Powder regs

[Scota4570]

I have been shooting my soda can mortar. It is very hungry for powder. How much powder can you legally store? I shoot a lot of black in various guns and the mortar. EIth the recent OSHA ruckus I was planning on buying #50. I don't want to get in trouble though. I live in California, :redface: , at least for now. I can not find much on line. I have seen info on the state fire marshall's site with numbers like #20 smokeless and 1# black powder. That seems ridiculious to me. What is the scoop?

 

[paulvallandigham]

The Fed. regulations allow you to own 50 lbs. However, your state regulations control. You need to find out what California requires. Our beer can mortar sent cans flying with only 50 grains of 3Fg powder. we put 100 grains in one day to see if we got more distance, and we did! But it also rolled the mortar over on its wooden base, so the owner decided he would not repeat that stunt. I don't remember now what load he settled on, but running out of powder was not a big worry.

Now, a member built a British Light Six Pound Field Cannon, that ate one pound of powder with each shot. However, he found that he could use 1/4 Lb and 3/4 lbs. of flour placed in a foil packet, and get the same smoke, noise, but less concussion out of his cannon, and that is what he used for blank salutes.

 

[roundball]

I have been shooting my soda can mortar. It is very hungry for powder. How much powder can you legally store? I shoot a lot of black in various guns and the mortar. EIth the recent OSHA ruckus I was planning on buying #50. I don't want to get in trouble though. I live in California, :redface: , at least for now. I can not find much on line. I have seen info on the state fire marshall's site with numbers like #20 smokeless and 1# black powder. That seems ridiculious to me. What is the scoop?

The ATF sets a Federal limit of 50lbs BP that can be stored in a single family dwelling without anything special...no permits, no storage magazine, etc.

Above 50lbs then you have to abide by some of the ATF bureaucracy...all on their website.

However, states can then implement "over-rides" to the ATF regs and the state Fire Marshall's office is indeed the state level authority where you find this out.

Sounds like you aleady have...one pound of anything is ludicrous...that means you can't have a can of 2F, another of 3F, and another of 4F...you have my condolences.

 

[Will Bison]

California Codes
California Health and Safety Code
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 12000-12007


12000. For the purposes of this part, "explosives" means any
substance, or combination of substances, the primary or common
purpose of which is detonation or rapid combustion, and which is
capable of a relatively instantaneous or rapid release of gas and
heat, or any substance, the primary purpose of which, when combined
with others, is to form a substance capable of a relatively
instantaneous or rapid release of gas and heat. "Explosives"
includes, but is not limited to, any explosives as defined in Section
841 of Title 18 of the United States Code and published pursuant to
Section 555.23 of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and
any of the following:
(a) Dynamite, nitroglycerine, picric acid, lead azide, fulminate
of mercury, black powder, smokeless powder, propellant explosives,
detonating primers, blasting caps, or commercial boosters.
(b) Substances determined to be division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, or 1.6
explosives as classified by the United States Department of
Transportation.
(c) Nitro carbo nitrate substances (blasting agent) classified as
division 1.5 explosives by the United States Department of
Transportation.
(d) Any material designated as an explosive by the State Fire
Marshal. The designation shall be made pursuant to the
classification standards established by the United States Department
of Transportation. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt regulations in
accordance with the Government Code to establish procedures for the
classification and designation of explosive materials or explosive
devices that are not under the jurisdiction of the United States
Department of Transportation pursuant to provisions of Section 841 of
Title 18 of the United States Code and published pursuant to Section
555.23 of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations that define
explosives.
(e) Certain division 1.4 explosives as designated by the United
States Department of Transportation when listed in regulations
adopted by the State Fire Marshal.
(f) For the purposes of this part, "explosives" does not include
any destructive device, as defined in Section 12301 of the Penal
Code, nor does it include ammunition or small arms primers
manufactured for use in shotguns, rifles, and pistols.




12001. This part does not apply to any of the following:
(a) Any person engaged in the transportation of explosives
regulated by, and when subject to, the provisions of Division 14
(commencing with Section 31600) of the Vehicle Code.
(b) Small arms ammunition of .75 caliber or less when designated
as a division 1.4 explosive by the United States Department of
Transportation.
(c) Fireworks regulated under Part 2 (commencing with Section
12500) of this division, including, but not limited to, special
effects pyrotechnics regulated by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to
Section 12555.
(d) Any explosives while in the course of transportation via
railroad, aircraft, water, or highway when the explosives are in
actual movement and under the jurisdiction of and in conformity with
regulations adopted by the United States Department of
Transportation, United States Coast Guard, or the Federal Aviation
Agency. However, no explosives shall be sold, given away, or
delivered except as provided in Section 12120.
(e) Special fireworks classified by the United States Department
of Transportation as division 1.3 explosives when those special
fireworks are regulated under Part 2 (commencing with Section 12500)
of this division, when a permit has been issued pursuant to
regulations of the State Fire Marshal.
(f) (1) Black powder in quantities of 25 pounds or less in the
hands of a retailer having a permit issued under Article 2
(commencing with Section 6066) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2
of the Revenue and Taxation Code and in quantities of five pounds or
less in the hands of all others and smokeless powder in quantities of
20 pounds or less used, possessed, stored, sold, or transported that
is exempted under, or authorized by, the Federal Organized Crime
Control Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-452) and applicable federal
regulations thereunder.
(2) All cities, counties, and special districts and county service
areas providing fire protection shall require retailers in
possession of black powder to notify fire authorities.



If I read it correctly you are limited to five pounds of BP and 20 pounds of Nitro powder.