Shotgun newbie needs advice for Hutto property control

[General Zod]

A box of 410 is nearly a dollar a round these days. If not more.

Holy crap! Why would .410 be that much more expensive than 12gauge? A dollar a round is what I expect for 12 gauge .00 buck, but birdshot's still wildly inexpensive...

 

[txbikerman]

Holy crap! Why would .410 be that much more expensive than 12gauge? A dollar a round is what I expect for 12 gauge .00 buck, but birdshot's still wildly inexpensive...

12 guage is cheap because of so many being produced

 

[TheDan]

Hate to inform you, but if you are in Hutto proper it is against city ordinance to discharge any firearm except in a self defense scenario...

Doesn't matter... He says he has 15 acres so city ordinance is irrelevant for shotguns, air rifles, and archery. There's lots of 10+ acre lots within Round Rock and Pflugerville city limits and it's pretty entertaining to hear all the shotguns going off in town during dove season.

All this has led to a severe overpopulation of bunnies in Hutto (they have torn up my veggie garden multiple times).

Setup snares between your rows... Best rabbit you'll ever taste is the little bastards that have been eating up your garden

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Doesn't matter... He says he has 15 acres so city ordinance is irrelevant for shotguns, air rifles, and archery. There's lots of 10+ acre lots within Round Rock and Pflugerville city limits and it's pretty entertaining to hear all the shotguns going off in town during dove season.


Setup snares between your rows... Best rabbit you'll ever taste is the little bastards that have been eating up your garden

Read the ordinance, it says nothing about exception for 10+ acres. The only exceptions are LE, self defense and police approved ranges. Unless there is something in state law that overrides this that I'm missing, pretty sure my point is valid. Not trying to be condescending, I genuinely don't know and only going by what I'm reading on the city page. I thought the 10+ acres thing was something that was on a county level in most counties in the state.

And as to the bunnies I was thinking of doing chicken wire between my rows and alternating them between the positive and negative terminals on a diesel battery

 

[bandanabandit1]

I would recommend a Mossberg 500 over the Remington 870. One main reason is if the extractor breaks on the Mossberg you can fix it yourself, if it does on the Remington it has to go back to the factory. Not to mention the $250 price tag on the Mossberg is nice too.

 

[TheDan]

Unless there is something in state law that overrides this that I'm missing...

Here's what you're missing
TEX LG. CODE ANN. § 229.002 : Texas Statutes - Section 229.002: REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON

 

[sonuvaTXgun]

A box of 410 is nearly a dollar a round these days. If not more.

The only reason I would buy .410 would be to use it in a judge or something of that degree.

I have a Remington 870 Express pump and I absolutely love it. Accurate with a good choke, simple and cheap to use, reliable as hell, aesthetically pleasing with the wood forend and stock, and minimal cleaning. Can't go wrong with that package.

Sent while being unproductive

 

[theblakester]

My dad lives in a neighborhood that sells the lots in 22 acre increments. They're not supposed to shoot rifles out there though. His truck gun is a mossberg 500 bantam (youth) model 20 ga. He has a 12 ga. Mossberg 500 in the barn and a couple other shotguns that he's had for a long time in the house.
For hunting larger game at slightly longer distances I'd suggest a 12 ga 870 or 500 with a rifled barrel and scope (use sabot slugs only for this barrel) or a marlin 336 30-30 if rifles are allowed out there. The 30-30 wouldn't be as versatile of an option though.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Here's what you're missing
TEX LG. CODE ANN. § 229.002 : Texas Statutes - Section 229.002: REGULATION OF DISCHARGE OF WEAPON

Thanks, so does this basically mean that if you have a proper backstop you can fire on any size land as long as you aren't within 150 feet of a residence? And also does this also apply to your own residence?

 

[TheDan]

Thanks, so does this basically mean that if you have a proper backstop you can fire on any size land as long as you aren't within 150 feet of a residence? And also does this also apply to your own residence?

Not exactly "any size". A municipality can have a ordinance against firing a gun, but if you have 10 acres or more the ordinance cannot be enforced on shotguns and if you have 50 acres or more then it can't be enforced at all. You can't allow projectiles to leave your property under any circumstance, so yeah you always need a good backstop.

I'm guessing the intent of the 150ft rule was to make sure you're not shooting near your neighbor's house, but I think the way the law is written it applies to your residence as well.

 

[AustinN4]

..........., but if you have 10 acres or more the ordinance cannot be enforced on shotguns and if you have 50 acres or more then it can't be enforced at all.

Does this mean that Michael Dell can fire guns on his 20 acre hill top estate in Austin?

 

[mwarden]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Yes, I should have been more specific and say that the property is outside of Hutto proper.

I think I have the information I need and will pick one up today. Appreciate your help pointing me in the right direction.