I sent this to the Twp manager:
Hope you are well. I imagine you'd have to send this to the township lawyer, but I'm starting with you as I have no idea who that may be.
I'm curious about our laws on discharge of firearms in Westtown twp. I frequent a website called PA Firearm Owners Association (
www.PAFOA.org) and a thread came up about backyard shooting in Chester County. I've search our online ordinances and cannot seem to find anything specifically prohibiting safe target shooting on private property in Westtown? The only reference to firearms I found was in the disturbing of the peace ordinance and that states (as prohibited activities): "The discharging on or across the streets or highways of air guns,spring guns, rifles or firearms of any kind or character whatsoever;"
It seems to me that prohibition, with the specific modifier of "on or across the streets or highways", was not intended to prohibit safe shooting on private property. So absent any specific prohibition on firearms (that I could find in westtown ordinances), if I were to set up a small, safe range, with the proper backdrop, etc., in my backyard, is there any prohibition from Westtown to using it?
and just received this back:
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I ran this by the WEGO police chief, Brenda Bernot, and her response was:
“This individual is correct in that Westtown Township does not have an ordinance that specifically addresses the use of firearms in the Township. However, if a subject discharged a weapon in close proximity to another house, the roadway, etc., our department would have the ability to charge the individual under Section 2705 (Recklessly Endangering Another Person) under Title 18, Penna. Crimes Code. This crime is a misdemeanor of the second degree.”
I trust answers your question, but disappoints you nonetheless.
And I replied with: I appreciate you running this to ground. It addresses pretty well, but does not really answer the question definitively. I'm particularly addressing the words 'recklessly' (which would be mitigated by my assertion of 'safe range, with proper backdrops'. And the words 'close proximity'. What is the definition of that? 20 feet? 200 feet? 500 feet?
I know my answer is probably 'close proximity' and 'recklessly' means whatever they want it to mean, and that's probably good enough for me to be disappointed. I'm not a rebel, nor to I have the time, dollars nor energy to put it to a legal test. But my feeling is that, if I did, I would probably win. So thanks much.