Safe to shoot at grass?

[Boma]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

[longtooth]

It will depend on what is under the grass. I would be hard pressed to shoot from a sitting position at a coyote at 100 yds w/ a 22-250 in a hay meadow. Dry ground & that could be a ricochet set up.
Six ft up in a ladder stand, 45 yds to a deer in winter wet ground & grass, shooting a 30-30 & I would never have a thought about a problem.
You need to know your gun & the setting around you.

[txinvestigator]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

Depends on the jurisdiction.

Texas Penal Code;


§42.01. Disorderly conduct.

(a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or
knowingly:
.
.

(7) discharges a firearm in a public place other than a
public road or a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001,
Local Government Code;

(8) displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public
place in a manner calculated to alarm;

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;

In addition many municipalities have ordinances against discharging a firearm within the city limits.

[Houston1944]

Too many variables to make a blanket statement about how safe it is to shoot into grass, which really translates into shooting in the dirt. When I lived in the sandy soils of Tyler I believe a bullet from almost any angle would have buried safely into the soft sand. The opposite is true when I lived in the blacklands around Greenville. Shooting that soil at even a 90 degree angle would probably have the bullet bouncing back in your face.
I think the bottom line is flatland dirt of any kind is not a reliable backstop. Lots of different unpredictable things can happen to a bullet when shot at a flat surface and we don't need to be guessing where a bullet is going.

[jimlongley]

A whole bunch of years ago a friend was showing off his new M1 Carbine and started to fire 15 rounds rapid fire from about the 50 yard line back toward the firing line, at about the 13th round, about 30 to 40 feet out, he nailed a piece of concrete curbing that was just slightly buried where the old parking lot used to be, and the ricochet was awesome in both sound and vision.

Previous hits along the ground had just dug up pockmarks, but when the slug hit the curbing it splattered dirt every which way, kind of like a firecracker went off underground, and the "pwwhhheeee" of the ricochet was really impressive.

Now I know that the Carbine round is less than impressive, I own a Carbine myself, but that one shot served notice that it was powerful enough to cause a big deal of hurt if it went the wrong way.

Of course it was also kind of dumb of that gun club to just bury the parking lot when they built the new clubhouse and firing line.

[Greybeard]

Yep, lots of variables.

While some of the .223 rounds like Hornady's V-max may virtually disentegrate upon impact, full metal jacket rounds have been known to "skip" some pretty tall berms - and can go a looooong way.

[flintknapper]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

(7) discharges a firearm in a public place other than a public road or a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001,
Local Government Code;

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;[/b]

Ummm, don't these statements contradict one another?

Maybe it should read "private" road in (7).

What am I missing?

[kauboy]

Nope, thats exactly as written in the law. I'm guessing #9 was an amendment.

[txinvestigator]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

(7) discharges a firearm in a public place other than a public road or a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001,
Local Government Code;

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;[/b]

Ummm, don't these statements contradict one another?

Maybe it should read "private" road in (7).

What am I missing?

Nope. One might shoot from land you own (not a public place) across a public road, to other land you own (not a public place). If they only had (7), then it would not be illegal to shoot across a public road from private property TO private property.

Having both covers it.

[flintknapper]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

(7) discharges a firearm in a public place other than a public road or a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001,
Local Government Code;

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;[/b]

Ummm, don't these statements contradict one another?

Maybe it should read "private" road in (7).

What am I missing?

Nope. One might shoot from land you own (not a public place) across a public road, to other land you own (not a public place). If they only had (7), then it would not be illegal to shoot across a public road from private property TO private property.

Having both covers it.

Maybe I'm just "thick", but the way #7 is written, it seems to suggest that it is an offense to shoot anyplace in public "other than" (or except) a public road or a sport shooting range.

Then in #9 it goes on to state what we all know to be unlawful.

It still seems contradictory to me, or at best redundant. Who writes this stuff anyway?

[Boma]

I understand it's illegal. That is true that a piece of concrete can be buried under the ground. Thanks for everyone's input!

[carlson1]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

(7) discharges a firearm in a public place other than a public road or a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001,
Local Government Code;

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;[/b]

Ummm, don't these statements contradict one another?

Maybe it should read "private" road in (7).

What am I missing?

Nope. One might shoot from land you own (not a public place) across a public road, to other land you own (not a public place). If they only had (7), then it would not be illegal to shoot across a public road from private property TO private property.

Having both covers it.

Maybe I'm just "thick", but the way #7 is written, it seems to suggest that it is an offense to shoot anyplace in public "other than" (or except) a public road or a sport shooting range.

Then in #9 it goes on to state what we all know to be unlawful.

It still seems contradictory to me, or at best redundant. Who writes this stuff anyway?

It is as clear as mud - you can't see it

[kauboy]

So they are intended to keep you from firing across a road that could potentially have patrons on it, even though you may own the property where the bullet was fired and the property where it is intended to land? That still doesn't explain why, in #7, you can discharge on a public road, and in #9, you can't. Shouldn't they have just changed #7 to read:
"discharges a firearm on or across a public road or
other public place other than a sport shooting range,
as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code;"
Then #9 wouldn't be needed. That would make more sense to me.

[flintknapper]

Yup!

[stevie_d_64]

I know it can be unsafe to shoot a gun in the air, but if you shoot at the ground (grass not concrete) will it be ok?

Like you said, everyone's commented on the legalities and safety of the issue...

But I have to ask...Was someone giving you a hard time about your accuracy skills???

I got accused one time of "not being able to hit the ground if I fell"...

So I proved it to them!

I'll drop by and help you give them what for, if you like...

I've been taught never to laugh at a man's dog, or make fun of the way they shoot...Thats sacriligeous or something isn't it???