Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a)
General provisions. In addition to §
135.2 (relating to unlawful
actions), the following pertain to lands under Commission ownership, lease or
jurisdiction designated as rifle or handgun ranges:
(1) Rifle and handgun ranges are open from 8
a.m., prevailing time, until sunset Monday through Saturday and from 12 noon to
sunset Sunday, unless otherwise posted; except the Sunday immediately preceding
and any Sunday throughout the duration of the regular firearms deer seasons and
the regular firearms bear seasons, when the hours are 8 a.m. to
sunset.
(2) A range may be reserved
for exclusive use by an organized group from January 1 through October 1.
Applications for a range reservation shall be made through the appropriate
regional director or a designee at least 20 days in advance.
(3) An individual may not use the range
during any period reserved by an organized group.
(4) An individual or an organized group using
the range is responsible for keeping the area clean and free of debris, and may
not discard, deposit, leave or throw litter except in approved refuse
containers. Range users shall remove targets from range backboards when
shooting is completed and prior to leaving the range.
(5) The Commission is not responsible for
anyone injured on the range. An individual using Commission- owned ranges does
so at his own risk and assumes all responsibility for injuries to a person or
property caused by or to him.
(6)
When more than one person is using the range, a range officer shall be
designated.
(7) An individual under
16 years of age may not use the range unless accompanied by a person 18 years
of age or older.
(8) The
appropriate regional director or designee may close a range by posting signs to
that effect. An individual or organized group may not use the range during a
period when it is posted as closed.
(b)
Prohibited acts. At a
rifle and handgun range located on land under Commission ownership, lease or
jurisdiction, except when authorized by the appropriate regional director or a
designee, it is unlawful to:
(1) Discharge a
firearm from any location on the range other than an established shooting
station on the firing line.
(2)
Discharge a firearm at any target other than a paper target placed on a
permanent target backboard mounted by the Commission. Users are prohibited from
intentionally shooting at or damaging the frames or stands constructed by the
Commission to mount permanent target backboards.
(3) Discharge armor piercing, incendiary,
explosive, tracer or multiple projectile ammunition.
(4) Be intoxicated, use or possess an
intoxicating beverage or controlled substance on the range.
(5) Discharge an automatic firearm.
(6) Load or discharge a firearm that contains
more than six rounds of single projectile ammunition.
(7) Shoot clay birds anywhere except areas
designated by the Director by signs stating that clay bird shooting is
permitted.
(8) Load or discharge a
firearm or use a range facility for any reason without possessing a valid
Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Commission-issued range permit
signed by its holder. This prohibition does not apply to persons 15 years of
age or younger or up to one person accompanying another person in possession of
a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Commission-issued range
permit.
(9) Operate, manipulate or
discharge a firearm in negligent disregard for the safety of other persons
present at or nearby the range. This is specifically intended to include
loading a firearm, operating or manipulating a loaded firearm, or discharging a
firearm anywhere on the firing range while another person is
downrange.
(10) Use a Commission
range in violation of any other requirement of this section or posted
signage.
(c)
Range designation. The default designation for Commission
ranges, regardless of length or size, is as a rifle range. The Commission may
designate any range as a handgun only range by posting appropriate
signage.
The provisions of this § 135.181 amended under
34 Pa.C.S. §§
322(c)(4) and
(6),
721(a), 2102(a) and
2901(b).
This section cited in 58 Pa. Code §
147.1003 (relating to range
permit).
