# If I buy this 155-mm. "Long Tom" gun, can I import it and park it in the city where it fits? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078 "2015-10-29T13:28:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/1 "2015-10-29T13:28:48Z")
See subject. [http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/large\_image.php?ad=65834&cat=6](http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/large_image.php?ad=65834&cat=6) The 155mm “Long Tom” was the backbone of US Artillery during WWII. It could fire a 95lb shell a distance of up to 15 miles and was very accurate. Additionally, it could fire at a rate of 40 rounds per hour. The gun could fire high-explosive, armour-piercing, chemical, smoke, and illuminating shells. It was usually mounted on a 10 tired carriage for easy transport. It was also found in self-propelled mounts. It’s in France. A good short article (besides the Wik) is here [http://ww2live.com/en/content/world-war-2-sale-original-ww2-155mm-long-tom-rare-and-impressive-piece-history](http://ww2live.com/en/content/world-war-2-sale-original-ww2-155mm-long-tom-rare-and-impressive-piece-history) In another site (which I can’t find at the moment) the guy mentions briefly on what is and isn’t a howitzer that this is/was some kind of new combo. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/2 "2015-10-29T13:46:08Z")
I am far from knowledgeable about the mechanics of the process, but artillery is regulated on the U.S. Munitions Import List. Violations are subject to a $1 million fine and 10 years in prison. It appears the BATF is the regulating agency, but like I said, I have no idea of what the process is, or if there is a different process for historical curios. [http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr;rgn=div5;view=text;node=27%3A3.0.1.2.2;idno=27;sid=f4e4c0fd4d94e9106565233ee81c773a;cc=ecfr](http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr;rgn=div5;view=text;node=27%3A3.0.1.2.2;idno=27;sid=f4e4c0fd4d94e9106565233ee81c773a;cc=ecfr) ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/3 "2015-10-29T13:55:57Z")
The listing says “deactivated main gun” which I assume means something critical has been cut out or welded shut. Given the number of ornamental artillery pieces in every tiny town in the US, I’m guessing (but don’t know for sure) that the BATF isn’t worried about it. It’s either a museum piece, a sculpture, or a massive pile of steel scrap depending on your interest. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/4 "2015-10-29T13:59:47Z")
I don’t know for sure, but I think that it depends on how it’s been ‘deactivated’. In order for it to be legal there must be no chance it can be made to fire. For example the barrel might be permanently blocked, and then welded to the breech. The best way to be sure would be to contact the BATFE. I believe regulated firearms cannot be imported since 1986. I don’t know if that applies to ordnance that was built 40 or 50 years before that date. I wonder if there are state regulations as well. Two men in Oregon were killed while firing the cannon in a restored WWII tank ([link](http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/central-oregon/2015/10/27/explosion-gun-range-near-bend-sheriffs-office-says/74711904/)). I know Oregon allows machine guns, and apparently they allow ordnance as well. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/5 "2015-10-29T14:00:42Z")
I imagine you’d probably have to de-militarize it in some fashion first, prove that to the Federal govt. for importation purposes, and also get the approval of whatever city that you plan to plunk it in a park within. There are lots of old tanks and artillery pieces out and about at VFW halls, cemeteries, parks, etc… there’s got to be some precedent for doing this, at least at the local level. Not sure about the importation part though. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/6 "2015-10-29T15:36:36Z")
Now _that’s_ open carry! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/7 "2015-10-29T15:54:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Now _that’s_ open carry! ‘Is that an artillery piece in your pocket, or are you _really_ glad to see me?’ ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/8 "2015-10-29T16:37:07Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘Is that an artillery piece in your pocket, or are you _really_ glad to see me?’ There’s a reason it’s called “Long Tom”… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/9 "2015-10-29T16:40:20Z")
OP here. I actually was vaguely wondering what the NYC parking laws are, assuming this thing is is on wheels (tracks would tear up the road, so I would think driving one on city streets is right out). So a corollary OP would be: **What’s the largest “most powerful” wheel-mounted weapon (including missile launchers) and can I park it on the street if it fits and I feed the meter?** But this artillery piece also interests me. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/10 "2015-10-29T18:35:41Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > **What’s the largest “most powerful” wheel-mounted weapon (including missile launchers) and can I park it on the street if it fits and I feed the meter?** Why bother feeding the meter? ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/11 "2015-10-29T18:45:33Z")
But any vehicle mounted weapon above a 50 cal, you have to have a class III license and the machine guns are incredibly expensive. You can have a semi 20 mm fairly easily, however. A bit of googling suggests that in most states you could have the weapon pintle, maybe even turret mounted, so long as it isn’t a machine gun…A coax semiautomatic belt fed rifle is apparently just fine. If you want something that isn’t on tracks, [this](http://www.mortarinvestments.eu/products/armoured-vehicles-4/btr-60-8#currency=USD)seems to be pretty big. The BTR-60 does have a turret variant but the ones offered by Mortar Investments don’t appear to have turrets. APCs get “demilled”, it means the armor panels have pieces cut out and then patches are welded on later. The weak points at the patches are probably still capable of stopping small arms fire, you would be in trouble if you were facing 20mm machine gun fire or higher, however. Apparently, tracked vehicles don’t do as much street damage as you would think - the ground pressure per track segment is actually a lot less than a wheeled vehicle, and there are rubber road protectors that go on the tracks. With the rubber road protectors you might not do any damage at all. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/12 "2015-10-29T20:18:48Z")
Be aware that being “deactivated” means it’s useless against runaway blimps. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/13 "2015-10-30T05:38:31Z")
I wonder if Lee makes dies for reloading 155mm ammo. I mean, that brass must be expensive - you’d want to reload it, right? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/14 "2015-10-30T05:42:43Z")
No brass, 155’s have a projectile, fuze, propellant bag/bags, breech-block primer system. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/15 "2015-10-30T08:55:38Z")
Wouldn’t this be covered by the Second Amendment? ---
**Author:** ![barath\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@barath\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barath_s)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-this-155-mm-long-tom-gun-can-i-import-it-and-park-it-in-the-city-where-it-fits/736078/16 "2015-10-30T10:25:27Z")
The supreme court in district of Columbia v heller [held in 2008 that](http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1715969?ir=India)"the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited Scalia authored that decision and on a TV show, said that that the Second Amendment “obviously” doesn’t apply to weapons that can’t be hand-carried, and modern-day weapons like “hand-held rocket launchers that can bring down airplanes” weren’t factored in at the time of the writing of the Constitution.