A cannon is NOT a firearm.

I was initially taught the general case, so far as I recall. Everyone knew about the common vernacular "guns." "Firearm" was for the general reference to the whole category of arms using "fire powder" (or gunpowder). Which would allow for revolvers, pistols, rifles, cannon, larger artillery, guns ... even our little gunpowder-in-a-steel-pipe launchers we crafted as kids.

Of course, in practice nobody uses the term that way. Each term has their particular little portion of the pie they refer to.

Kind of like the terms dinghy, skiff, boat, yacht and ship. Use the wrong one with a rich feller or a Navy puke, one's likely to get the "stink eye" for a moment (or worse). "Hey, bud, nice dinghy there!" (Which I suppose is about as good a way of needing a firearm as one might choose, if said to the "wrong" sort. Or even a gun, if attempting such a "compliment" with a Navy puke. )

 

We were taught to call our 1911s our "piece" in the Navy. Of course, they were big on alternative language like decks, bulkheads, galley, head, overheads, swabs etc. It really pizzed off the old chiefs to call a bulkhead a wall, so I did it on a regular basis.

After boot camp, the most deadly weapon I dealt with was a pipe wrench. But, trust me, they can be lethal at close range.

 

Pipe wrenches are damn heavy

 

Legally- anything that doesn’t use a cartridge isn’t a firearm. You can take a 1018 pipe and turn it into a 20mm muzzle loading cannon- and even a felon could own it.

 

So you're saying I could wear a Colts Navy replica into the courthouse and it would be cool because it's not a firearm?
How bout an airplane?

 

Black powder is an explosive- so it’s banned on planes. Black powder guns are considered to be replica firearms- which are banned on planes. As far as courthouses go- it depends on the state- in Maine and NH you can carry in a courthouse

 

But! The 10th ammendment!!!

 

That was literally my point- states decide the rules for their courthouses.

 

In the USAF when there was an alert we were issued M1 semi auto clubs. They never gave us ammo. Most would probably shoot themselves or their partner.

 

Not if they're made of Aluminum

 

True- but if they’re long enough the torque will create enough force to do damage.

 

Felon in possession of lethal weapon!

 

Felons may not posses what the GCA of 1968 defines as a firearm or metallic cartridge ammunition that can be fired through a firearm readily available to tube American public. A black powder cannon is neither of these

 

They are still heavy, just not as heavy. And, they’d probably be better weapons because they are light enough to actually swing well, and head loaded.

 

I’m guessing that a cannon is classified as weapon of mass destruction.

 

Not if it uses a muzzle loading projectile and blaming powder- then it’s considered a “primitive weapon”