In Connecticut, it's illegal for a felon to hunt with a black powder gun because its possession by a felon is illegal.
And if a person is on parole under transitional supervision then basically being in possession of any weapon is prohibited, even a knife.
That doesn't mean that CT law requires that a background check be done.
However what gun shop wants to be sued by a victim if they sell a black powder gun to a prohibited person?
A person can understand the dilemma that some gun shop owners in some states must face when an owner decides whether to ask people to sign a Federal form when buying a black powder gun stating that they are not a prohibited person.
The USA has so many overlapping laws and jurisdictions that complicates what would otherwise be a simple transaction under Federal law.
Some gun shop owners must feel the need to legally protect themselves somehow when doing such a transaction.
Posted by a CT Conservation Officer [ENCON]:
"A black powder rifle is still considered a firearm for the purposes of the prohibition for convicted felons.
Here is the definition from the statute:
Connecticut General Statutes, Sec. 53a-3. Definitions. Except where different meanings are expressly specified, the following terms have the following meanings when used in this title:
(19) "Firearm" means any sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver or other weapon, whether loaded or unloaded from which a shot may be discharged;
Here is the statute that prohibits the possession:
Sec. 53a-217. Criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon: Class D felony. (a) A person is guilty of criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon when such person possesses a firearm or electronic defense weapon and (1) has been convicted of a felony, (2) has been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section 46b-120, (3) knows that such person is subject to (A) a restraining or protective order of a court of this state that has been issued against such person, after notice and an opportunity to be heard has been provided to such person, in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, or (B) a foreign order of protection, as defined in section 46b-15a, that has been issued against such person in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, (4) knows that such person is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to subsection (d) of section 29-38c after notice and an opportunity to be heard has been provided to such person, or (5) is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g)(4). For the purposes of this section, "convicted" means having a judgment of conviction entered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon is a class D felony, for which two years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court.
I once bought some BP guns by mail from a private out of state individual who asked me to sign a statement that there weren't any state laws prohibiting me from buying them.
And I bought a BP gun from Illinois that required being sent to an FFL because of Illinois state law.