Hey Joe,
If what follows does not apply to you mortar, I apologize in advance. Just ignore it.
What follows needs to be said to everyone as a periodic reminder.
If the bowling mortar is set up like a Stokes mortar and not a pre 1899 replica we require a letter from ATF saying it is not a destructive device and can be legally possessed before it can be discussed on this forum.
Stokes MortarWhen we first started this forum, we allowed discussions of Stokes style bowling ball mortars. If you go back to some of the old early post you will find some post of Stokes style mortars. Shortly after those were posted, we saw news reports of persons being arrested for possessing destructive devices and the destructive devices were Stokes style mortars. One was a bowling ball mortar and the other was a can shooter. Granted the mortars were part the the seized property in drug raids, but in both cases the people were convicted of possession of destructive devices.
Because of that we have said that anything that is not a replica of a pre 1899 cannon or mortar can not be posted here, unless the moderators receive a copy of a letter from ATF saying the cannon or mortar is not a destructive device and possession is legal.
We have had one ATF letter posted and that dealt with signaling devices such as cannons that shoot shotgun blanks. Those guns are allowed here.
We do this to protect you and us. We have always said we want to be sure this board doesn't become a hunting ground for ATF. The veteran ATF Agent isn't going to waste his time here, a rookie looking to make a name for himself might data mine this board.
The deal still stands if some one will provide us with a letter from ATF defining these Stokes style mortars as not a destructive device and legal to possess, we will allow the discussion.
Again Hey Joe, I'm sorry for using your thread to post this reminder to everyone.