Legal issues

[WLB]

What are the legal issues of building and firing a a blackpowder cannon or mortar?  
Bill

[shooter575]

There are no federal laws that I know of for muzzleloading artillery. Your state will have the laws that you need to follow.Exploding projectiles will cause you grief with the law though unless you have a waiver of some sort. Check with Muzzle loading artilleryman They had a law section in one of their  mags years ago.I bet they keep it updated.

shooter575

[Cat Whisperer]

shooter575 & WLB -
  Very good questions that each of us must pay attention to.  On the federal level BATF publishes a listing of the rules.  I think the key word is 'firearm'.  It has a technical/legal definition.  If my perception is right, the dividing line between what is regulated or not is smokeless vs blackpowder (among otherthings).

  I'm sure that someone will find the right links in the near future and we can post them on our resource list.

  Thanks,

[Double D]

Here's where you go to look it up.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/27cfrv1_02.html

Look for part 178 and click on it. Then  scroll down 178.11 and click on that and scroll down to the definition of an antique fireram


    Antique firearm. (a) Any firearm (including any firearm with a
matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition
system) manufactured in or before 1898; and (b) any replica of any
firearm described in paragraph (a) of this definition if such replica
(1) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional
centerfire fixed ammunition, or (2) uses rimfire or conventional
centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the
United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary
channels of commercial trade

A cannon that is less the 1/2 in bore diameter falls here.


You also need to look here  http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/27cfr179_02.html

This time scroll down to 179.11 and click on it and look for the definition of antique firearm.

Antique firearm. Any firearm not designed or redesigned for using
rim fire or conventional center fire ignition with fixed ammunition and
manufactured in or before 1898 (including any matchlock, flintlock,
percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system or replica thereof,
whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1898) and also
any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1898, for
which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is
not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade

Cannons greater than 1/2 inch fall in here.

Basically Muzzle load it,use matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system and you are home free.  No fixed ammo.