Where can I shoot an air rifle
WEAPONS ACT
This whole article is based on Act No. 119/2002 Coll., concerning firearms and ammunition ISSUED AND APPLICABLE ONLY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC. The laws in your country may differ and this article should be taken as informative only.
The Act No. 119 determines everything from the categorisation of individual weapons, ammunition and firearms licences to the conditions for their possession and use.
AIR RIFLES
According to the Weapons Act, all air rifles (PCP, CO2 and break-action rifles, both short and long) are classified as either category D (up to and including 6.35mm calibre) or category C-I (above 6.35mm calibre). In addition, from the 1st of February 2022, they are not limited in power and from the age of 18 years anyone can buy a category D air rifle with a power of over 100 Joules without any firearms licence or notifying the police. And that kind of power can cause a lot of mischief - so it's important to know what you can and can't do.
Firing of a weapon (cat. D) referred to in § 7 (b) to (d) is prohibited in a place where shooting could endanger the life or health of a person or cause damage to property. Unless a safe area is designated for shooting in such a place, the supervision of a responsible person is ensured, or such a place is visibly marked as a place where shooting takes place and where shooting is allowed only with appropriate protective equipment.
The holder of a category C-I weapon may not fire a weapon referred to in § 6a(b), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (h) in such a way as to endanger life, health, property or public order
THE BACKYARD
The law implies that you can shoot a D or C-I air rifle virtually anywhere that doesn't endanger your surroundings. Therefore, the law does not prohibit shooting in your backyard. But you do have to be safe - especially downrange of the target. The best way to do this is to place the target against a slope, in front of a solid wall, etc. Simply so that you can't hit anything or anyone behind the target.
Neighbourly relations
You can still shoot in your backyard, but you should always be aware of your surroundings. If you don't follow safety guidelines, shoot your air rifle too loudly, or your neighbour just isn't very friendly with you, it can get you into legal trouble.
A FIELD
The second place where you can shoot without any problems is any wide area with a good view.
Fields are not very crowded and they're spacious, so you can practice shooting at longer distances. With the permission of the landowner, of course.
A SHOOTING RANGE
The last recommended choice are of course public shooting ranges. They are adapted for shooting firearms, so you can count on the owner not to complain about air rifles. However, some people may be put off by the fact that shooting ranges are usually expensive, not always close by and not as peaceful as at home.
Carry with caution
You can take your air rifle to a field, meadow or shooting range, but there are certain responsibilities that come with it. By law, you must not carry any weapon visibly in public or in a place open to the public. Ideally, you should carry your air rifle in your suitcase, preferably with a lock.
WHAT ABOUT THE FOREST?
Shooting in the woods is theoretically not prohibited, but we definitely do not recommend shooting in publicly accessible woods. There you can't guarantee a 100% safe area - you don't have a perfect overview of the surroundings and you never know who might come out from behind a tree.
In addition, you are polluting the environment with the ammunition left behind (lead pellets are toxic), and you are also damaging the trees on which you probably have a target mounted. And in the worst case scenario, a hunter might regard you as a poacher..
IN CONCLUSION
Hopefully this simplified excerpt from the weapons act will help you avoid undesirable encounters with the police or neighbors. Just always keep yourself safe and be considerate of your surroundings. If you follow all the rules, you have nothing to worry about even when shooting in your backyard - and that is certainly the most comfortable alternative for us shooters.
