Places to go shooting

[Tough_Boots]

I was planning on going shooting with some friends new to the area and I was wondering about legal places. When I go hiking, I see people along the forest service roads a lot. I know folks go out to Hewlitt Station road quite often. Is this area legal to shoot at? Does anyone recommend anywhere else legal?

[The_Eagle]

Well this place is for sure (I-17 & Carefree Highway)
http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml

[azbackpackr]

BLM or national forest land, a lot of areas are legal unless posted. You have to be more than 1/4 mile from a building, and be shooting in a safe direction, etc. If you see people going to an area regularly it is probably a legal area. Whether or not it is a safe area is anyone's guess. But you asked about legal. I'd go to Ben Avery...but have done my fair share of wildcat shooting over the years, for sure!

[base871]

Rio Salado in Mesa is good. & bucks a day I think. I used to go off FR143, but I think its illegal now.

[Jim]

BLM or national forest land, a lot of areas are legal unless posted. You have to be more than 1/4 mile from a building, and be shooting in a safe direction, etc. If you see people going to an area regularly it is probably a legal area. Whether or not it is a safe area is anyone's guess. But you asked about legal. I'd go to Ben Avery...but have done my fair share of wildcat shooting over the years, for sure!

I hope it wasn't lead.

[azbackpackr]

Oh, I'm sure it was lead. Going out and shooting rows of empty shotgun shells lined up, and cans, you know. Places we have gone have usually been places that have been used for decades. At least, keeping all the lead in one place!

I am not too sure how the lead in those dried up desert shooting spots will get into the food chain, but I suppose it is possible.

[JimmyLyding]

I recommend Ben Avery. The lower portion of the eastern portion of the Yaeger Canyon loop that I did yesterday has been turned into an unofficial shooting range. Trash everywhere, and lots of empty shell casings. I'm sure you'll make sure to pick up your casings.
BTW, Tough_Boots, I'm pretty sure I saw you @ Changing Hands when I was checking out on Friday. When I got done paying for the books I got for my 5-year-old goddaughter you were gone, however. I forgot how much I missed that place.

[Tough_Boots]

Maybe Ben Avery is the best place to start. I'm not a gun owner but will be shooting with licensed owners. Do they have any issues with that? I guess I'm not clear on how all that works. I'm not much of a gun enthusiast, although, it sounds like a good (er, responsible ) time.

BTW, Tough_Boots, I'm pretty sure I saw you @ Changing Hands when I was checking out on Friday. When I got done paying for the books I got for my 5-year-old goddaughter you were gone, however. I forgot how much I missed that place.

Most likely it was me. We have four male employees in the whole operation and I'm the only one with a beard-- so I'd bet money on it. I'm pretty much always there mon-fri so say hey or have someone grab me next time you're in! We also do story time for the kiddies on thursday mornings and the zoo comes with animals for a kids event once a month-- next one is May 15th.

[azbackpackr]

Dude, this is ARIZONA. What the heck is a "licensed owner?"

Almost any adult can own a gun in Arizona. No registration, permit, or license WHATSOEVER is necessary for basic ownership. Buy it on the street, sell it on the street--perfectly legal. Put an ad in the paper. Have a yard sale. You can buy it or sell it anywhere you want to, almost like buying and selling a bicycle. (There are some other things to know about the legalities here, but that is basically it.) Put it in your car, put it on the seat, under the seat in the glove box, on the dashboard (bad idea), or in the trunk--wherever you want to put it.

Buy a handgun at a gun shop, and you will have to fill out a lot of federal paperwork. Sell it next week to just about anyone you want to. Perfectly legal.

Until the middle of the summer when the new law takes effect, you will have to have a concealed carry permit to carry it concealed on your person, such as on a hike, but you can carry it unconcealed in a holster anywhere in the state except where there is a posted sign against it. We had an old fellow here in town who always wore a holstered gun. He even wore it to his LDS church. The bishop did frown on that, though and asked him to not do that.

[JimmyLyding]

My mom and I broke into my late father's old footlocker that had been sitting in her garage since 1998. Lo and behold we found the missing firearms that I was sure that my dad hadn't gotten rid of. 4 .22 rifles, a shotgun that looked to have been made in the 1950s, and a Ruger MK II .22 cal long-rifle chamber semi-auto pistol.

Picture from the Internet, but that's it

This is in addition to the 2 30-.06s, 3 12-gauges, and 2 20-gauges that have already come into my possession. Too bad I only hunt with my camera. My brother suggested we sell them, and I told him to shut his pie-hole. Then he suggested that he should take possession of one of them (as if his wife would let a firearm into their house), and I also told him to shut his pie-hole because he has never taken a firearm safety course like I and our other brother have.
Also a very nice BB gun, but don't worry, Central Phoenix neighbors, because I'm not going to use it on those pigeons. The white vinegar shot out of a super-soaker seems to be working.
As for worrying about being licensed, I'd expect our state to require people to carry guns before requiring them to be licensed.

[Tough_Boots]

That's quite a few guns to own but not compared to some folks I know. I have a friend with an AK-47 and always laugh picturing him fighting a war in some third world country. People collect what they like to collect, I guess.

I haven't shot a gun since I was a kid and am really just curious to see what it feels like as an adult. I had been thinking about buying a gun for a while but then had a run-in with an unannounced police officer in my backyard at 4am a couple months ago. Had I threatened this dark, shadowy figure with something more lethal than my asp, something really horrible might have occurred. Whether or not the officer should have been in my backyard is beside the point. I'm just glad that in a half-asleep-I'm-being-burgled moment, I didn't have the opportunity to possibly cause a serious issue. The officer forgave me for almost beating him with a large steel baton and I forgave him for being in my backyard.

[JimmyLyding]

If you're interested in home defense I recommend in order of recommendation:
1) Alarm system
2) Large dark-colored dog
3) 40-cal or a .380 stainless

BTW I highly recommend Changing Hands Bookstore for childrens' books. My 5-year-old goddaughter loves the books I got for her there, and this nice lady employee did a great job pointing me in the right direction.

[Tough_Boots]

well, I do have a medium sized dark-colored dog that only barks once every few months and would probably wag his tail and roll over for anyone who came through my door. ;)

[azbackpackr]

Well, it's illegal in Arizona to shoot anyone, even a really stupid cop, for being in your yard. It is illegal to shoot a burglar who has been IN your house but is now in your yard running away. You could even get in trouble if he is climbing OUT of your window. It is NOT illegal to shoot a burglar INSIDE of your house, however. If you take a firearms course in AZ, they will probably tell you the laws. Shooting someone on the trail who is threatening you is the one that gets a lot of controversy, as to what does "threatening" mean?

My husband and I have bought and sold more AKs and other so-called "assault weapons" (what a crock--they are not even full-auto) than I can remember. He doesn't like them, but sometimes trades for them so he can turn around and sell them, because on our gun show table, they sell first. He doesn't like them because they are not beautifully crafted, they are mostly ugly and cheaply made. He also doesn't like them because of all the hype and BS surrounding them. I personally don't care one way or the other. I can't get excited about guns. I have one, like I have a pocket knife. I have a Ladysmith .38 at the moment, have also carried other .38 revolvers. I am not reliably successful at shooting semi-auto handguns--they tend to jam on me. Some one will hand me one at the plinking spot and say, "hey try this, it doesn't jam" and it will jam. Has something to do with my weak wrist. If I were to switch to .32 or .25 semi auto for instance, I would have to practice a LOT in order to make sure I can reliably fire it. Revolvers do not jam.

[Jeffshadows]

I won't even mention how many guns I have locked up at home...

[azbackpackr]

[outdoorsman74]

According to what I remember from my CCW class, you can legally shoot someone in self defense of yourself or a third person if 1, you feel your life (or theirs) is in imminent danger 2, the attacker has the means of hurting or killing you (or them), and 3, there are no other means of stopping or escaping from the danger.

There are a few other instances such as using lethal force to stop an attacker from raping yourself or a third person. I believe that stopping a child abduction is another, but there can be many various circumstances surrounding each scenario.

I would suggest going through a Concealed Carry Weapon course even if you do not wish to carry a gun, it would give you valuable knwledge in the laws and the things you need to know surrounding the issues.

[Jeffshadows]

I think he was asking about places to go shooting for sport...

[Al_HikesAZ]

I go to the Scottsdale Gun Club off of Raintree & the 101 for handguns. I'm a member so I don't know what it costs a non-member. I live in North Scottsdale so it is convenient for me. And I go to Ben Avery. Most Gunsite Mountains are named that for a reason. ;)

[outdoorsman74]

I am aware of that, but I was just refering to the post by azbackpackr... so chill okay. A little extra information never hurt anyone, if you do not it like then do not read it. In my opinion at least half the people who carry should not even be allowed to hold a gun because they are not competent enough to use it in emergencies. Handling a firearm safely takes practice, training, and self discipline among other things.