Local police shooting ranges available to the public?

[Arock]

I'm interested if this federal law allows public access to police as well as military shooting ranges.

10 USC § 4309. Rifle ranges: availability for use by members and civilians

(a) Ranges available. -- All rifle ranges constructed in whole or in part with funds provided by the United States may be used by members of the armed forces and by persons capable of bearing arms.

(b) Military ranges. --

(1) In the case of a rifle range referred to in subsection (a) that is located on a military installation, the Secretary concerned may establish reasonable fees for the use by civilians of that rifle range to cover the material and supply costs incurred by the armed forces to make that rifle range available to civilians.

(2) Fees collected pursuant to paragraph (1) in connection with the use of a rifle range shall be credited to the appropriation available for the operation and maintenance of that rifle range and shall be available for the operation and maintenance of that rifle range.

(3) Use of a rifle range referred to in paragraph (1) by civilians may not interfere with the use of the range by members of the armed forces.

(c) Regulations. -- Regulations to carry out this section with respect to a rifle range shall be prescribed, subject to the approval of the Secretary concerned, by the authorities controlling the rifle range.

It appears any police shooting range funded even in part with federal funds, grants, matching grants etc are legally available to the public. My local PD is building a new shooting range and I'd like to be able to shoot there.

Comments?


Arock

[gigag04]

Sounds interesting enough to pursue for sure. However, in the post 9/11 world, I'm not sure they would let civi's on military ranges. Local PD may be a different story.

Or try and make friends with a cop?

[stevie_d_64]

You know...There used to be a range on Ellington Field property...

Some may know it used to be there...I only went there once, drove by it and didn't stop...

I do not know what condition it is in, but apparently in the hey day of Ellington AFB/Field it was used mainly by Air Police and some local law enforcement agencies...I think it is limited, or was limited, to pistol use only...No rifles or heavy calibered weapons...Shotguns maybe...

I think you can still see the "berms" from Highway 3 as you drive by...

Would it be a good thing to get that place back into shape and use it as another option to some of the shooters in our area...

The only problem I see is that the City of Houston runs Ellington now...All the users are lease holders basically...And that the suburban nieghborhood development and expansion may seriously object to sounds of distant gunfire at that facility...

Who knows...

[KBCraig]

A news article about this law has been making the rounds of the shooting sports community. I forwarded it to my captain (since we're federal, and have rifle ranges), just as a heads-up in case anyone should ask.

So far as I know, there haven't been any local inquiries. Probably because our ranges are only 50 yards (we use reduced targets for rifle qualification).

Kevin