Monday, October 25, 2010

Common Sense Gun Control...

Via Unc, we find this novelty pen constructed from rifle brass. Since it's made out of a "Real rifle shell", it's a piece of ammunition under Massachusetts law:
"Ammunition", cartridges or cartridge cases, primers (igniter), bullets or propellant powder designed for use in any firearm, rifle or shotgun. The term "ammunition" shall also mean tear gas cartridges, chemical mace or any device or instrument which contains or emits a liquid, gas, powder or any other substance designed to incapacitate.

(emphasis mine) Yes. You would need a minimum of an FID card to possess that pen in the people's Republic of MA. A. Stinkin'. Pen. Because it is made out of an actual piece of brass - a component used in the manufacture of firearm ammunition - it requires a permit (fee: $100, plus whatever the cost of the required Basic Firearms Safety Course) to own. A. Pen.

That's what common sense gun control looks like, folks.

That is all.

11 comments:

Andrew said...

If it's got a hole drilled in it, isn't it demilled and therefore no longer an ammo component? Not that it matters to me...

Robert McDonald said...

And a shoelace is just a shoelace...until it's a machine gun.

Keystone said...

I was under the impression that deprimed brass was okay. Maybe that's just for not having to lock it up under the 'safe storage' crap.

Eck! said...

Get some some cop that has had a bad day so far and your day has just gone downhill till they sort it out and then issue a fine for disorderly conduct or some other catch all for their effort. All you need then is a no tolerance judge and the poo hits the fan.

shouldn't be that stupid but it is.

Eck!

Jay G said...

I don't want to be the test case on a felony conviction, thanks.

Like Eck says. All it takes is one cop having a bad day, and bam, you're mounting a defense against felony gun charges.

You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride, so to speak.

Keystone said...

Do you think we can stage some sort of coup and annex a portion of the state to New Hampshire?

Of course, they probably don't want most of the people they'd get, anyway...

Joat said...

If you did get tagged with the offense couldn't you fight it on first amendment grounds?


Also if you do have a FID card, it could help you keep your pen, you could tell people it's a felony for them to take your pen.

ASM826 said...

And yet...

Ian Argent said...

At least in NJ th couple of Blazer aluminium empties kicking around my desk aren't a potential felony...

Reputo said...

What if a pen company made their cases in the shape of rifle brass, using brass. Would this still be a felony? The pen was designed as a pen from the get go, and the brass has never been fired or primed.

This of course begs the question, how could you even tell a fired brass pen next to a pen made to look like rifle brass that hasn't been fired? One is a felony and the other is a novelty!

Weer'd Beard said...

I had to shit in some kid's cornflakes at the range the other day. His uncle was taking him shooting, and he was grabbing one piece of brass of everything he shot as a souvenir. Until Mr. Gloomy Beard showed up and let them know.

*sigh*

I told the kid to remember this day when he was old enough to vote...