand?)  Once your hearing is damanged - there is no surgery or medical fix for it.  You are not going to look very 'cool' being 18 years old and wearing your grandpa's hearing aids....... if you haven't noticed the girls don't much go for guys they can't talk to.  Your 10 minutes of blank gun fun can give you a life time of doing sign language.  

Hope this helps

Answer 3

Your big problem are going to be you nerves neighbors hearing the bang bang and not knowing whether blanks or real bullets.

Answer 4

i think its illegal..but check here http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/ its the offical NRA website  

Answer 5

Though the act of shooting the blanks may technically not be illegal (could be argued that it's not discharging a firearm within city limits or other jurisdictions which prohibit such actions since it's basically just a noisemaker), you may get some static from the LEOs and if they press it you may get some sort of charge for inducing panic or some such business.

Best bet would to go inquire with your local LEO (sheriff, police, what have you).

Answer 6

Almost everywhere, there are local ordinances prohibiting "discharge of a firearm in the city limits". But under the ubiquitous and venerable concept of "Provincial Law", it's up to the heavily armed government employee what goes or doesn't. You can come up with a story of why you want to pop a few blanks in the backyard (home movie?), at the local police station, and ask WHEN it would be okay, not whether, and see what psychological pre-formatting of a discussion turns up.

Blanks spit wadding, which can be injurious, so quickly add that you know about this, and are pledged to be careful. Also, the sound level is arranged in "5 in 1 blanks" to not injure movie actors, so you should be okay, using approved ammo. Another option is to use primed cases with no powder or bullets in them. Even people shooting one or two regular rounds during hunting only get tinnitus for a day or so. But conversely, people who home range shoot a lot without proper protection report accumulated hearing loss over time. The sudden permanent deafness one answerer describes is possible with one unprotected 500 S&W full power shot at an indoor range, and possibly other scenarios, so yes it can happen!

Set it up right, and then blast away! Regards, Larry.