Defence with antique firearms

[hueyville]

My guess is by the time you get to the jury whether you clocked someone with a Glock or a Flintlock the jury is going to see it as a gun on the evidence table. Self defense or whatever, if your in an unfriendly state and the District Attorney wants to pursue you its going to be a bad day.

 

[Cosmoline]

I also have a custom built Colt Bisley with pre-ban elephant ivory grips in .44 Special that fits the bill for most any shooting need.

!! Personally I'd rather take a bullet than risk having that thing tossed into some evidence locker. That's the gun you get other guns to protect.

 

[The-Reaver]

lol, I clocked my ROA with a 220 conical at just under 1k FPS

I'd say it will do its job.

 

[Sistema1927]

While a C&B revolver will still kill like it did in the 19th Century, this kind of talk is defeatism.

If the anti -Freedom crowd gets their way, it will be illegal to defend yourself, even in your own home, and using any device or implement. Think that I am kidding? Just look at the UK.

Give no ground, defend Freedom on all fronts.

 

[PRM]

While a C&B revolver will still kill like it did in the 19th Century, this kind of talk is defeatism.

I must be missing something. The statement is true - how is that in itself defeatism? I will agree that there are better choices today. But if a person likes the older guns, they are certainly adequate to do whatever is needed.

The OP asked..."have any of you ever carried or used an antique or a reproduction as a defensive weapon?" I've been using C&B revolvers since the 70s. When I was younger, I loved to shoot, and could shoot a lot more with these than I could with cartridge guns. Aside from the number of rounds I have put down range with them. I have hunted, taken small game them, killed coyotes that were bothering livestock, used them on hikes in the woods, around the farm and just about any other use I have needed a firearm for. I took the OP as asking if they were a viable arm.

 

[Pat C.]

PRM #4 Shoot Shootgun pellets!!

 

[Nickel Plated]

Well since NYC is being thrown around as an example here I think I'll chime in. Here, antiques are exempt from firearm status same as anywhere else in the country. The difference however is here it counts as an antique only if it stays unloaded and you do not have the ammo necessary to fire it. Once you get bullets, powder, and caps, your cap n' ball revolver becomes no different than a Glock or 1911 and is subject tot he same registration and licensing laws.
On top of that, even if the government doesn't consider it a "firearm" per-say. It will still most definitely count as a deadly weapon which are also illegal to carry.

In short, any place where you would have legal problems defending yourself with a modern semi, an antique is not likely to help you much. If you decide to disregard the law and carry anyway then you might as well get a modern pistol. The punishment for getting caught will be largely the same, but you'll atleast have a weapon more suited for the task.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

I was speaking more of home defense.

If not NY, then what about places like NJ?

 

[gym]

You might be better off with a knife at close range, especially if you had the element of suprise.

 

[brickeyee]

Here, antiques are exempt from firearm status same as anywhere else in the country.

ONLY under Federal law.

States are all over the place.

 

[Nickel Plated]

ONLY under Federal law.

States are all over the place.

Like i said, here.

Local NYC law basically reads that any firearm made prior to 1899 or replica of one. That does not fire self contained cartridges or only fires cartridges that are not available in the "regular channels of commerce" (whatever that means) is an antique and not a firearm as long as you do not possess the ammunition required to fire it.

State law is the same except they don't care weather you have ammo for it or not.

I'm sure MOST states are the same. With of course SEVERAL EXCEPTIONS like IL, NJ, and MA I believe.