Question Pellet guns at campgrounds?

[Neal]

I've had a pellet pistol my father gave me that I've carried around for probably two years now. CO2 pellet gun. Would be fun to plink cans but I'm honestly afraid of using anything that "looks like" a gun where you know the police will get called. Is a pellet gun a "firearm"? Would you be okay using one off in the woods on campground property? What's your opinion on pellet pistols and rifles on or off campgrounds?

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Pellet guns (CO2 or pumped air) are NOT firearms. That said, they are frequently thought of as being the same as a "firearm." That's because they are made to LOOK like a firearm.

If an RV park or other campground has a rule banning "firearms use," it is likely that management would apply their rules to a pellet gun as well. It isn't technically accurate to do so, but a campground owner/operator both makes the rules and applies/enforces them.

Sorry to say, I doubt that the technical distinction between a pellet gun (aka "air gun") and a "firearm" would make much of a difference to most campground owners and operators. "If it looks like a gun and fires a projectile like a gun, it must be a gun!"

TJ

 

[ManlyMan]

While BB and pellet guns are not considered firearms under federal law, some states do consider these guns to be firearms. Regardless I’m sure plinking with a pellet gun would freak some people out, including many campground owners. I personally wouldn’t do it without permission.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

An interesting piece of trivia regarding "air guns" is the fact that CAPT Meriwether Lewis carried a .46 caliber Girandoni air rifle on the famed Lewis & Clark Expedition. It amazed all who saw it fired with its quiet discharge, lack of smoke and the ability to fire up to 30 shots in relatively quick succession. It was accurate and effective to 100 yards; better than most black powder guns of the day.

The Girandoni Air Rifle: The Lewis and Clark Expedition's Secret Weapon

Almost entirely phased out by 1810, it was during the Lewis and Clark expedition that the Girandoni air rifle fully came into its own.

warfarehistorynetwork.com

TJ

 

[J&JD]

An interesting piece of trivia regarding "air guns" is the fact that CAPT Meriwether Lewis carried a .46 caliber Girandoni air rifle on the famed Lewis & Clark Expedition. It amazed all who saw it fired with its quiet discharge, lack of smoke and the ability to fire up to 30 shots in relative quick succession. It was accurate and effective to 100 yards; better than most black powder guns of the day.

The Girandoni Air Rifle: The Lewis and Clark Expedition's Secret Weapon

Almost entirely phased out by 1810, it was during the Lewis and Clark expedition that the Girandoni air rifle fully came into its own.

warfarehistorynetwork.com

TJ

Tj, you are so full of interesting and informative air. Where do you get all this stuff??

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I thought everyone had read the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

TJ

 

[J&JD]

I thought everyone had read the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

TJ

Well, there ya go!

 

[Joe Hogan]

In my opinion, I avoid any discussion of firearms or display anything that looks like it could potentially be a firearm. I do not even wear my NRA Instructor shirt/cap outside of the training environment. Carry an extra outfit with me.
In today's societal environment where students are being suspended for having a squirt gun in their room visible in a Zoom call, and 911 bombarded with the Woke masses screaming about some felt fear, it is prudent to keep your head down and stay well below their radar.
On the other side of that coin, there are some very scary people doing unimaginable things with weapons of all sorts.
Be careful and be aware of your surroundings. My $0.02

 

[Jim]

I've had a pellet pistol my father gave me that I've carried around for probably two years now. CO2 pellet gun. Would be fun to plink cans. . .

One of the problems is not everyone shares your good sense and responsible conduct.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I've had a pellet pistol my father gave me that I've carried around for probably two years now. CO2 pellet gun. Would be fun to plink cans but I'm honestly afraid of using anything that "looks like" a gun where you know the police will get called. Is a pellet gun a "firearm"? Would you be okay using one off in the woods on campground property? What's your opinion on pellet pistols and rifles on or off campgrounds?

Need more information! Private or fed. Fed, it comes down to projectiles. If the BB has a cord connected it is not a projectile. I had to look this up because I use a sling shot to send a cord over a limb to keep my trash out of the animals reach. I use a lead sinker connected to a piece of monofilement to send the rope over the branch. I got called out on it so did the research.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I've had a pellet pistol my father gave me that I've carried around for probably two years now. CO2 pellet gun. Would be fun to plink cans but I'm honestly afraid of using anything that "looks like" a gun where you know the police will get called. Is a pellet gun a "firearm"? Would you be okay using one off in the woods on campground property? What's your opinion on pellet pistols and rifles on or off campgrounds?

As far as the USFS is concerned they are illegal. It is not the firearm it is the projectile.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

More on that. A couple of years ago I got a slingshot to send cord over a limb to hang my trash. The host told me I couldn't use it because it shot a projectile. I looked it up in disbelief but sure enough that was the law. However I did look up the definition for projectile and decided to use it anyhow. Seems it is not a projectile when attached to a cord.

 

[Gizmo]

When I went to Yellow Stone I had a long talk with Ranger about open-carry of a firearm in the park. Interestingly enough he said it right for Americans to carry a weapon even in the park. BUT there was a heavy fine and possible jail time for discharging a firearm in the park. I carried bear spray while fly fishing as the first line of defense but my second line of defense was 45 long colt.