Here is an interesting story:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,26320,00.html
This sounds like James Bond type stuff. If you could construct such a device in the United States, would it be legal? I live in Texas, where pretty much anything goes as far as guns. Obviously, you couldn’t carry a firearm disguised as a cellular phone around in public (at least not without a concealed weapon permit). But is there any general prohibition about possessing a gun that doesn’t “look” like a gun?
Yes, there is a very specific law that covers that topic. The nataional firearms act of 1934 regulated among other things machine guns, short rifles, destructive decices (bombs, grenades and certain weapons over 50 caliber) and the catchall “any other weapon” category that includes short barrel shotguns and guns that look like something else. Pen and cane guns are good examples of AOWs. There was a recent case where certain pocket holsters fell into this category as the pistol could be fired while contained within the rectangular holster. The gun/holster combination no longer looked like a gun and was ruled to be an AOW. An unregistered “cell phone gun” would be a serious offense.
Your concealed weapon permit would would not make your phone gun legal. The state issued CCW does not override the fact that the weapon itself is illegal on the federal level.
Thanks, Padeye, for the info…
I thought I may be on to an great opportunity. If it was legal, I guess someone would have thought of it before.
BTW, I do not have a concealed weapons permit. BION!
Since you mentioned the “Any Other Weapon” statute, that all sounds kind of vague. Can you cite any Supreme Court cases or Apellate law to back up particular instances? I not being adversarial, I just am interested.
You’re not an ATF agent, are you? Really, I ain’t doin’ nothin’…
Origato
Try looking at the web site for the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. They should have the federal regulations posted. The AOW section is very vague. I doubt that the US Supreme Court has ruled on it. The US courts try to avoid gun issues.
BATF has “ruled” against wallet holsters and pager holsters. You can get copies of the rulings from them.
Technically, an AOW like the cell phone gun is completely legal in Texas and many other states. AOWs are just so heavily regulated that they are rare.
The ATF has a collection of assorted weapons in a vault at their headquarters. Among other interesting items that I recall are several dozen cane guns and a gun disguised as a woman’s makeup compact–about 3 inches in diameter. There were a number of other “hidden” guns, all very amazing and all very illegal.
I Like that bra with a gun in it. Typical 007 stuff.
Alrighty then Padeye and starfish, you so schmart! For ten virtual silver dimes;
What category does the ATF classify lasers under?
I know the answer, if none of you get it I’ll be happy to post it.
PS: And it ain’t under “AOW”.
Would lasers be considered rifles, since they have a long range, high muzzle velocity, and low droppage? If they’re classified as anything at all, that would be my guess.
I’d agree, except that there’s no rifling in the “barrel” of a laser, that I’m aware of.
I’d still guess rifles, though.
Lasers fall under the classification of:
“Infernal Weapons”
What fun!!!
Lasers are not firearms so they are not regulated by BATF.
A laser is not a firarm under federal law. Curiously enough a flamethrower is not a fireram. Firarms launch projectiles with an explosive charge.
That doesn’t make clear what is an isn’t a firearm in all cases. black powder, cap and ball, arms are still firarms but not regulated by the 1968 GCA. You can still buy them mail order if they aren’t prohibited locally. The GCA only regulates firearms that use fixed ammunition.
A few years ago, some bright boy developed a beeper gun. It looked just like a beeper, and with today’s technology, could probably contain one, but fired two shots. It was rushed to the market and the police had to get involved to get it supressed and made illegal. They stated that it was hard enough locating normal wepons on a criminal without having to be suspicious of every beeper. They also said that owners of this gun could easily walk into places where guns are not allowed, such as courts, bars, government offices and so on.
The designer of it stood on his constitutional rights, defended his right to create, manufacture and sell a weapon to idiots of all types, concentrating mainly on the money he would get and choosing to ignore the potential, a very high potential, for his gun being used in murders.
Congress passed laws and shut him down. For once, Congress used their brains, probably because so many people they deal with have beepers, and who knew, someone might use the gun on them. Now certain forms of guns are proscribed, which the radicals claim is suppression of technology. The rest of us believe it to be common sense.
There was a flap about these devices a couple years back: