Questions about artillery and ownership

[Eric F]

I have seen a bunch of footage where various ski resorts get various forms of artillery for "avalanch prevention". Who actually owns these weapons? If it is private ownership whats the limit on how big of a gun you can get? Where do you get amunition from?

 

[nalioth]

MUZZLE LOADER!!!


I have no actual clue on the modern artillery. Muzzle loaders would work fine, though

 

[SDC]

In the US, artillery is defined as something firing a fixed round of ammunition with a bore diameter over .50"; they are considered "Destructive Devices" under the NFA, with a hefty tax paid on their transfer (live HE rounds for each of these would also be considered "DD"s, with a further tax on those, so most of the owners of these items reload non-HE projectiles for them on the rare occasions they get to shoot them).

 

[jjbduke2004]

I remembered reading that they used recoilless rifles and have seen pictures in a National Geographic kid's book (Our Violent Earth) well before dad bought my first .22. I believe they used HE rounds and stored them in an underground magazine before bringing them to the firing platform.

A little googling finds: http://www.avalanche.org/~nac/NAC/techPages/articles/04_Manali_Abro.pdf

An interesting read, it sounds like they're under Forest Service control.

I had also heard a while back that the Army asked for the return of some of the 105mm howitzers as the wars started heating up,.

 

[Eric F]

A short list of stuff I know has been used.

75mm guns of all sorts
80-some thing mm morters
105's
155's
bazookas(1980's)
recoiless rifles
also various he "bombs" with fuses droped from helicopters.

I would think these things are still owned by either the militery ot at the minimum the national guard.

I did not read anything in the link before I posted this but now that I have that was a really good read.......thanks.

 

[CypherNinja]

There is no upper limit. NFA paperwork required, though.

Here's a video of the most powerful privately owned firearm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwGOYtyZRSs
Oh yeah, IT'S FOR SALE, too.

Also, this is for sale, as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZQpR888QuU

 

[TAB]

The ones not far from here use compressed air.

 

[Trebor]

I also heard about the military recalling some avalanche control artillery as it was needed for the war effort.

It was either a 75mm or a 105mm. I can't remember for sure now as it was a couple years ago that I read the article.

 

[brickeyee]

The artillery is 'on loan' from the military.

The commercial stuff uses compressed air.

 

[plainsbilly]

some use a "J" shaped piece of heavy wall DOM tubing with a propane and oxygen mix detonated in the short end top create a directed shockwave

 

[Prince Yamato]

I'm guessing in states where DDs are banned, they are probably "blank firing" devices of sorts and trigger avalanches with concussions and in other states, they're just large bore destructive devices. Lots of cash + $200 tax. No big deal.

 

[The Freeholder]

I'd just like to see the press to reload all that brass.

 

[scrat]

There is no upper limit. NFA paperwork required, though.

Here's a video of the most powerful privately owned firearm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwGOYtyZRSs
Oh yeah, IT'S FOR SALE, too.

Also, this is for sale, as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZQpR888QuU
__________________

THAT IS SO COOL., i wonder how much it cost per round to shoot. wowowowowowowwo

 

[Medusa]

Nah, there's a guy here who has a Flak 18 (Acht-Acht) mounted on the roof. I do have to say that there's not too much air traffic within few clicks of the house.

 

[damien]

So if artillery is simply a DD and you live in an NFA state and have the ability to manufacture an artillery piece, all you have to do is pay the tax stamp and use non-HE ammo (assuming you could acquire or manufacure that too)?

 

[stampsm]

well the shell weights about 33 pounds and i heard the brass was over 8 pounds. i have not been aboe to find out how much powder for the charge, but it has got to be alot.i wouldnt be shocked if it was around 200 per shot to fire it.

 

[barnetmill]

SDC "In the US, artillery is defined as something firing a fixed round of ammunition with a bore diameter over .50"; ..."
The largest guns do not use fixed ammunition like in 16 inch naval cannons. I bet they would still fall under all sorts of USA federal regulations.

 

[Owen]

Is the 155 fixed? I thought it was semi-fixed.

 

[Werewolf]

The 155 has seperate powder charges from the shell as do naval guns 8" and greater. Firing range is what determines how many powder bags are loaded up behind the round.

 

[TEDDY]

Arty

there is a m4 tank in vermont with 37 mm that goes to gun shows[ranges]and fires also a 70 mm yes 70 mm.that they fire.the make the projectiles.I have watched them and that round is awsome going thru a vehicle.

 

[scrat]

oh its got to be more than that. i imagine 100-200 just for the powder. So where they heck do you get a primer for that.

 

[ARKIESTEEL]

If I recall right these guns are not owned by the resorts they are owned and maintained by the Dept of Agriculture (the only other Dept that has heavy weapons). Most of them are out dated WW2 field guns.

 

[627PCFan]

I read that some of the m-1 Abrams shells use something called "cool" primers. looks to be a long tube running from the primer on the shell up through the center of the powder charge, kinda like muzzleloader pellets with the holes through the center-

 

[brickeyee]

"I read that some of the m-1 Abrams shells use something called "cool" primers. looks to be a long tube running from the primer on the shell up through the center of the powder charge, kinda like muzzleloader pellets with the holes through the center-"

Front ignition systems start to make sense when powder weights get into the pounds.

 

[scrat]

wow that would be a heck of way to reload