I think I could have gone to jail??

[kraigWY]

Or Could I?

Like most grandkids, mine like to listen to "Grandpa Stories".

I was telling them of my Bomb Squad days, playing with a RMI (Robot), just to take it home for maintance and kids from all over would show up.

I'd chase the kids with the robot, grabing their bikes, and putting them in the bomb bucket 'n such. They loved it.

The Post about Sons of a Gun projects and talking to my grandkids got me to thinking.

Anyway, part of my job was maintance of the RMI and other equipment. Bomb techs are big fans of Water Cannons. Basicly a short barreled shot gun, using 12 Gage shells (or 50 cal.) to project a water, which turns into steam.

I made a lot of them for our Bomb Squad members and for smaller local departments.. Normally a tube about 10-12 inches,

Besides water they could shoot metal slugs, nickle powder, or what ever, depending on the need.

Now was I making < less then 18 inch shotguns??? Was it considered a firearm?

When I went to Huntsville (The Army/FBI school for Civilian EOD Techs), we were shown how to make dearmors or water cannons, nothing more then a tube using a 12 gage shell to project water or other material.

I don't make them any more, no need, just wondering if I was breaking the law, even if the FBI taught us how to make them.

 

[Phylodog]

Re: I think I could have gone to jail??

Were they designed to be, or capable of being shoulder fired? If not I'd think that would be your saving grace. Although even if not shoulder fired they might have been classified as an AOW but who knows.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: I think I could have gone to jail??

you weren't making SBS... you WERE making pistols (possibly AOWs)... being that they used a 12ga shell, it was a firearm, if it'd used compressed natual gas, propane, etc, it'd be a potato cannon...

being used for the purpose you made them for, I seriously doubt you'd have gotten into trouble, maybe would have been told to stop, but it was technically illegal... Unless there's some unknown to me exemption for them specifically. You were basically making a "boomstick" like fisherman use for sharks (also seen on Sons of Guns for 'gators"....

they were legal to make, where the legality comes in is the transfer to other techs, and the stamp if they were classified as AOWs.

 

[Pat M]

Re: I think I could have gone to jail??

That's OK, all the police and LE in Washington state that shot suppressed weapons until last month were committing misdemeanors.