Expert: Robert P. Firriolo - 11/23/2008

Question
Are there any limitations for the safe discharge of a weapon at a target, ie. does the target have to be a minimum distance from a neighboring property line? Can a weapon be discharged pointing toward a neighboring property?

Answer
There is no practical way to fully answer this question since you don't say what state you're asking about. Every state has its own laws regulating the discharge of firearms. Such laws may include minimum distances from dwellings, schools, roads, etc. that a shooter must be to lawfully discharge a firearm. Those distances can even vary from place to place within a state(for example, county to county, or outside cities, etc.).

Regarding the direction of discharge, again, specific states may have specific restrictions, however, no matter where you are you will always be responsible for the bullet, slug, or pellets that you discharge. Even if there is no specific law regulating in which direction you may fire, you can be held civilly and criminally liable for any damage or injury you cause, even if unintentional. You could also be found to be violating laws (such as nuisance or trespass) if your shots are landing on somebody else's property, even if they don't cause visible damage.

As an example, recently in upstate New York, a hunter fired a rifle shot at a deer that either missed the deer or passed through the deer, and then went on to pierce the wall of a home and kill a small child. There was no report of any law being broken regarding the distance the shooter was from the home (and there are such laws in New York) but he is being charged with criminally negligent homicide.

So, the bottom line is 1) you need to check your local laws to answer your first question; and 2) you are responsible for every projectile that leaves your gun. As the fundamental rule of gun safety states, be sure of your backstop and what's beyond.