Neighborhood Fears Stray Fire From Gun Range

The developers that built the subdivision that close to the gun club and thr county that allowed the construction in the first place should be responsible for some type of a barrier. The gun club has been there for 30 yrs. it's not like they didn't know what they where building next to !!!!!!! It kills me when new construction comes in next to something like this or like the race track and then want to complain about a facility that has been there for years??????????

...and the people that bought these houses didn't know of this? People live along golf courses, and reap errant balls...but a bullet is a lot more invasive. I would ask the city, that must have approved the construction (?) or told the buyers "listen...it's the 4th of July every day"...someone goofed big-time.6189

As a proud member of ARPC, I take great pride in my club. This is unbelievable. You buy a house next to a range and all of a sudden you realize you hear gunfire all day. The club, which was previously located off of Wicks Road here in Arnold has been at their current location for 30 years........

Thank you Brian Munzlinger for HB2034 (Shooting Range Protection Act), passed into law in 2008.

What I find the most troubling is that just by seeing the lead from a bullet, even if it was correctly determined by law enforcement to be a 7.62x39mm round, that they could know it was fired from an AK style rifle rather than an SKS or some other rifle that fires the same round. I guess they had to find a way to sensationalize the story by referring to the "dreaded" AK-47 style battle rifle.

What I also find amazing is that since the club is in a valley, the physics of hitting a house from any of the firing positions would be quite interesting. My bet is that someone was hunting, which is not allowed on club property and hit a house with a stray round.

These developers continue to put housing in areas that known to be unsafe. Airports, etrc have this problem, becaue hese GREEDY people see land and Have to put at least one house on it, and put the buyers in harms way. Any half deecent developer should check to see if there are any dangers in and around the land they plan to build on.In this life, it's called common sense

I'm sure the police are certain that the bullet came from a *evil AK-47* rifle! It couldn't possibly came from a SKS or one of the many other rifles that fire a 7.62 bullet.

Stu, you mean such as a .300 Winchester, 30-06,.308, or any other such firearm that shoots that sized round? Of course it HAD to come from the Evil AK. These stories just...*shakes head* I don't know what anyone was thinking.

Jeff, it could have came from any 7.62 or .308 rifle, AK-47, SKS, Ruger mini-30 or a whole host of 30 caliber rifles. But the *evil AK-47* sells more stories and make people *look* like they know something about firearms.

I'm all for owning guns, within the next few months i'm purchasing an AR-15 and a Glock 45...however, safety comes first and for this moron to say he isn't sure it's coming from his range is an idiotic statement....where else is it coming from ya moron? You give gun owners a bad name...coming from a military man SAFETY is first and this man needs to shut his business down until it is made safe..PERIOD... him saying he isn't sure it's coming from his members is like palatano saying security measures worked in that attempted CHRISTMAS Day TERRORIST attack....

Umm do you people posting here think at all? You mention the complainers are dumb for buying a house and hearing gunfire all day...the point is there are bullet holes in the homes...that is the issue and is a far bigger concern than noise...I'm an Army Vet, and all for owning as many guns as you want, but some of you are idiots...these homeowners have the right to complain about bullet holes in their homes...oh and a bullet isn't the same as a golf ball ya moron

Jeff, There is absolutely no proof that the bullets came from that range. Hunters or someone off the Arnold Rifle and Pistol Club could have fired those rounds.

There are anti gun types that do this sort of thing to get ranges shut down.

Jeff,

I am a member of ARPC. There is about 100 feet of vertical elevation between the range and the homes. The range is 100 feet of so lower in elevation, the entire range is nestled in a valley. Have you ever been there? Simple physics tells us that given 1,000 linear feet, any round is going to experience significant muzzle drop. That coupled with the fact the range is 100 or so vertical feet below the subdivision makes this a hard sell for anything less than some yahoo shooting into the air, which I assure you would never be tolerated. The earthen berms would prevent anything less. I am all for making the club as safe as possible, however, we cannot simply check logic, common sense, and physics at the door.

Safety is practiced first and foremost, and is paramount at the club. Nothing less is ever tolerated. Stray rounds from hunters who hunt the surrounding property, most times illegally, are much more likely to be the culprit as the elevations would be much more plausible. That is unless you subscriber to the "magic bullet" theory of the Kennedy Assassination where the projectile apparently defies the laws of physics.

The news story goes from residents complaining about the dangerous ricochets (I am still confused off of what exactly given the elevation differential and distance) to the fact they hear gunfire all day and it bothers them. Given the club has been in the very same spot for 30 years, that seems a bit like building a house next to the railroad and complaining that the trains keep you up or moving next to a runway and complaining about the planes. The club already does not allow any shooting prior to 8:30am and after dusk as a courtesy to the residents. This is strictly enforced as far as I am aware.

I hope any residents that have concerns will come down to the club and see how it operates and the procedures in place to ensure their very fears do not occur, but they also must understand that there is a great deal of poaching on both club property as well as the adjoining woodlands, which the club has no control over beyond installing video surveillance. These individuals pose as great a threat to club members as they do the residents of the adjoining subdivision so there is a vested interest to ensure this does not occur.

Did anyone take in consideration that the home owner made the whole story up to try to get the range shut down!

Also a member of ARPC here. I just want to state that the hits on the water tower were PROVEN WITHOUT THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT to have NOT come from anywhere on club property. The police did this with lasers and that was their conclusion. It was either someone trying to frame the club, or just some idiot shooting at the water tower. Regardless, those bullets did not come from ARPC.

Thank you Fox for using the dreaded term AK-47. That may have been one possibility you were given, but of course it makes a good story. And I doubt if "Jeff" is an Army vet. This is a common tactic when commenting on firearms incidents. I was in the Army therefore my opinion is validated. woo hoo. you opinion is still idiotic. The range was there first and the construction and home buying were all done with that knowledge. The owner of the range is seeking safety measures since this happened. The construction company should put up the money for the homeowners to live elsewhere until such safety measures are instituted, or they should buy the homes back. Or get sued.

Sounds like people who purchased homes thinking that being next to a shooting range wouldn't be as noisy as they thought trying to get the club moved, one way or another. They also tried that in Pevely at I-55 Raceway, when new developments were built south of the racetrack.

I used to be of the opinion that guns were dangerous and people who carried them were dangerous as well. Until you really talk to responsible gun owners who take it seriously. Then you realize that those type of people don't shoot at just anything for the fun of it. And if you are going to a gun range, you obviously grasp the concept of personal responsibility.

Sounds to me like someone wants the Club gone so they can take the land and expand the subdivision.. Similar things happen all over.. Where i work for ex.. We've been at site for 22yrs, Was zoned Heavy ind.. 8yrs ago, a developer got surrounding area rezoned for res, built subdiv around the factory.. Then started petitioning to shut us down and rezone our plot. We've had to waste millions over the years in legal fee's just to stay.. that was millions that could have went to more employees, more wage increases, etc. etc.. Developers are extremely greedy, and will stoop very low to aquire land they desire.. Point of my story, I would not doubt if developer has LOT to do with stray bullets. Having been to many Gun Clubs, they are the Safest places with most precautions for firearms anywhere..

someone should really go after the person who forced these poor people to move in next to a firing range...

You guys seriously are morons for saying people should expect to have bullets whizzing by their heads for living close to a gun range.

*IF* this is true, it is inexcusable on the part of the hunting club. You are blaming the people for buying houses close to a gun range - so, that means the gun club should be allowed to put up paper walls and spray bullets however they wish? Give me a break.

There are billions of rounds fired on ranges all over the United States every year. Firearms ranges are some of the safest places in the country. I know some of the people that shoot at the ARPC and they are safety minded people.

it is like buying a house next to a golf course and then complaining about the golf balls in your yard.
you knew what was in the area and what went on there yet you bought anyway.. sorry.. complain to the developer not the established business that has been there 30 years.. YOU MOVED INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD...
I say PITY... it is your own stupidity.. did you think they USE BLANKS IN A RIFLE/GUN RANGE?