Is It Legal to Own a Cannon in New York?

I love a good local Hudson Valley Facebook group, especially when the drama stirs. I grab my popcorn and refresh the page constantly.

That's where I found myself earlier this week when The East Fishkill Community Group started a conversation about...cannons. Yes. Cannons.

Loud Boom in East Fishkill Caused by a Cannon?!

What started out as a conversation about a loud boom heard in town and what could have made that noise took a wild turn. The conversation then snowballed into a fun discussion about "Show Your Cannon Day" (hilarious, but unfortunately it's not a real holiday).

However, it did spark a thought in my head: "Is it legal to own cannons in today's day and age?" So I did a little research and the answer blew my mind.

Can You Own a Cannon In New York State?

According to the National Review yes and not just in New York State. In the article on NationalReview.com, they share that if the cannon you want to purchase was "manufactured before 1898 (i.e., it’s a muzzle loading model)" you can buy it without regulation. A saluting cannon is also exempt from regulation.

However, if the cannon you want to purchase is neither of those models, you'll have to pay a $200 tax stamp and according to the site "fill in some forms, wait a bit, and . . . well, that’s it."

Cannon Ownership in the US

That seems a little too simple to purchase such a large piece of equipment. So I dug a little further and went straight to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Seems like a legit source, right?

They explain in fancy ATF terms:

The Internal Revenue Service has examined a miniature cannon which consists of a 20-gauge barrel measuring 9¾ inches from the muzzle to the face of the closed breech block, trunion-mounted on two-wheel carriage, 5 1/2 inches high and 16 inches long, and weighing 18 1/2 pounds.

 

The above described miniature cannon, in its assembled condition, is not a "firearm" as defined in section 5848 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1054 because it is not capable of being concealed on the person.

 

 

If you're like me and need the above statement transcribed into simpler terms, the ATF adds:

This ruling clarifies that a miniature cannon with a 20-gauge barrel and certain other component parts in its assembled condition is not a “firearm” as defined in section 5848 of the Internal Revenue Code

Sounds like you can own a cannon, but there are some regulations. Good to know.

Now, what we really need to know...was it a cannon that made the loud boom in East Fishkill? I guess we'll never know.

With that being said, here are some dumb laws across New York State. Are there any that you want to add to the list?