What are the California laws on inert ordnance like artillery shells?

[Marcus von W.]

I saw this article http://www.kesq.com/news/bicyclist-a...rings/26728946 and it mentions the suspect was charged with "Misdemeanor possession of a metal military practice round" for "an 81mm military mortar round. Photos of the mortar round were sent to the Riverside County Sheriff Department's Hazard Device Team. Team members determined the device was a military practice round and had no explosive capabilities."

As I recall, inert practice hand grenades and such that are made from real grenades are illegal, and I think live fixed ammo over a certain caliber is considered a destructive device, but what about stuff like those dummy practice rifle grenades that never had explosive in them and are not capable of being turned into live items, or those old practice dummy bombs that were filled with chalk powder and dropped on bombing range targets?

What about all the Ww1 and WW2 era "trench art" that was made from various ordnance? Lampstands made of artillery shells (sometimes with a German helmet as a lampshade), cigarette lighters made from MK1 pinapple grenades, umbrella stands and ashtrays made from artillery shells, etc?

[Garand1911]

the arty shells should be ok, its the arty rounds that still have a projectile, even when it says inert or practice round the cops are gonna freak. They they want to do a dog and pony show with their bomb squad, prolly more for statistical and training purposes. Im sure they know the stuff is safe, but they need to add check marks next to their name so management will approve bigger budgets.
I remember pre-9/11 someone brought a belt of M60 dummy rounds through LAX security ....YUP it got blowed up.

[wireless]

Inert grenades are illegal? What if someone just owns the outer shell. I'm thinking circa WWII

[dominic]

19200. (a) Except as provided in Section 19205 and Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2, any person in this
state who manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the
state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives,
lends, or possesses any metal military practice
handgrenade or metal replica
handgrenade is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or in the state prison.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a first offense involving any
metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica
handgrenade shall be punishable only as an infraction unless the offender is an active participant in a criminal
street gang as defined in the Street Terrorism and Enforcement and Prevention Act
Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 186.20) of Title 7 of Part 1).

19205. Section 19200 does not apply to any plastic toy handgrenade,
or any metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica
handgrenade that is a relic, curio, memorabilia, or display item,
that is filled with a permanent inert substance, or that is otherwise
permanently altered in a manner that prevents ready modification for
use as a grenade.

19290. Except as provided in Section 19205 and in Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2, any metal military
practice handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade is a nuisance and
is subject to Section 18010.

[Capybara]

So based upon reading that 19205 PC, we can legally own a metal practice or replica WWII grenade because it would be over 50 years old and would be C&R or memorabilia as long as it was filled with an inert substance or permanently altered? We all know what C&R guns are, it is interesting to ponder what constitutes a C&R grenade. Are the parameters for C&R the same (over 50 years old?) I don't think the ATFs C&R list actually includes grenades.

[SkyHawk]

It can also be a display, or memorabilia grenade - basically any metal grenade, it doesn't have to be a 'curio' or 'relic'.

[Bangzoom]

Misdemeanor possession of a metal military practice round

so this includes 20mm blue tip practice rds i see for sale on Craigs or elsewhere from time to time?

[SkyHawk]

so this includes 20mm blue tip practice rds i see for sale on Craigs or elsewhere from time to time?

I don't see any law that says a metal military practice round is illegal - only metal handgrenades if not filled with an inert substance.

A few years ago at an airshow I was working in NorCal, the West Coast A-10 demo team (US Air Force) was selling 30mm dummy rounds that replicated those in use for the GAU-8. They are real 30mm cases (used) topped with a replica projectile made of aluminum.

Someone show me the law that says metal military practice rounds are illegal. If you Google "metal military practice round" and ca law or ca misdemeanor, the *only* results are this thread and that news article. Unless it is a city or county ordinance, then I think it is a bogus charge.

https://www.google.com/search?num=20&safe=active&rlz=1C1GGGE_en&q=%22metal+military+practice+round%22+ca+misdemeanor&oq=%22metal+military+practice+round%22+ca+misdemeanor&gs_l=serp.3...26472.28230.0.28404.11.11.0.0.0.0.117.925.10j1.11.0....0...1c.1.48.serp..3.8.695.msvK6Oi4Ruc

[Decoligny]

I saw this article http://www.kesq.com/news/bicyclist-a...rings/26728946 and it mentions the suspect was charged with "Misdemeanor possession of a metal military practice round" for "an 81mm military mortar round. Photos of the mortar round were sent to the Riverside County Sheriff Department's Hazard Device Team. Team members determined the device was a military practice round and had no explosive capabilities."

As I recall, inert practice hand grenades and such that are made from real grenades are illegal, and I think live fixed ammo over a certain caliber is considered a destructive device, but what about stuff like those dummy practice rifle grenades that never had explosive in them and are not capable of being turned into live items, or those old practice dummy bombs that were filled with chalk powder and dropped on bombing range targets?

What about all the Ww1 and WW2 era "trench art" that was made from various ordnance? Lampstands made of artillery shells (sometimes with a German helmet as a lampshade), cigarette lighters made from MK1 pinapple grenades, umbrella stands and ashtrays made from artillery shells, etc?

Not so.


19200. (a) Except as provided in Section 19205 and Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2, any person in this state who manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives, lends, or possesses any metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a first offense involving any metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade shall be punishable only as an infraction unless the offender is an active participant in a criminal street gang as defined in the Street Terrorism and Enforcement and Prevention Act (Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 186.20) of Title 7 of Part 1).

19205. Section 19200 does not apply to any plastic toy handgrenade, or any metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade that is a relic, curio, memorabilia, or display item, that is filled with a permanent inert substance, or that is otherwise permanently altered in a manner that prevents ready modification for use as a grenade.

19290. Except as provided in Section 19205 and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2, any metal military practice handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade is a nuisance and is subject to Section 18010.

[omar cord]

Drugs + firearm/explosive related item.... Bad combination in life and in court.

[Fate]

the arty shells should be ok, its the arty rounds that still have a projectile, even when it says inert or practice round the cops are gonna freak. They they want to do a dog and pony show with their bomb squad, prolly more for statistical and training purposes. Im sure they know the stuff is safe, but they need to add check marks next to their name so management will approve bigger budgets.
I remember pre-9/11 someone brought a belt of M60 dummy rounds through LAX security ....YUP it got blowed up.

LAPD bomb squad has blown up blue training dummy projectiles too. Like you said, it's all about the show and budget justification.