Does antique ammo ever become not ammo?

lupothebutcher

lupothebutcher

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So, the question is fairly simple and I've been thinking about it for a bit....We all know that certain firearms of a certain age and caliber become antiques and are no longer "firearms"; my question is what about the ammo? Say a .32 rimfire, .41 rimefire, pinfire ammo and so on....does it become not "ammunition" when it becomes an antique? We all know that you don't need a license to buy a .32 rimfire revolver made in 1870 but do you need a license to buy .32 rimfire ammo? And would it matter when the cartridge was actually made?
 
Well the Firearms Act is silent on that definition with respect to ammunition meaning it still applies, to the extent the FA is applicable to ammunition (limited scope).

The Explosives Act otherwise governs small arms ammunition and it does not have a definition for "antique", so the rules still apply.

I've personally ignited blackpowder from many 19th Century cartridges (when I was kid and before I knew the values!) - even cartridges with wet blackpowder from sitting in a lake ignited after drying it out. And I've noticed a pile of threads on castboolits about folks shooting original black powder for comparison sake; amazing stuff really.
 
Doesn't hurt the antique but you have to by law handle a antique firearm the same as a regular firearm. Meaning that just because it's not considered a firearm because of it's age you still have to store ammo for it as if it was. ACTS and PROVE still apply also.
 
As an aside -I have some very old .32 rimfire, black powder cartridges and find about 1 in 4 are duds and no matter how many times you restrike them will not go off- sort of Russian roulette with a difference.
 
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