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Need a permit to purchase a BP revolver?

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KEDSFAN

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Up until a recent tragic boating accident I had been collecting arms of various types for fifty years I did a lot of competitive BP shooting in the 70"s. I was watching an online auction here in Minnesota recently and there was a .44 BP revolver on it that interested me. Then I read that it is considered a firearm in Minnesota and I would need a Permit to Purchase in order to get it.

I am well aware of that requirement for centerfire pistols. I admit that is has been a long time since I bought a revolver but when did it become such a hassle to get one?

I recently bought two Hawkens from a FFL dealer on the East coast and they were shipped to me directly with absolutely no government involvement.
 
Sign of the times, perhaps see if your local F.F.L. gun shop would take delivery for a few dollars, If so they may just let you walk out the door with it. But things are going to get tight everywhere with the current atmosphere. Never had this happen yet, A few days ago I was in a shop not even in my home state, dealer had a brass framed capper I was looking at ask me if I wanted to buy it, I told him I was visiting from out of state and he says give me the money and I give you the gun.
 
Sign of the times, perhaps see if your local F.F.L. gun shop would take delivery for a few dollars, If so they may just let you walk out the door with it. But things are going to get tight everywhere with the current atmosphere. Never had this happen yet, A few days ago I was in a shop not even in my home state, dealer had a brass framed capper I was looking at ask me if I wanted to buy it, I told him I was visiting from out of state and he says give me the money and I give you the gun.
In order to buy a pistol in Minnesota you have to fill out a lengthy questionaire and deliver it to the local police chief. They can dig through your life any way they want before giving you a Permit to Purchase a pistol in the state. The permit is only good for a year. I have no plans to do any of that.

Also, the revolver is a Rogers and Spencer made in the 1860's or so. I would have thought it to be considered an antique and not subject to any government intrusion.
 
The online auction is probably making up their own rules to play it safe for any firearm sold to anyone anywhere or they are ignorant of Minnesota firearm laws for sale and transfer of black powder antique or replica firearms to your state.. Your current Minnesota 2020 firearm law for BP antique and replica firearms is below. You may possibly have local city or county laws for registration or permits for BP antique and replica firearms.

MINNESOTA STATUTES 2020

624.712 DEFINITIONS
Subd. 3. Antique firearm. "Antique firearm" means any firearm, including any pistol, with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system, manufactured before 1899 and any replica of any firearm described herein if such replica is not designed or redesigned, made or remade, or intended to fire conventional rimfire or conventional centerfire ammunition, or uses conventional rimfire or conventional centerfire ammunition which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

Subd. 12. Exclusions. Except as otherwise provided in section 609.66, subdivision 1f, this section shall not apply to transfers of antique firearms as curiosities or for their historical significance or value, transfers to or between federally licensed firearms.

624.713 CERTAIN PERSONS NOT TO POSSESS FIREARMS.

624.714 CARRYING OF WEAPONS WITHOUT PERMIT; PENALTIES.

624.715 EXEMPTIONS; ANTIQUES AND ORNAMENTS. Sections 624.713 and 624.714 shall not apply to antique firearms which are carried or possessed as curiosities or for their historical significance or value, or to ammunition or primers, projectiles, or propellent powder designed solely for use in an antique firearm.
 
They put this special disclaimer on this revolver, not on any of the other centerfire revolvers..


  • Brand: Rogers & Spencer
  • Model:
  • Type: Revolver
  • Serial: 2500
  • Caliber: .44 Black Powder
  • Scope:
  • Case:
  • Notes: The state of Minnesota considers this to be a firearm. We WILL do a NICS check and you will require a permit to purchase or a permit to carry a handgun.
 
Up until a recent tragic boating accident I had been collecting arms of various types for fifty years I did a lot of competitive BP shooting in the 70"s. I was watching an online auction here in Minnesota recently and there was a .44 BP revolver on it that interested me. Then I read that it is considered a firearm in Minnesota and I would need a Permit to Purchase in order to get it.

I am well aware of that requirement for centerfire pistols. I admit that is has been a long time since I bought a revolver but when did it become such a hassle to get one?

I recently bought two Hawkens from a FFL dealer on the East coast and they were shipped to me directly with absolutely no government involvement.
I just read through the Minnesota firearms law, cap and ball revolvers are covered under "Antique Firearm" therefore not requiring an FFL as an intermediary.

It almost looks like the law was written simply to confuse people in the area of black powder (non-cartidge) firearms, to decipher it one needs to look at the definitions in the law.
 
In order to buy a pistol in Minnesota you have to fill out a lengthy questionaire and deliver it to the local police chief. They can dig through your life any way they want before giving you a Permit to Purchase a pistol in the state. The permit is only good for a year. I have no plans to do any of that.

Last time I checked Minnesota is still in the United States. Is this still correct?
 
Here in upstate New York you may purchase a black powder revolver and legally own it provided that you do not have the powder, ball and caps to shoot it.
If you have what is needed to shoot it then you must have a NY State pistol permit and have the gun registered on your permit.
Pistol permits upstate are controlled by each County Court. Applications are made via the agency that the Court has stipulated, usually the Sheriff's Department. They require finger prints, fees, back ground check including calls to references. They take anywhere from a few months to a year or more and then the Judge can deny it for any reason that he determines without notifying you of the reason.
NYC is a whole other thing. There have been some issues there with several attorneys offering to expedite your permit for a fee that was apparently shared with the NYC Police that were responsible for issuing the permits.
This is what we all may have to look forward to as Congress is looking at enacting a licensing requirement for all firearms.

Woody
 
They put this special disclaimer on this revolver, not on any of the other centerfire revolvers..


  • Brand: Rogers & Spencer
  • Model:
  • Type: Revolver
  • Serial: 2500
  • Caliber: .44 Black Powder
  • Scope:
  • Case:
  • Notes: The state of Minnesota considers this to be a firearm. We WILL do a NICS check and you will require a permit to purchase or a permit to carry a handgun.

Someone in the auction organization may have made a mistake in listing this BP revolver or are simply ignorant of your state laws. You may do well to forget this auction and find the Roger & Spencer revolver at another online auction website.
 
Here in upstate New York you may purchase a black powder revolver and legally own it provided that you do not have the powder, ball and caps to shoot it.

This is what we all may have to look forward to as Congress is looking at enacting a licensing requirement for all firearms.

Woody
I predict millions of tragic boating accidents soon.
 
This is just ridiculous.. a permit for a muzzle loader.. to some of this is an art and it’s a damn shame that we can not freely enjoy it in some places.
 
I was looking at a Pietta Colt .44 while at Cabelas in Delaware.In talking with the clerk, he told me that Cabelas would ship the revolver to a FFL in my state if I wanted to buy it.
A few weeks later, I walked into Cabelas in Pennsylvania and saw the same revolver. Picked it up from the shelf and paid for it at the checkout counter. No questions asked. I have heard that rule has been changed since my purchase. :mad:
 
I was looking at a Pietta Colt .44 while at Cabelas in Delaware.In talking with the clerk, he told me that Cabelas would ship the revolver to a FFL in my state if I wanted to buy it.
A few weeks later, I walked into Cabelas in Pennsylvania and saw the same revolver. Picked it up from the shelf and paid for it at the checkout counter. No questions asked. I have heard that rule has been changed since my purchase. :mad:
So if you want to buy a BP pistol at Cabelas they have to send it to your ffl?
 
There is the line of thought that because there are drop-in cylinders out there for
some models of these revolvers, that they are not exempt under the law. Again
this is the "Controllers" assuming you will make a certain decision. Well if that is
the case, then let's control car ownership more. Cars are the most deadly weapons out there.
We tried to prohibit alcohol and that failed. Let's control chlorine bleach, that can be
a terrible weapon too. Someone might use it wrongly. Yes, there was a nut case in Ohio
who bought a Cabela's BP revolver and shot his neighbor. But in the same time frame
hundreds killed innocent people by mistakes behind the steering wheel. If you caused
a traffic accident shall we prohibit you from buying a car at the Point of Sale?? Where
will the "Control Freaks" stop?
 

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