
Are BB Guns Illegal in the City Limits of Oklahoma Towns?
I'm not going to state that a BB gun is a right of passage for every child in Oklahoma, but it sure has been for most.
Whether it's the passing on of a family hunting tradition, a life lesson in responsibility, or just sharing your outdoor sports of target shooting, for those that embrace it, a kids first bb gun is sacred.
Is Lawton a good example of what is law in the rest of Oklahoma?
The way the law in Lawton is written, it seems to contradict itself. The firing of "any" weapon is unlawful inside city limits, but there's an allowance on private property?
The only reason I'm bringing it up is there was an epic lunchroom debate on what you can and can't do in your own backyard inside city limits. From BB guns to bows, one coworker swore they were all illegal to shoot, even on your own property.
The law:
16-4-4-466 - Discharging firearms and other dangerous weapons—Exception.
A. No person shall discharge any firearm, rifle, CO2 gun, air gun, BB gun, or slingshot.
B. This section shall not apply to the following circumstances..........
4. For the purpose of target shooting on private premises with air, spring or CO2 operated BB, pellet guns or slingshots if:
a. The target area is enclosed in such manner and with materials that will stop the projectiles;
b. Such target shooting is supervised by an adult at all times...........
Like most Oklahoma-raised youths, I've had several BB guns in my lifetime and have yet to see a pellet or BB shoot through a wood fence. They're just not that powerful until you get into the kind of large caliber air rifles no parent would let a child loose with anyway.
Does that mean my fenced yard is an adequate enclosed area for teaching a child how to responsibly and accurately shoot a BB gun?
Perhaps the law can be interpreted as needing a fully enclosed area, but surely this doesn't mean I'd have to build a personal indoor BB gun shooting facility in my own back yard right? That's just ridiculous. Perhaps the law would only require a purpose-built bullet trap to comply with the municipal code.
These are built of steel and constructed to contain bb's and pellets, but there's a safety aspect against firing a bb into steel. This is a lesson we've all learned from decades of watching A Christmas Story.
You'll shoot your eye out.
So the question remains, are BB guns illegal to fire inside the city limits of Lawton? How do you interpret the vague law? Do you have cool neighbors? Is it don't ask/don't tell?
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