The Dunn Acres community sits quietly off of Highway 544 in Horry County. But for six months, resident Kim Canaday said it's been anything but quiet.
Last Saturday, more than a dozen people shot handguns into a dirt berm on Danny Reynolds' Dunn Acres property for a concealed weapons course but the location and noise coming from the course is causing some frustration.
"It sounds like an army is out here," said Canaday. "It's even worse on the weekend."
The half acre lot is within a hundred yards of other residential properties. Gun enthusiasts shot away from the homes into a wooded property not owned by Reynolds. The wooded area leads to the Waccamaw River.
The gunfire can last for up to three hours at a time, said Canaday. She also said before the berm was constructed two weeks ago, people aimed their guns at paper targets or trees and the bullets riddled the woods.
Reynolds declined to talk to us on camera, but said the group was there for a concealed weapons course. Once we set up our cameras, the group stopped shooting.
Don Comfort runs the concealed weapons course on Reynolds' property.
"This is a completely safe course, and we are doing everything legally," said Comfort. "We make sure no one is in the woods before we start shooting."
Dunn Acres is outside the city limits of Conway and Horry County has no law as to where you can shoot.
Horry County police observed the group on Saturday and said no laws were being broken.
But while no laws were broken, the deed to Reynolds' property says "no firearms or fireworks of any variety shall be discharged upon the lots. The term "firearms" shall include, without limitations, guns, B-B guns and pellet guns," which means Reynolds is breaking a covenant.
According to the deed, Reynolds could face a fine or lien on his property.
Dunn Acres is known legally as the Benton Heritage Subdivision. Keith Benton owns the woods the group is shooting toward.
Benton said he sent a notice to Reynolds that he was in violation of a covenant on the deed. Reynolds has 15 days to comply.
Comfort said last Saturday was the last time the group would meet on Reynolds' property in Dunn Acres because the group was getting pressure from the community.
"I understand people have become upset," said Comfort. "We've found another place to go and conduct the course."
But Canaday said she will continue to try to get a law passed to thwart the same situation from happening in other residential areas.
"This isn't the wild, wild west," said Canaday. "I'm scared that someone will get hurt."
Horry County Council will discuss creating a law to deal with such instances at the next Public Safety Meeting on March 22nd.
State Law Enforcement Division Major Clifton Weirs said Comfort is registered to conduct concealed weapons permit classes.
He also stated that if no county or municipality law restricts a firing range on someone's property, the class is follows SLED guidelines.
