My wife and I are starting to look for a home with a little more land.
We're in the Akron area now, and looking west.
As we look at property near or outside the city limits, how do I know if I can shoot there?
I'm not sure that calling up the local PD or Sheriff is the best idea, but I don't know how else to confirm...
Thanks.

In for answers as well.

I believe that townships have no authority to make their own firearms laws but I could be mistaken.

We were in Akron as well.

Bought 150 acres in Hanover Township, Ashland County. It was located in a "Township," and no village or city.

Asked the Sheriff up at his office in the county seat, Ashland, who said: "no laws against shooting in the township."

I suggest you just ask your local Sheriff the same question in the area where you're looking to buy.

We just choose a huge hillside as our "backstop," and fired away: high-power rifle, revolvers, pistols, shotguns--NEVER any problems.

Sound ordinances?

This depends entirely on who your neighbors are and how close they are.  
If they don't like to hear shooting all they time or they're far enough away is really all that matters and as long as you're not sending stray rifle bullets into someone's house or barn from a mile away.

We're in a township.  Nothing against shooting on your personal property but I think our township has a clause in the zoning that prohibits building any sort of commercial range.  As someone said, your biggest problem will be how close your neighbors are.  When we were looking at our property with our realtor, I heard someone shooting down the road.  Instant happiness

Townships are good to go.  Just be respectful of neighbors by not shooting too early or late.  Also make sure you have a proper backstop.  That can be anything from a pile of railroad ties to a dirt berm that is 10' high.  As long as you are sure no rounds leave your property then blast away.

my parents live in southern Erie co. and you hear a lot of gunfire out there.  Some hunting, some target practice, some people testing out bump fire stocks(at least that's what it sounds like).  Sheriff dept. reports quite a few complaints for sound and every once in a while somebody will throw a fit about getting a round thru a window or in the side of their house (I'd be pissed off too).
My dad also recently showed me a sheriff report about some people detonating tannerite and the neighbors called them in.  Sheriff decided it was legal to own the stuff but illegal to set it off, similar to ohio's fireworks laws I guess.  
Bottom line is, you can blast away until your neighbors, however close, get annoyed and decide to call the sheriff.
Also, shooting past sundown is a no no

Medina county Sherrif basically said the same thing: no restrictions, but if they get a call they will inspect for proper backstop and safety.

If the area isn't incorporated into a village or city you should be fine. Some housing communities, developments or densely populated areas have there own rules and state houses are too close together to be shooting.

If our Sheriff Deputies come out to a property in reference to gun fire the above quote ultimately determines our action. Be safe, shoot in a same manner and direction, don't shoot after dark and you'll be fine. I wouldn't worry about sound ordinances, what they usually say is an unreasonable amount of noise...your interpretation of unreasonable is usually different than your neighbors...

It's been awhile since I looked into it, but I recall some state level regulation stating 3/4 of an acre or more. If I remember correctly it was tied into the hunting regs.

Other than that what i was told by the local SO was as long as the bullets stayed on property, everything else was fine.
After a couple times shooting belt fed machine guns they asked to be warned ahead of time if we were having any bigger "gatherings" so they didn't have to waste their time sending someone out

The responding deputy will be pissed that he's working Saturday and can't join the fun

 

come to Copley

police are 1 of the best
gun friendly
police chief is a pretty good guy signs c-3 2nd amendment guy

can't be beat


close to all the major freeways / interstates

open carry

did I mention great l.e. guys a all pro gun

good luck

best in summit county not like tallmadge stow liberal antis

1 texan  (transplant)

Thanks for the replies! Hopefully we'll have more info Thursday when we go look at the place.

There are two kinds of townships in Ohio, statutory and limited home rule.

If your looking to buy land, you should check to see what entities have jurisdiction over the land, and then review any zoning rules, and ordinances, statutes or other laws that may apply, and check the recorder's office for any other restrictions.

It may be rude, but unless there is some kind of local noise ordinance, there is no state law prohibiting shooting at night.

Township is good to go. I'm a few hundred yards from township govt building, can choot all damn day

I think everyone on this country road shoots. Sounds hilarious sometimes. Guy in the woods down the road I swear shoots a cannon sometimes.


Oh, another way to test your area is to just sit outside on a nice day and listen for the sounds of freedom ringing.

Truth. Just be considerate of who your immediate neighbors are. Got a neighbor with toddlers? Don't shoot past 9 if they live really close. Getting kids to sleep can be a pain.

Annual shoot you say? Slide fire you say? How does one get an invite - I'd bring hotdogs

I'm in Copley, I shoot regularly and never had an issue.  I put up a dirt and rr tie backstop in the yard in case anyone ever says anything.  Several neighbors come and use it.

Sounds like the area I live in.

As someone who had a range on my property and hosted many many shoots, here's the best advice I can give you.

Look at the land very carefully and from aerial view. Double, triple, quadruple check that there are no structures or houses downrange, and if there are do everything humanly possible to prevent rounds from going there - to include over-head structure above the firing line that restricts over-shooting the berm. If you have guests shooting on your property, it's going to happen. I guarantee it. You don't want the repercussions of that. Don't underestimate the ability of people to fuck up and send one flying errantly.


Also, don't underestimate a bullet's ability to bounce off of dirt, hillsides, etc. Shoot tracers sometime, and you'll learn that they don't behave once they start impacting down range. A rail-road tie-box filled with sand is pretty foolproof.


Lastly, meet and talk to your neighbors and communicate that you like to shoot and want to be a good neighbor, and listen to their concerns. If you're a nice guy, it goes a VERY long way towards making issues non-existent.


If you just blast away, don't be surprised if the sherriff gets calls. I asked my neighbors to come and visit/inspect the range, and to verify that they weren't in danger, and told them to text or call me if I was being a nuisance. That helped.