Regarding the Legality of Hybrid Spud Guns in the USA

[headslammer]

Hello all, good news!
I reached out to the ATF regarding hybrid spud guns, and actually got a response!
Here's the result:

[Moonbogg]

That's a great response from the ATF. I don't understand and never will why some countries treat spud guns as if they were literal nuclear weapons and the people who build them as if they were literally a dangerous and violent war lord in need of immediate imprisonment. It baffles me why any government would go so hard after a guy launching soda cans and vegetables in a wide open space. Then again, I was never guaranteed the world I was born into would always make sense, so it is what it is. You and me though, we launch on. Oh yes we will. Soda cans to the moon my friend. To the damn moon.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Ah, good ol' US of A.

Screwing around in your back yard with something that we're literally considering as armament for warships? Yeah you're good!

'MURICA!

It baffles me why any government would go so hard after a guy launching soda cans and vegetables in a wide open space.

Easy targets. You can say that you're clamping down on illegal firearms without anywhere near the risk of actually disarming violent gangs.

[hectmarr]

In my country, these hobby weapons are considered directly as firearms. I investigated and asked acquaintances who work in the regulation of weapons, and they tell me that I cannot carry them, nor shoot outside an officially authorized shooting range and with a psychophysical examination ... Stupid, although understandable, because there are misfits who They shoot people from buildings, in political demonstrations on the street, and it is because of these that you cannot carry ANYTHING that shoots ANYTHING!
I accidentally shot a .25 bb in my arm, and had to go to the hospital to have it extracted ... I spent 6 hours filling out forms and declaring a gunshot wound. It was impossible for me to remove it, because he reached almost to the elbow bone, and he had no pins to do it, apart from the pain it was unbearable. It was with the strong boy, who does not have much strength, luckily. For this reason I try to keep everything as silent as possible and my place to shoot is within my property, or in the field, many kilometers from any person or town.
This is the .25 gauge scar

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Fork in hell, how did that happen? Was it a ricochet or accidental discharge?

[hectmarr]

Bounce a short distance, against the concrete wall, about 50 cm. I was about to point the gun at the target, a cardboard box with a lot of newspaper inside, and I accidentally pressed the spark gap before aiming exactly at the target, when the wall was just ahead ... Calaculo, if you shoot me at 10 meters directly the damage is equal or worse. This only accident with these things, happened a few months ago, and the gun pierces no more than 1.5 can of soup. With the rifle at 8x it would be much more serious.
It was necessary to remind me of the RESPECT I should have with this, not fear, but RESPECT FOR SAFETY MEASURES AND THE USE OF MANDATORY VISUAL PROTECTION AND ALWAYS!
Thank God, everything went well and nothing hurts anymore.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Damn, that was lucky.

I had a similar experience many years ago with an 8mm ball bearing that bounced back on a steel plate - though I was not struck, it did make a nice clean hole in what was then my bedroom window:



A foot or so to the side and it would have hit me in the head, that was definitely a sobering experience. The clean hole means that it was still going very fast.

[hectmarr]

Damn, that was lucky.

I had a similar experience many years ago with an 8mm ball bearing that bounced back on a steel plate - though I was not struck, it did make a nice clean hole in what was then my bedroom window:



A foot or so to the side and it would have hit me in the head, that was definitely a sobering experience. The clean hole means that it was still going very fast.

uh !!! ... You are luckier than me!
The problem is that if the ammunition penetrates the skin a few millimeters, even if it does not cause internal damage, if it is not treated with anti-tetanus and some antibiotics, there may be infection, which is what happened to me. Two days after the extraction of the bb, the hole in my elbow, filled with filth and became quite inflamed. The doctor drained the white pus, and prescribed an oral antibiotic, an extra cost of the hobby. I don't have the right tools to extract the baby myself, a long, fine, sterilized forceps, so I have to go to the hospital. If you leave everything as it is, a week later you have a serious infection, no doubt.
What surprises me is that when they bounce they have a lot of energy, in my case, it seems that it bounced off one of the interior pieces of concrete that protruded from the wall.
The truth is, I did not mention it before, because I am ashamed to be so clumsy and make those mistakes precisely when they cannot be made.

[Moonbogg]

Don't beat yourself up over it. Bad things happen. That's why we try to be careful, but bad things still happen sometimes. We all have our stories and experiences. You shouldn't feel shame for what happened. It was an accident. They happen. Maybe try lead pellets instead? Steel tends to be pretty bouncy. I am considering no longer shooting golf balls at targets for this reason. They tend to BOUNCE!

[hectmarr]

Don't beat yourself up over it. Bad things happen. That's why we try to be careful, but bad things still happen sometimes. We all have our stories and experiences. You shouldn't feel shame for what happened. It was an accident. They happen. Maybe try lead pellets instead? Steel tends to be pretty bouncy. I am considering no longer shooting golf balls at targets for this reason. They tend to BOUNCE!

Yes, I use spherical lead ammunition and "goblet" type pellets, but I like steel spheres. Sometimes my nephews come to play with my guns, and since the incident, we only fired with 6mm airsoft balls. Everything else, only for adult friends.
I imagine that golf balls should bounce with great speed, if one hits you, bounce, it is like a really strong punch!

[Ralingen]

Damn, that was lucky.

I had a similar experience many years ago with an 8mm ball bearing that bounced back on a steel plate - though I was not struck, it did make a nice clean hole in what was then my bedroom window:



A foot or so to the side and it would have hit me in the head, that was definitely a sobering experience. The clean hole means that it was still going very fast.

uh !!! ... You are luckier than me!
The problem is that if the ammunition penetrates the skin a few millimeters, even if it does not cause internal damage, if it is not treated with anti-tetanus and some antibiotics, there may be infection, which is what happened to me. Two days after the extraction of the bb, the hole in my elbow, filled with filth and became quite inflamed. The doctor drained the white pus, and prescribed an oral antibiotic, an extra cost of the hobby. I don't have the right tools to extract the baby myself, a long, fine, sterilized forceps, so I have to go to the hospital. If you leave everything as it is, a week later you have a serious infection, no doubt.
What surprises me is that when they bounce they have a lot of energy, in my case, it seems that it bounced off one of the interior pieces of concrete that protruded from the wall.
The truth is, I did not mention it before, because I am ashamed to be so clumsy and make those mistakes precisely when they cannot be made.

I agree with you. You need to be extremely careful when holding a rifle. I had a similar case, only a bullet grazed my leg before scratching my car. But everything worked out with a course of antibiotics, the wound was not deep.

[Moonbogg]

I almost blew my head off one time. I never considered the risk of it and no one ever mentioned it, but one day I walked out to the firing line to shoot a pistol and forgot to put my ear muffs on. So, I put them on with a LOADED PISTOL in my hand. I basically pointed a loaded gun at my own head while fiddling around with ear muffs. I instantly realized what I had done and will never forget it. I make sure to tell others who might make the same mistake. Like I said, mistakes and accidents happen. I made a mistake, luckily it wasn't an "accident".