USAF_Vet
Member
I have been kicking around the idea of a home brew BP gun for sometime, and didn't want to hijack someone elses thread. If this would be better suited in Legal, Mods, please move it.
Federally speaking, black powder guns are not regulated as guns at all, but Michigan considers BP guns as firearms. BP pistols require a purchase permit and registration.
I already have a BP rifle, and have given consideration to cutting down the barrel and crafting a new stock for it. Since, federally speaking, it isn't a gun, I'd be bypassing the Short Barrel Rifle restrictions, but what about state? I haven't found anything that covers a cut down BP rifle in any of the state firearms laws. MI doesn't yet allow SBR firearms, but would a chopped down muzzle loader be considered an SBR per state statutes, or would it be a hand gun, or something else entirely? As I said, I haven't found anything covering this. I assume I'd still have to register the pistol with the state after it's construction (or before?)
If chopping down the BP rifle would put me in potential legal hot water, what would I need to do to create a home brew BP pistol? I've got the lockworks for a percission cap firearm in a spare parts bin. My woodworking skills are good enough to craft a stock, my main concern is a homebrew smoothbore barrel.
Steel would be the ideal choice, but for something of a twist, what about brass? I know way back in the day, brass and bronze were used heavily for gun and cannon barrels. I'm not planning to run to the hardware store and buy brass tubing, before anyone asks
Depending on the material of choice, what wall thickness should I be considering? I've got quick a bit of .45 (round ball) and .50 (sabot) BP ammo, so I'd like to keep those two caliber options.
Grabbing anything off the shelf at the hardware store would be a disater waiting to happen, and I'd like to continue to open bottles all by myself.
Also, before anyone throws out the BP kit idea, I'm not looking to spend much money on this project, and I've already got everything I need except the barrel. Buying just the barrel is a possibility, depending on cost. But cutting down the existing barrel is the most cost effective option I've got right now.
Ideas? Opinions?
Federally speaking, black powder guns are not regulated as guns at all, but Michigan considers BP guns as firearms. BP pistols require a purchase permit and registration.
I already have a BP rifle, and have given consideration to cutting down the barrel and crafting a new stock for it. Since, federally speaking, it isn't a gun, I'd be bypassing the Short Barrel Rifle restrictions, but what about state? I haven't found anything that covers a cut down BP rifle in any of the state firearms laws. MI doesn't yet allow SBR firearms, but would a chopped down muzzle loader be considered an SBR per state statutes, or would it be a hand gun, or something else entirely? As I said, I haven't found anything covering this. I assume I'd still have to register the pistol with the state after it's construction (or before?)
If chopping down the BP rifle would put me in potential legal hot water, what would I need to do to create a home brew BP pistol? I've got the lockworks for a percission cap firearm in a spare parts bin. My woodworking skills are good enough to craft a stock, my main concern is a homebrew smoothbore barrel.
Steel would be the ideal choice, but for something of a twist, what about brass? I know way back in the day, brass and bronze were used heavily for gun and cannon barrels. I'm not planning to run to the hardware store and buy brass tubing, before anyone asks
Depending on the material of choice, what wall thickness should I be considering? I've got quick a bit of .45 (round ball) and .50 (sabot) BP ammo, so I'd like to keep those two caliber options.
Grabbing anything off the shelf at the hardware store would be a disater waiting to happen, and I'd like to continue to open bottles all by myself.
Also, before anyone throws out the BP kit idea, I'm not looking to spend much money on this project, and I've already got everything I need except the barrel. Buying just the barrel is a possibility, depending on cost. But cutting down the existing barrel is the most cost effective option I've got right now.
Ideas? Opinions?