10 Ridiculous Weapons That Are Legal to Own
Published in Entertainment at April 19th, 2017 at 6:07 AM
Dangerous firearms and weapons are illegal for a reason, as they are far too dangerous to be handle by just anybody. But some weapons are still legal to own if you have the right permit. Here are 10 ridiculous weapons that are legal to own, from roasting tin cans, too doing your best Penguin cosplay.
Flamethrower
A FREAKING FLAMETHROWER! That’s right! For the low price of just $1,600, You can have your very own X1 Flamethrower and it’s totally legal! I know that’s just insane to think but believe us, It is in fact legal! As the name suggests, a flamethrower is an incendiary weapon that shoots out a torrent of fire.
After their use in World War I, modern flamethrowers increased in usage and featured in other major 20th-century conflicts. Even so, The usage of this barbaric weapon is still controversial in view of the brutal way in which victims die, and the U.S. military ceased using them in the late 1970's. While military flamethrowers use combustible liquid, commercial flamethrowers like those utilised in agriculture often employ high-pressure gas.
Now the fun part. When it comes to day to day civilisation, America has a different approach to other countries, and privately owning a flamethrower is not forbidden under federal law.That being said however, these devices are controlled in certain states like California for example, where possession of one without a license could result in a one-year prison term or a fine of up to $10,000. In contrast, possession of one of these weapons in the U.K. can lead to a jail sentence as long as ten years.
To be fair, you could save money and just use a can of body spray and a lighter to get the same effect……..Forget we said that…..Don’t try that at home.
M134 General Electric Minigun
Gun ownership is quite a common thing in america, However, this may or may not be a bit overkill in terms of home security. So you’d probably think that automatic weapons aren’t legal anymore, right? Well……..yes and no is the answer to that question.
Laws prohibit ordinary citizens from owning any fully automatic rifle made after 1986. That is where this beast of a gun sneaks in just under the wire, and if you’re looking for a titan that spits hot lead at an insane rate, here it is.
The M134 has a capacity of 166 shots per second, and packs so much recoil that you’d rip your arms off if you tried to hold it and shoot.
Mount it on a vehicle and you’re all set to live and die historic on the fury road!
Cannons
Continuing on the trend of explosive launchers, The cannon conjures images of countless historical battles on sea and land. Interestingly, the lineage of these pieces of artillery can be traced back to Chinese flame-throwing gunpowder weapons called fire lances.
With that small history lesson out of the way, Cannon shells are classed as destructive devices in the U.S. under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) much like the grenades we mentioned on the previous item of this list. They must be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and, though legal under federal law, are prohibited from being owned by civilians in certain states.
Muzzle-loading cannons themselves, however, are – remarkably – not deemed to be firearms in the U.S. and are therefore not regulated by the NFA.
Chain Whips
Chains are pretty dangerous things to wield as a weapon as is, However this famous Chinese weapon is on a whole other level. Predominantly associated with traditional Chinese martial arts, the chain whip generally comprises a handle with a series of flexible metal links leading to a spiked slashing point at the other end.
What makes this weapon so dangerous is its capability of moving faster than the human eye can perceive, so users sometimes attach cloth flags to the end of the chain to create extra clues as to its location. When flags are added to help stability,
The weapon also helps prevent people from injuring themselves. Designs of this weapon vary in length, and this intimidating weapon is also highly concealable owing to its flexibility and short handle. Nevertheless, it remains legal to own in most parts of the U.S.
Grenade Launcher
This one is going to come as a surprise, but it is in fact completely legal for a private citizen to own a fully functioning grenade launcher. Needless to say, Gun laws surrounding this weapon are pretty quirky – a 37mm launcher, which is often used for flares, is regulated differently than a 40mm launcher like the big boys use.
In order to purchase the big boy that is the 40mm launcher, you need a permit from the ATF, which requires a ton of background checking (as you’d probably expect).
This however doesn’t include ammo as the process for owning grenades to shoot from it is a little trickier – because they’re classified as destructive devices, you need to find a chief law enforcement officer in your area who is willing to sign off on you owning one, then pay a $200 tax per grenade. When you really think about it, Owning a grenade launcher is pretty overkill to say the least.
Homemade Guns
So you’d think this would be a recipe for disaster wouldn’t you? Well believe it or not, there is a method to this madness. The advent of 3D printing has opened a gaping hole in America’s gun laws.
While you need to have a license to purchase a firearm, you don’t need anything of the sort to build one yourself. Homemade firearms are legal because the receiver – the part of the rifle that connects the mechanisms – are sold unfinished, which doesn’t require registration.
As long as you don’t sell your homemade gun or transfer it to another person, you can own any kind of firearm you make yourself, just so long as you’ve had it checked out like any other gun you’d purchase from a shop.
Umbrella Sword
An Umbrella Sword You think we’re joking don’t you…...Seriously, We’re not. You can actually be the Penguin if you wanted to and it’s perfectly legal! So if the 60's Batman TV series or Batman Returns is anything to go by, It’s amazing what can be concealed in a seemingly ordinary umbrella.
Umbrellas with concealed blades remain legal in a number of places. In the U.K., such concealed weapons are apparently legal to trade if they are over 100 years old – and thus antique. I mean nothing says get your hand off my girl more gentleman like than a British person wielding an umbrella sword!
Meanwhile, in the U.S. the blades are only banned in New York, California and Massachusetts. Perhaps most startling of all, though, is the fact that umbrella swords with 15-inch-long blades are available online for as little as $30.
A Crossbow
If a zombie apocalypse happens, at least we know there will be several Daryl Dixon's out there. Crossbows were deployed in conflicts in Europe and East Asia for centuries; in China their use has been traced as far back as the 5th century BCE.
The military deployment of crossbows declined in line with increased use of gunpowder, but they are still used by special forces in Greece, Serbia, Spain and China. Putting it’s history and military use aside however.
They are now often used in hunting and for target practice. Perhaps surprisingly, there is no federal law prohibiting these weapons if they’re bought for “target shooting,” and in many states they can be employed for hunting.
Flail
Without a doubt the most metal item on this list, The flail is a medieval weapon that’s instantly familiar. It looks devastating, but its origins actually lie in hand-held agricultural threshing tools used in various countries – in parts of Europe as well as Korea, Japan and China – during the Middle Ages.
Since then, numerous variations have emerged as this improvised weapon took shape, including versions with single or multiple iron balls at the end of the chain, and double-handled versions that evolved into what is now known as the Nunchaku (Nunchucks).
Though the days of peasant armies wielding them may be over, these historical weapons are still legal in various parts of the U.S., although not in the states of New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts or Pennsylvania.
Katana
Yeah this one isn’t exactly the most surprising one on this list, However just the sheer idea that this dangerous weapon is legal to own is just crazy. Katana swords are distinctive and deadly weapons can be traced back to 12th-century feudal Japan, where they were originally used by samurai.
Their notoriety in more recent times has been given a significant boost by mainstream media such as films directed by Quentin Tarantino and pretty much any Japanese anime that’s on the market. Distinctions are made between different periods of Japanese sword construction, and this in turn can affect the legality of the blades.
In Ireland, katana blades made after 1953 (known as shinsakuto) are banned. In 2008, blades over 20 inches long were outlawed in the United Kingdom following a number of attacks. In the U.S., however, such blades are legal to own; and in New York, for example, although it is generally forbidden to carry these weapons in public, even then there are exceptions.
