Well, shoot. Or should I say choot em!

FORANE

FORANE

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fox17.com

Tennessee congressman proposes allowing property owners to shotgun low-flying drones

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett has proposed a bill allowing Americans to use a shotgun to shoot down drones above their property.HR1907, a
fox17.com fox17.com

HR1907, also known as the Defense Against Drones Act, is sponsored by U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-2). The bill allows for a property owner to shoot down unmanned aircraft using a legally-obtained shotgun if the person believes the drone is flying 200 feet or lower over their property.
 
Why the need to call out shotgun specifically? I mean ok, ruling out machine guns is probably good, but why not a sling shot or bow? Or really any weapon used in an otherwise legal fashion. Ie: there are already laws covering shooting a machine gun into the air.
 
Good legislators balance the needs of their constituents; shotgun fire won't land too far downrange, whereas rifle fire is certain to rain down on the orphanage playground in the neighboring zip code.
 
good legislation doesn’t need to repeat laws that are already on the books. Do we need driving statutes to include don’t shoot a long gun while you are driving? Don’t drive into a daycare center at 80 mph. Or 79mph. Or 78 mph.

That’s why laws are over bloated and impossible to decipher.
 
Shotgun pellets don't usually go much further than 200', so less like to shoot something that as the rule states an "individual reasonably believes that such aircraft is flying not more than 200 feet above property owned by the individual." but is actually higher.
 
This legislation is dumb, and ignores the reality of oblique drone photography. If the drone is over your property, especially in neighborhoods, unless it's shooting vertical imagery - it's not looking at you.
 
Oh good, more ways idiots can harm or kill innocent people. Can’t wait for the first person to get killed because some idiot with a shotgun was firing at a neighborhood kid’s drone like Yosemite Sam.
 
The rule is well-intentioned but misguided.

They should have said you have the right to shoot the drone OPERATOR with a shotgun. Not the poor innocent drone. And if you score an ACE, you get to keep the drone.
 
Pugs said:
I shoot about 5000 rounds a year at clays. A maneuvering drone at much more than 50 yards wouldn’t be a chip shot
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aren't the drones usually moving slower than clays? If the drone is taking video, I would expect it to move slowly and smoothly.
 
Pugs said:
I shoot about 5000 rounds a year at clays. A maneuvering drone at much more than 50 yards wouldn’t be a chip shot
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Use the LC Smith with the full choke on the left barrel ... :yesnod:

(FWIW, I'm being quite facetious)
 
Daleandee said:
Use the LC Smith with the full choke on the left barrel ... :yesnod:

(FWIW, I'm being quite facetious)
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Got one of those too. :) I'll be down shooting the Southern Side by side championships in Sanford NC next month. Hopefully flying the Archer down if it's out of it's "low induced drag" configuration.

DO5vvUx.jpeg
 
Bob Noel said:
aren't the drones usually moving slower than clays? If the drone is taking video, I would expect it to move slowly and smoothly.
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Should be but I figure once they see it's taking fire that'll change. :biggrin:
 
Salty said:
Why the need to call out shotgun specifically? I mean ok, ruling out machine guns is probably good, but why not a sling shot or bow? Or really any weapon used in an otherwise legal fashion. Ie: there are already laws covering shooting a machine gun into the air.
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Others have already covered the very limited range of birdshot. I've had shot rain down on me too--no biggie. I hope the legislation requires the use of certain shot sizes or smaller.

Bows can go quite far and when they land, they carry enough energy to do harm. Sling shots shoot rocks or steel balls and while not likely to be lethal they can harm. And, of course, bullets can travel many miles and come down with enough force to kill.
 
Domenick said:
Others have already covered the very limited range of birdshot. I've had shot rain down on me too--no biggie. I hope the legislation requires the use of certain shot sizes or smaller.

Bows can go quite far and when they land, they carry enough energy to do harm. Sling shots shoot rocks or steel balls and while not likely to be lethal they can harm. And, of course, bullets can travel many miles and come down with enough force to kill.
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And all of those things are already illegal to shoot into the air without discrimination, as are shotguns. There are already laws covering this. In fact, this might cause someone to think it's now Ok to fire off their shotgun in suburbia and hit property 10 lots away, when it's already illegal to do that.
 
Also, there is the whole issue of lead shot. At least you're not going to eat it.
 
Pugs said:
Got one of those too. :) I'll be down shooting the Southern Side by side championships in Sanford NC next month. Hopefully flying the Archer down if it's out of it's "low induced drag" configuration.
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Yeah, keeping it balanced on that wheel would require a lot of elevator authority and fancy rudder footwork on the highway.
 
AvNavCom said:
Yeah, keeping it balanced on that wheel would require a lot of elevator authority and fancy rudder footwork on the highway.
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Hummm ... a nose wheel and a taildragger at the same time!
 
While they're at it, can they can sponsor the Roads Are For Cars Act, that decriminalizes running over jaywalkers?
 
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