Help the Police are after me !

[Matt Dixon]

Were can i find the rules and reg for my cannon in WV? The cops already got my neighbor. I thank im next.   

[Double D]

Contact the State Attorney General's office, County Attorneys office or City Attorneys Office..

You could also make a post on the N-SSA website and ask.

Often times they don't get you for  having a cannon but for other things like disturbing the peace or orther such noise violation.   It's up to you to know the rgulations before you fire!  Most Law enforcement actions along this line are the result of specific complaints.

What specifically did the Police charge your neighbor with? Unlawful discharge of a fire arm or disturbing the peace?

[GGaskill]

Unlawful discharge of a fire arm ...

Muzzle loading artillery pieces are not considered firearms by federal law, although WV may be different.  You need to research the law from several perspectives.  In CA, they are neither firearms nor fireworks according to the law.

[Cat Whisperer]

Were can i find the rules and reg for my cannon in WV? The cops already got my neighbor. I thank im next.   

Matt -  WELCOME to the board!

You know of course that the local police will know local laws better than state and federal laws, BUT all three sets of laws apply and each can be found in a different location.

When I was a teenager I did a lot of target practice WITH the local police - I think it helped out when there was any question.
(Most of them NEEDED the practice too.)

[longcaribiner]

A few years back, I callled the local police and asked about firing my cannon on the 4th of July, making sure I explained that it was a muzzleloader : stuff-it-down-the-front-Davy-Crockett-style.  I was told that I needed a pyrotechnics permit just to fire it in PA.  (I understand that the former Mayor of Lancaster, PA, Charlie Smithgal, a Civil War re-enactor,  owns 30 or 40 cannons which he fires at his place in the country.)   

I then called the state police and got the same answer.  I actually looked in the PA statutes and Code, and couldn't find anything, one way or the other. 

There can be several ways to get you, a) in some areas barrels of a certain bore size are considered an explosive device. b) discharging a firearm in municipal limits,  c) violation of the noise ordinance, if you have one, d) disturbing the peace, even e) causing a public nuisance,

[Farmer Dean]

Matt, you'll have to spend some time on the Internet looking up local and State laws. As mentioned already check your local laws and get the definition of fire arms and fireworks - it should not be either. Get copies of your noise and nuisance  statutes. Study them and make a file with copies of everything on hand. Have a good attitude - don't be confrontational - be educational. If you're within your rights, then exercise them. I'm in California and I had my local Fire Marshal tell me he'd get me for illegal fireworks if I set off my cannon. Nice try, but no cigar. California statute specifically mentions that cannons are not a firework. I've got the code section on file along with a half a dozen other codes that may apply.

[Matt Dixon]

The cops took his mortar and told him that it was a homemade explosives divice. Then the fined him a good penny. Im out side of city limits and he does to but maby we can have them but not fire them but im going to check the laws just to be safe.    By the way hers a link to my first cannon video its at night i will have pics soon.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q2KZ6l1akjU

      Thanks for all the help.
                      Matt
                         ps. I love this site

[GGaskill]

The cops took his mortar and told him that it was a homemade explosives divice.

I think that is complete BS; an explosives device is usually something like a pipe bumb.  It would probably require a lawyer to fight and cost more than making a new one.  But you need to research the law and see what the section he was charged with violating actually says.

[m223]

Nice video Matt, Thanks for sharing, and Welcome to the forum. Please arm yourself with the letter of the law. It would be a shame to lose your nice looking mortar. Keep us posted. Good luck Tracy

[Double D]

The cops took his mortar and told him that it was a homemade explosives divice. Then the fined him a good penny.

Now did they take  his cannon and give him a ticket and he just paid the fine  or did he go to court and the Judge fined him...There is world of differrence.

[Matt Dixon]

Good news! I talked to the county sheriff and he sad their is no laws on cannons or mortar except that if my neighbors complain and they are with in 500' of me than they have a rite to but not within 500' complain cant say a thing. And also that guy that got his taken a way must been lying they cant take it or fine him for having it or shooting it. Good news is that I'm 1000' a way from anyone so fire away!! And thanks for all the help
 

                                                                               Matt

[Double D]

To mitigate and minimize the complaints, give the neighbors a call before you start shooting, and invite them over at least once to watch.

[Matt Dixon]

I will we will have a party lol.

[GGaskill]

Ask the Sheriff for the relevant sections of the law so you can see if you are being set up.

[longcaribiner]

Several years ago, I was offerred a real deal on a travel trailer., but I had no off-street parking.  I actually went to the town police department and met with an officer and asked if it would be a problem to park a legally tagged, inspected travel trailer, along the street in front of my house.  The officer told me it was fine.  I bought the trailer, took it on a trip, came home Sunday night and parked i9t in front of the house.  I left for work Monday morning and everything was fine.  When I came home that night, no trailer and a notice glued to the front door that the thing had been towed by the town parking enforcement folks.   I immediately went to the Police station and confronted the very same desk sargeant, who merely replied, "Oh, I forgot about that, sorry!"  I pitched a fit and the Commanding officer on duty got the parking folks to give me the trailer back without a fine, but I wasn't allowed to park it on the street anymore.  I ended up selling it a few days later.

Long way to say, they LIE!  BTW  Hey Arlington, VA.  Screw you!

[Matt Dixon]

Yeah i herd if that happening before but i called the atf and same thing i just thank my neighbor i thank he is just running his mouth.

[Rickk]

if you see the cops coming, hide the gun and point them down the street to your big mouthed neighbor... "he is at it again" tell them   

Mention that it must be getting foggy if your yard is full of smoke while you are giving the cops directions to the neighbor's house.

[Matt Dixon]

LOL i will do that