legality of building replica medieval siege weaponry

I don't see how that could be even remotely illegal so long as its you don't lay siege to your neighbor's garage or something.

You would need to research state laws. No federal laws against it I'm aware of. You can even build siege weapons in NJ so I'm pretty sure it would be legal everywhere else.

They hold the annual Pumpkin Chunkin contest in Delaware each year. Delaware isn't the worst when it comes to weapons laws, but they aren't the pinnacle of freedom, either.

Trebuchets, catapults, even giant air cannons that will send a pumpkin through a mobile home. If I had the time and money, I'd love to build one, even if I was slinging nothing but the occasional gourd.

Geared toward kids, but check out the book "Backyard Ballistics". Got my 11 year old son a copy for Christmas last year and have built a few. The only comment I've gotten from any law enforcement was "cool" when he drove past and saw potatoes lofting through our little patch of airspace.

Don't give Nanny Statists ideas.

As happened to the Punkin Chunkin contest, it is not the law that gets you, but the tort liability

KY Laws

I know of no laws against them in KY. That being said, I would not take them to Louisville or Lexington.

Hmmmm...never even considered the legality aspect.
Our Scout Troop built trebuchets and we hurled grapefruit out at least 300 feet. The kids got pretty good at getting to the targets.

Mind you, those things are wicked and one needs to take the utmost caution when winding it up and loading.

I don't see how that could be even remotely illegal so long as its you don't lay siege to your neighbor's garage or something.

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Good one, vamo. LOL

If there are ANY laws against building your own trebuchet. I am going to move to Russia. I have just about had it with this godless, law crazy government.

Pumpkin Chunkin' aside(lots of how to sites for that and non-gourd launchers), it's done regularly in the Society for Creative Anachronism.
A Scorpion is just a big crew served crossbow. One SCA guy built a Chinese version that is literally a mag fed, bolt action, repeater. And it was about "a footprint small enough to fit in my pickup..."
A full sized Treb will require an entire tree and a whole bunch of advanced engineering. One was built and fired for some TV show in England, years ago. Thing launched a big 80 pound incendiary projectile roughly 200 yards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thiTa8wfZsc

Launching an upright piano with a trebuchet is epic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZxCEkGk6HI

GRIZ22 said:

You would need to research state laws. No federal laws against it I'm aware of. You can even build siege weapons in NJ so I'm pretty sure it would be legal everywhere else.

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Slingshots are illegal there. Fourth Degree Felony with 18 months in jail and $10,000 fine.

http://www.njassemblyrepublicans.com/?tag=slingshots

So IF the siege weapon does not have some sort of slingshot device, you might be ok. Who knows? Maybe they require a "Trebuchet Permit" there.
.

Kansas law prohibits Slungshots too.
And it has been misunderstood on occasion for years.

A Slungshot is more like a Flail, black jack, or Sap.

It has nothing to do with elastic band powered Slingshots.

rc

nanny warning

Remember that TV show that had the family of "little people" ?
They built one of these to throw pumpkins (which it did) but one of the
kids broke his arm somehow with it. These do store a lot of energy.

Federally, there are really no prohibitions on artillery type weapons so long as:

-They are muzzle loading; do not use fixed ammunition (fixed cartridges make them DDs)

-The projectiles are inert (Explosive projectiles are NFA regulated, chemical or biological are illegal "terror" weapons)

You could, if you had the means and inclination, legally make a muzzle loading version of Gustav under federal law, and fire it with inert rounds. The cost and logistics of ramming a van load of propellant and a 3 ton projectile down a 30 meter barrel may be ridiculous, but it would be legal.

You could, if you had the means and inclination, legally make a muzzle loading version of Gustav under federal law, and fire it with inert rounds. The cost and logistics of ramming a van load of propellant and a 3 ton projectile down a 30 meter barrel may be ridiculous, but it would be legal.

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At that scale, the $200 tax stamp to build a destructive device is miniscule. What's the legality of registering a 16" naval gun as a DD?

barnbwt said:

As happened to the Punkin Chunkin contest, it is not the law that gets you, but the tort liability

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I was bummed about missing Punkin Chunkin on Thanksgiving. Didn't find out til later the event was cancelled because they couldn't get an insurer.

They're looking to leave Delaware for freer pastures this year.

One SCA guy built a Chinese version that is literally a mag fed, bolt action, repeater. And it was about "a footprint small enough to fit in my pickup..."

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Like a scaled up Chu-ko-nu? Awesome. Would love to see that in action.

Mythbusters also created a magazine fed scorpion.

Do the projectiles have to be totally inert? I was under the impression that DD restrictions came in if the bursting charge in the projectile exceeded 1/4 ounce of explosive . . .

(Please, no comments about the silliness of including a charge that small in a large muzzle loading cannon projectile. )

Regarding post #16:

I've never watched the show, but agree with the caution. These are mechanically inefficient (usually), so there is a LOT of potential energy stored in the device, even one that simply slings a potato across my 200 foot deep back yard. One of the lessons I teach my son while we're making these is to be aware of moving parts, parts that store energy and keeping body parts clear of them. Also, have a good bit of "window" for the desired impact area. They are often very repeatable, but not exactly precise. Many variables between every shot.

Couple all this with the fact that the neighbor whose back yard adjoins my back yard has an all glass patio, we decided early on to be VERY judicious. Well, I did. My son wants to go all in every time! Granted, his patio is a few hundred yards away, but I don't want a freak accident to cost me increased insurance rates.

Forgot about something in my last post. NJ has a law forbidding slingshots. However they are sold in a lot of places. A catapult or ballista would probably gain their attention.

At that scale, the $200 tax stamp to build a destructive device is miniscule. What's the legality of registering a 16" naval gun as a DD?

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Same as any other DD. Of course, procurement and cost are an issue, and you'd likely violate noise ordinances 3 counties away. Also, any neighbors who don't have Lexan windows ain't gonna be happy.

Do the projectiles have to be totally inert? I was under the impression that DD restrictions came in if the bursting charge in the projectile exceeded 1/4 ounce of explosive . . .

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Incendiary devices are DD, too.

(1) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, (A) bomb, (B) grenade, (C) rocket having a propellant charge of more than 4 ounces, (D) missile having an explosive charge of more than 1/4 ounce, (E) mine or (F) similar device.

Isn't "trebuchet" French for "That cow went a lot farther than I thought it would!"