I had a funny feeling about shooting today... with everything that was going on on. My friend literally JUST picked up an m&p15 and wanted to try it out...so we loaded up and off to my range.

 

My range is on private property and is 40+ acres. I've been shooting there for years without incident...my juristiction has no laws against discharge. I've had the police to my range ONCE in all the years becuase they recieved a call. A single officer in a crown vic arrived checked my credientials and left me to my target practice.

 

Today..didn't go the same.

 

I'm parked at my range behind the bed of my truck where myself and a friend are loading magazines and i spot two officers approacing approx 75 yards away. I tell my friend and we put down everything we have and step away from the tailgate. The officers motion us to come towards them so we begin walking that way slowly.. I even yelled "hello" to them. They were just walking up in a casual manner.

 

 

we get to about 30 yards from them (again us walking casually toward them, and them walking casually toward us) and then they draw down on us and yell "hands up" very shorty after 3 more officers round the corner (about 50 yards from us) and draw down as well as 2 officers in full swat gear sporting m4 carbines. They get to about 10 yards ands tell us to turn around. I informed them this was private property and was told "don't give me any private property" what he meant exactly is still unsure. with hands up and facing away from them they (with guns still on us) ran our pockets and threw my keys, phone, empty pocket holster, as well as a few other belongs on the ground.

 

We stood that way for about 2 minutes until the prosecuter arrived. At wich point we were instructed to pick up our belongings and follow them over to the tailgate where the guns were.

 

on the tailgate sat (all unloaded luckily)

marlin 795

mosin nagant

ruger 22/45

polish p64

saiga (converted)

and my friends brand spanking new mp15

 

They asked us for id's and we supplied. at this point they realized the name on m LIC matched that's on the posted signs and their attitudes changed drastically.... from then on they were very nice. They asked us what we were doing and I replied target practice. They said they recieved a call of automatic fire and I assured them all our guns were legal and i told them they could fire them. They removed all the mags (man did they have a hard tim figuring out how to) wrote down all the serial numbers aqnd basically told us to have a nice day and left. The whole ordeal took maybe 30 minutes. They didn't fire any of our guns or check magazine capicity. (all were leagl of course)

 

They basically blamed it all on the events in CT... guess thats an excuse to violate your rights. All in all the only thing im upset about was them taking down my serial numbers.... thats really none of their busines. but since they were being nice i didn't give them a hard time...but i also didn't give them permission.

 

 

having many loaded guns pointed at you at once is not a fun thing... i really must say.

What.... The...... F#ck

What.... The...... F#ck

 

+10000

Holy crap... This is a What the Frack moment for sure. I've been on both sides of a barrel or two in my time and you are right. It is NOT fun. If it were me, the minute they left, I'd contact my lawyer asap!

 

 

Sent from John's iPad 2 via Tapatalk HD

Typos courtesy Apple...

Nothing I say will be taken the right way, so I'll refrain.

indeed...

 

I'm honestly not as mad right now as i should be. I realize those guys have protocols to follow and after all they were very friendly... but thats really not an excuse for putting my life in such blatent danger and not respecting my rights..

I'm not calling any lawyers... its a small town here. I don't want to make any enemys unless im left with no choice. Plus I don't like lawyers or people who want to sue for everything.

What area of the state are you in? That's insane! Glad everything worked out for you.

Nothing I say will be taken the right way, so I'll refrain.

 

I don't understand what you could say that would be taken wrong...unless you believe i was somehow at fault for following the law?

What area of the state are you in? That's insane! Glad everything worked out for you.

 

Cape may county

I'd say is time to make an appointment with the police chief. Be polite, express your pleasure that the officers were polite when they figured out the situation, and discuss with him how such issues might be avoided in the future. We want to be seen as the law abiding, concern citizens we are, no?

fugg that. I'd have a not so fun convo with my neighbors

I know the chief personally as well as many of the offeicers on the forcer. THEY KNOW i shoot out there.. which is why this is so puzzling. Although ill admit the ones who arrived (mostly younger) were all officers ive never seen/dealt with before

fugg that. I'd have a not so fun convo with my neighbors

 

no telling who called... its a very populated area and the sound travels quite far.

You should at least file a complaint with the PD. Once they established your bona fides - which according to your chronology was before they took the serial numbers of your guns - they had no reasonable articulable suspicion to take your serial numbers. They trampled on your rights.

 

Just sayin'

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

Shades of things to come if AWB2 is passed. Scary stuff indeed.

 

"it was reported you made a comment on an internet forum about the 2nd amendment and a revolution; please excuse us while we step on your neck and turn your house upside down.... oh, everything fine here. Sorry for the inconvenience."

I don't understand what you could say that would be taken wrong...unless you believe i was somehow at fault for following the law?

 

 

Nope, you did nothing wrong. My comments would only roul-up some of the folks we have on here that believe the police do no wrong.

On your own land this was? I think Officer 'don't give me private property' needs some remedial training, as do the prosecutor. This is what happens when police forces get militarized. They go out looking for trouble when none exists. This srt of thing alone is a great argument for the 2nd amendment.

were you bump firing the semi's?

You're a better man than me, taking this so well.

 

Think about it: you had GUNS DRAWN ON YOU BY A SWAT TEAM, guy! And for what transgression exactly? Because one of your shitbag neighbors wanted to make a statement of some sort.

 

Sorry, I'd have a lawyer laying a no-nonsense, "Cease and desist from further harassment of my client"-type letter on the C.O.P., pronto. Small town or no, at this point I'd be less interested in keeping the peace with these great pals of yours on the force, and more interested in not EVER being put in the gunsights of the local PD for a BS reason.

A prosecutor was 2 minutes behind the SWAT team?

 

How long were you shooting for before they entered your property?

IMO, hold a NJGF fun shoot on your property. If they thought you guys were "automatic fire" , just wait....

 

Oh and I would also follow Pizza Bob's advice. You should have something on record as you being the "concerned citizen".

Holy shhhhcow! I'm glad everything went smooth.(I guess)

 

I've had a gun drawn on me once and I will never forget it. Hopefully that will be the last.

IMO, hold a NJGF fun shoot on your property. If they thought you guys were "automatic fire" , just wait....

 

Oh and I would also follow Pizza Bob's advice. You should have something on record as you being the "concerned citizen".

 

Count me in! I'll make the 3-hour drive to Cape May County! Next spring!! A "BBQ/FunShoot"!! I'll make some homebrew for the occasion... what do you think....

 

Glock Grog?

Winchester Sarsparilla?

Savage Ale?

 

 

(before someone points it out, I'm OF COURSE kidding... I wouldn't bring alcoholic beverages to a "shoot", pantywaists...)

That is insane, a total abuse of their power and infringement on your rights. I understand their position in some respect but I wouldn't have been nearly as nice as you were.

IMO, hold a NJGF fun shoot on your property. If they thought you guys were "automatic fire" , just wait...

 

I'm in!

I'm in, it can be great!!! We can make it a nice catered event. NJgunforum south bash. I love it

I would send letters (certified) to both the prosecutor's office and police department and ask them to address your concerns about how you could make things go smoothly while using your private property for a legitimate purpose. I doubt you will get any response, but this should be documented.

 

I hate to think what would have happened if you were shooting when they approached and did not respond to verbal commands because you had hearing protection on? I like to think they waited to approach until the shooting stopped, but maybe it was just lucky timing?

I'm in for the NJGF shoot.

I'll make the ten minute drive out there! We can have an automatic assault cartridge competition.