Residents urge action after repeated explosive target blasts near Pinecroft homes

At the May 4 Randolph County Board of Commissioners meeting, a succession of Pinecroft-area residents urged the board to address repeated, loud explosive target charges — commonly called Tannerite — being set off near houses.

“It literally felt like a piece of a plane fell off and hit my roof,” said one resident, describing how their house shook and a family dog hid under a desk. Bud Kauffman, who said he lives about 100 yards from the shooting site, told commissioners this was the fourth occurrence and that his neighborhood had experienced damage to homes and vehicles. “This is the fourth time he's done it … it's causing some real problems for us,” Kauffman said.

Phil Cooper, another nearby resident, described the devices and their effects and cited state guidance. Cooper said the manufacturer recommends a maximum of 1 pound per charge and that, based on noise and vibrations, he estimated the device used nearby was far larger. He said his team measured damage and assembled a neighborhood map showing that homes lie within a few hundred feet of the blasts.

Speakers urged the county to explore options ranging from local ordinances (hours limits or noise restrictions) to involving state or federal regulators. Several commenters said records requests and historical correspondence raise concerns about whether the gun-range owner and some public officials had close personal ties; those claims were described as appearance-of-impropriety concerns by commenters, and the chair responded that the county’s recusal triggers are set by North Carolina standards.

Commissioners did not take immediate legislative action at the meeting but heard requests to investigate enforcement options. County staff and commissioners noted recent state activity on Tannerite and advised residents that remedies may include law-enforcement complaints, state regulatory routes and potential local ordinances if within the county’s authority.

What happens next: The board did not vote on an ordinance at the May 4 meeting. Residents asked the county to research legal options and enforcement pathways; commissioners and staff said they would take the concerns under advisement and that further follow-up would be required.

Sources: Public-comment remarks to the Randolph County Board of Commissioners on May 4, 2026 (comments by Bud Kauffman, Phil Cooper, Isaac Kaufman, Amy Wang, Fritz Wang and others).