Since Black Powder guns are not legally firearms, would it be legal to carry this?

[Namerakis]

If not on my person, what about having it in the glove box of my car?

North American Arms

I posted a thread on CalGuns.net a while back about how I bought a BP gun and cartridge cylinder over the web and then instantly "manufactured" an unregistered non-FFL regulated handgun when they arrived at my door:
Ordered two items on the web and upon arrival "manufactured" an unregistered handgun! - Calguns.net

Of course nobody would carry around a big old cowboy gun. But what about this NAA Mini Revolver in Black Powder???



"The NAA Companion is available for sale without going through an FFL Dealer in the United States because it is a black powder firearm."

[CalCCW03]

Although it is general policy for staff not to get involved in answering questions of this sort I am going to jump in and say that it is NOT legal. A firearm is a firearm, concealed or not. It would be just as illegal to carry the weapon you cite, and if you tried to argue the fact that it is different because you did not have to purchae it through an FFL with an LEO would just get you in more hot water. While this is my opinion at this point, I would venture to guess that it is right in line with what the experts will reply with later on.

We do not try to circumnavigate the law with scemantics, we follow the law to the letter.

[Rob P.]

I'm new here but I once had to answer this exact question in real time.

First, the revolver is black powder and is considered UNloaded if it has a powder charge and bullet in the chamber but it is NOT capped or primed.

Secondly, it is ILLEGAL to carry a weapon capable of being concealed upon your person in your automobile's glove compartment or console without a CCW permit.

Third, it is LEGAL to carry openly (NOT concealed) an UNLOADED handgun. Even within incorporated city limits.

So, if you consider all the applicable code sections (some of them beyond those mentioned here) you can discover that it is legal to carry a BP revolver in your car if it: ISN'T in the glove compartment or console, it IS easily visible, and it ISN'T capped or primed.

The reality is that doing so is extremely stupid. Not only do you have to worry about interactions with LE over "man with a gun" but you also have to worry about "brandishing" issues, traffic stops, intimidation problems, potential theft, what to do when you need to go pee while on the road and there's a gun-on-the-seat-next-to-you-that-you-can't-carry-around-without-concealing-and-you-can't-conceal-it-or-leave-it-where-it-is-either-and-you-REALLY-REALLY-need-to-go-pee..... etc. This is not to mention that it takes several seconds just to cap/prime a BP revolver so the ability to actually use it in an emergency borders on useless. If you want to do this, keep it empty, don't bother with primers, and just throw the remaining chunk of steel at whomever is threatening you. You'll be in no worse position than if you try to use it for defense and in a much better position should you ever have a problem with LE. You'll still have a legal problem but it'll be much less of an issue than otherwise.

[K-dog.v3]

If not on my person, what about having it in the glove box of my car?

No flame, but what is the motivation for wanting to keep this in your car? Self defense ?

[ruey220]

isn't the BP gun going to be considered a possession of a deadly weapon?

Just think about it...Is it legal to have a hand granade or a brick of c5 in the glove box? I think this would put you in about the same heap of trouble as having a real pistol.

[PirateQueen]

Just because it does not require registration and a FFL to do the transfer does not mean it is not still a lethal firearm, and a judge or jury would also quite probably see it as a lethal firearm. You would go to jail, you would probably wreck your chances of owning a firearm or ever getting a CCW.

[1buba]

Not in relation to the legality - I've played with black powder quite a bit. I would NOT want to be carrying it in any of our vehicles... Too much static electricity. Just a thought.

[sealbeach]

Yeah, a tactical reload might take a while too...

YouTube - Loading and Shooting a Black Powder Revolver

[Python2]

Originally Posted by K-dog.v3

No flame, but what is the motivation for wanting to keep this in your car? Self defense ?

I bet its faster to run back in the trunk of your car, pull out your semi-auto, load and rack than pour powder,set the ball, ram with the rod, place the cap hoping you dont drop it, then cock.

[Mike6br]

I think you would be in just as much trouble carrying a toy plastic hand gun, or keeping one in your car. Its just not smart to test the system, you may end up dead. If you have a CCW, you must understand the intent of the laws, and know why its not a good idea to pick at then around the edges, even if its carved out of wood, LEOs have real ones.

[PanaDP]

Even if you could carry it, I wouldn't want to. Blackpowder is such a strong dessicant that the tiniest bit of your sweat in a chamber just might make it hang-fire (to the bad guy: "wait for it.....") or not fire at all.

I've hunted quite a lot with blackpowder flintlocks in PA and I didn't feel confident the gun would fire unless I loaded it that day, so I would unload (i.e. shoot it when I still in the woods at the end of the day) it daily and reload the next morning. That's not particularly practical in most, if not all, parts of california.