Legality of firing airsoft or bb guns.?

Question

I was at my friend's house today and we were shooting the red ryder out back at some cans.His back yard is only visible from the neighboring yards.Stupid soccer mom next door b*****s and moans to my friend's parent's whenever we take the bb gun out back.Apparently a police officer said its illegal to shoot AIRSOFT AND BB GUNS within 500 yards of a house.Keep in mind I live in Mass and a cop in my town told a different friend airsoft guns were illegal here period.We would ask the police but well,they are jerks.If we asked they would probably run a backround check on us.I'm scared just to hand in my FID application.

Answer 1

this comes down to state and LOCAL laws. there are many places that these would be illegal. call a lawyer or justice of the peace. or the DA's office.

Answer 2

Mike is right the cop is an idiot the 500 yard thing is for firearms and it not 500 yards it is 500 feet from a building you don't own or 200 feet from a paved road.The only laws regarding bb guns is you cant shoot it across a street.You can shoot it in your yard as long as the bbs don't end some where other then your yard.Also it says if your under 18 you have to have adult supervision.

Answer 3

Well the cop is dead wrong. I to live in MA. You can shoot the thing all day in your backyard, front yard, side yard, up from the rooftop down in the prone on top of your parents car in the driveway and so on. If you are on your own property and shooting onto your own property. As in your parents own the land not rent then tell the cops to pound sand there is nothing they can do.  As long as you have the provisions in place to stop the BB(you should be using pellets anyway they are more accurate) from going beyond what you are shooting. I.E. a adequate backstop. You can't shoot them across publicly paved roads or from the road itself. This also applies to railroad tracks. I am constantly running around my yard shooting anything with a heartbeat that don't bear my last name. I live out in the sticks but it don't matter. BB guns are not regulated like real firearms. Tell the cop to stop spreading his ignorance around. And as far as your FID it is your right to own a weapon not a privilege like a drivers license. They can't refuse you just cause they don't like you. And if they do I would pitch a Vitch like there is no tomorrow. The licensing is just a way for them to get more money out of you. Better get it quick the Good ole Duval is trying to raise the fee from $100 to $200.