The gravel pit we all used for years has been posted (due to tannerite), but the local police have established a pistol range at the site of an old torn down factory a few miles from town.

Question is, since they used local money to fix up this shooting site can they block public access?
Seems I read a law somewhere that says if ANY local, state or federal funds are used, then it's public.
  What say the hive?
Freezespray.

 

No.

Just like other .gov properties can be off limits to the public.

Can you just walk onto your local national guard camp and use their ranges? They were built with public monies.

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Go for a stroll through CIA Headquarters and tell them they can't stop you because it was built with public money.

BRB, going down to the local park with a shotgun and clays.

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Are military bases public property? No.

Our sheriff opens the PBC Sherrif's shooting range to the public on quite a few weekends every year at his discretion, but he's certainly not legally obligated to do it.

Ahh,.  Under 10 USC 4309, it appears that all Federally-owned shooting ranges are open to the public (under such regulations as may be applied by the agency). From the face of the statute, it appears that even military ranges must be open (although the military has first dibs on their use). And further that ONLY military ranges may charge fees.
http://armsandthelaw.com/archives/2005/07/are_all_federal.php

Public access to federal shooting ranges is authorized in this law, one of the 271 federal gun laws included in "Gun Laws of America":

10 USC § 4309. Rifle ranges: availability for use by members and civilians

(a) Ranges available. -- All rifle ranges constructed in whole or in part with funds provided by the United States may be used by members of the armed forces and by persons capable of bearing arms.

(b) Military ranges. --

(1) In the case of a rifle range referred to in subsection (a) that is located on a military installation, the Secretary concerned may establish reasonable fees for the use by civilians of that rifle range to cover the material and supply costs incurred by the armed forces to make that rifle range available to civilians.

(2) Fees collected pursuant to paragraph (1) in connection with the use of a rifle range shall be credited to the appropriation available for the operation and maintenance of that rifle range and shall be available for the operation and maintenance of that rifle range.

(3) Use of a rifle range referred to in paragraph (1) by civilians may not interfere with the use of the range by members of the armed forces.

(c) Regulations. -- Regulations to carry out this section with respect to a rifle range shall be prescribed, subject to the approval of the Secretary concerned, by the authorities controlling the rifle range.

Read it.

For a fee, and subject to the approval of the authorities in charge of the range.

So, no. You can't just go use it unless they allow it.

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Who does the land belong to?  That drives who has the ability to establish who may use it.



All publicly-funded facilities aren't open to the public.

Just walk into the Treasury building in DC with a bag full of guns and ask to use the range in the basement.

Can you (legally) go troll around the police motor pool/maintenance area?  

Can you go hang out at the officer's desk at any time?

Can you go into the police evidence locker and browse around?

Can you wonder around the jail?  

Can you go into a judge's chambers at the local courthouse at any time?

Are we talking New Orleans?  B/c I think there's a fee schedule for that.  

I'm sure that all depends on local authorities.
For instance the county park here has a 25yd pistol range that's open to the public during the parks business hours, as long as you sign in at the office.

Airforce One is funded with taxpayer money but you dont get to borrow it for vacation.

IRS is funded with taxpayer $$...

You may not delete emails as you pass thru IRS facilities.

Reminds me of the morons who would show up at the US Embassy in Rome and demand a tour based on the fact that they were 'an American'.

Go down to your local city clerk and pull the funding request/spending bill and language used in it to see how the funds were appropriated and if use by public during non use times by LEO was OK'ed to pass it through. If local money was used, then the council/city hall board members would have voted on it and it would be recorded in the minutes and supporting paperwork would exist.

Start there.

one of the best replies ..
Never expected to use the cops shower, nor have I been to Rome, but I'll check up some on how this shooting spot is funded.
Its basically concrete with a gravel bank on an old factory site.
thanks for the thoughts guys.