Airguns can offer a ton of enjoyment for adults and kids who enjoy the proper respect and the fundamentals involved with a rifle.
Regardless of the projectile type or propulsion method, can you shoot air guns in your back yard?
Your back yard is absolutely fine to shoot air guns; there is nothing wrong with it if you have enough distance available in all directions. It could be a productive target range and it may even help with critters that showed up to partake of your edible offerings.
Your biggest concern will be the same whether you are shooting in your back yard, back garden, or front porch.
Each state is different and has its own laws regulating the possession and use of non-powder weapons.
State Laws on Non-Powder Guns
You will find that the biggest restrictions involve the amount of space you have with regard to your neighbor, or a park, or the road.
That won’t become state law — at least most of the time.
The absolute first thing you want to do is contact your local County Sheriff’s Department and figure out if there are any local ordinances pertaining to non-powder guns, namely air guns.
If they tell you it’s ok, then it’s ok.
For the most up-to-date laws regarding the purchasing, selling, distributing, and handling of non-powder guns, check this link out.
New Jersey and Rhode Island define an airgun as a firearm, and Connecticut, Delaware and North Dakota have categorized a non-powder air gun as a “dangerous weapon.”
If your state doesn’t really say anything about what you can do, don’t assume your county won’t.
What Can You Shoot?
In the garden, you can shoot pretty much anything with your air gun.
The best place to start is with some type of backstop.
If you can make a mound of heavy dirt, that would be best, that way you can shoot aluminum and paper targets and the BB or Pellet will just lose its energy in the mound of dirt.
A few things you should avoid shooting at are:
- Rocks, concrete, or masonry
- Hard, thick lumber
- Laminate boards
- Metallic objects stronger than thin aluminum
- Chipboard and plywood
You should avoid all of the above due to ricochet issues.
If you are in a place that has no neighbors nearby, then the protection from ricochet is mainly for you.
If you have never seen the movie “A Christmas Story,” or heard someone say, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid,” rest assured, you will get the reference.
Most wood targets will absorb BBs and pellets just fine, but laminated or dense wood could easily send caught projectiles right back to the shooter.
While you may fire fifty rounds and only have two ricochet back at you, it is still too many.
Chipboard and plywood sound fine and indeed would probably be fine, the odds are still they would work at a distance.
Nonetheless, they can and do occasionally work for you depending on the material used and the ranging.
Just to note, the best setup could be the dirt mound mention above, or a simple target on aluminum or paper, and let the target be the catch area, with plenty of space behind the target so if the BB or pellet continues out, the kinetic energy is died out well before hitting anything important.
What Kind of Airguns are Best for Garden Shooting?
When it comes to the world of airgun shooting, there are two types:
- The pistol
- And the rifle
The pistol is going to be a lot faster but very limited in range and accuracy.
The rifle is going to have more accuracy, better range, and generally shoot a lot slower (unless CO² cartridges and semi-auto are being used).
The last part is probably the most fun of all, if you don’t mind burning through tons of ammo at a fast rate.
But all in all, practicing your shooting even in the garden or backyard is a perfect place for both beginners and experts.
If you have kids, it’s a great learning opportunity for them to learn about how to respect firearms, weapon handling, and the importance of safety when shooting.
For beginners, whether it’s for yourself or a child of yours, you should start with the pistol.
It’s the simplest and most effective way to learn the ins and outs of airguns.
Once you ready to graduate yourself from pistol, there are six categories of air rifles to consider for the shooting hobby for use in your backyard or garden.
- Nitro Piston Air Rifle
- Nitro Piston 2
- Precharged Pneumatic
- CO² cartridge air rifles
- Break action air rifle
- Variable pump air rifle
Without a doubt, your options are going to feel like there are endless choices.
Whatever it is you go for, the technology behind air rifles is all good quality and as long as you maintain it properly.
You and your family are going to have so much fun for many years to come right in your own garden or backyard!
Final Thoughts
Using an airgun in your backyard or garden is a great place for some target practice and to get some shooting in.
Not to mention it’s not going to hurt anything unless you’re planning on terrorizing your tomato plants with a hundred pellets and BB’s.
Just be sure to call your local county Sheriff’s Department to find out if it is legal to shoot airguns in your yard.
As long as you get the green light from them, it’s up to you.
Safety first!