Using a hand press in public.

[bleukahuna]

20-some years ago a few of us were getting coffee at a casual resturant after an evening of pin shooting(ya see the bowling connection?). Most of us were Hi-power shooters and were building wildcats for 1,000yd. Formed cases and reamers were finding there way on to thee table along with discussion of different theories of what makes a cartridge effective when a couple of local officers told us it was against the law for us to have the cartridge cases(danged bullets they called 'em) in the resturant, we knew it was BS but why anger the cops when things can be put away and everyone is happy? Oh yeah, one of the guys was a rabidly pro gun city attorney who became a NRA director a few years later. He started asking them questions they could'nt answer, like what laws were being violated, one of the officers realised who he was and it was suddenly important to be some place else.

[Sasquatch-1]

Probably the best answer to the original question is to call your local states attorney's office and ask if they can answer your question. They are the ones who will be prosecuting any such case brought before them.

[mrjog]

Lol "danged bullets"

Bleukahuna's story was a good example of what I had in mind when I started the thread.

[Springfield]

So, Charlie Manson wasn't doing anything illegal until he got caught? That is scary kind of thinking. You may or may not CARE about the legality until you get caught, but it WAS illegal nevertheless.

[Canuck Bob]

I can't speak to your laws but here there are strict storage and transportation regulations for ammo, components, and firearms. The laws are so vague and the LE community poorly trained in the regs. The standard seems to be charge, confiscate, court regardless of the law.

I know one man charged with no registration for his flintlock muzzleloader. It cost him thousands to get his collection back. Under Canadian law a flintlock longun is not a firearm regarding the legislation. Oddly enough the flintlock pistol can be either restricited or prohibited like a Glock. Must be those Carribean Drug Cartels brandishing their rock lock pirate pistols!

I make an effort to disguise my hobby in public to avoid talking to a police officer and then maybe a Crown Prosecutor. Truly a sad state of affairs.

[NoZombies]

So, Charlie Manson wasn't doing anything illegal until he got caught? That is scary kind of thinking. You may or may not CARE about the legality until you get caught, but it WAS illegal nevertheless.

This was the point of my comment.

Taking a Blase attitude about the legality of something isn't logical.

Sure, I speed sometimes, make a right turn at a stop sign without coming to a complete stop, etc. But those are calculated risks, with known consequences. I don't pretend I'm not breaking the law because I'm not being caught.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Back to the original post: Talking to someone in the state government *might* give you a clearer picture of the laws, but I certainly wouldn't hold my breath about it. I think, if you can't find a clear cut law regarding the legality, maybe you should talk to the NRA. They have lawyers who love figuring this stuff out. And they don't charge for their services.

[bandit7.5]

Speaking of panties in a wad....

So you never turn without signaling?
Speed?
Or break any laws ever?



rrrriiiggghhhtttt.

1965 chev truck 25% condition when your the only one on the road you obay all
the rules.
speeding-----------------not in this truck-----------------not in this decade
never been in over my head.

[mrjog]

You guys have taken his comment way too seriously.

[Lizard333]

Agreed. That's just the way Sonnypie is. Always has.

[3006guns]

I was a lineman for 30 years. My office was my truck for most of the day. I carried a lee handpress along and would size brass at lunch time. My boss wasnt a hunter or shooter and tended to take offense to me anyway and told me it had to stop because it wasnt proper out in public. I was at a meeting a while later that had the big shots for our company there and i stood up a made my case in front of about a 100 guys. thing is our president is a hunter and loves guns. He told my boss in no uncertain terms that as long as i wasnt doing it on the companys time he saw absoultely nothing wrong with it and that he should spend more time worrying about production then he spend worrying about silly things like this.

Lloyd, I had to chuckle a bit. I worked for the local telephone company for many years and more than once I sat alone in the office during lunch......reloading 6.5 Swede with a Lee handpress and components stashed in my lunch box! Have no idea if it was "against the rules" or not, so I just did it.

To answer the OP's question though........rather than surmising or guessing, why not ask at the local PD and request that they SHOW you the law? Don't just accept their word for it, demand to see it in print. Remember, most cops are not walking legal encyclopedias.

[mrjog]

I should have replied earlier. I contacted the police, and they told me there is nothing illegal about the reloading process taking place in public. They did, however, say that priming and charging cases could get you into trouble. As far as case prep goes there are no laws against these procedures. But one of the officers that I spoke with advised me that he gets called for much less legitimate matters. So I could end up in a bad situation just because someone has a problem with what I was doing. I'm sure some people will think, "well what if I don't like the shirt that man is wearing? Can I call the police on him?" Well, the answer is yes. You can call the police, but more than likely the 911 dispatcher is going to treat it as a nuisance call. And if someone were to call mentioning some sort of device and also another object that appears to be a round of ammunition, the police are going to take it much more seriously. What happens after the police arrive is really a roll of the dice. Just as easily as one officer could say, "this is not illegal" and then leave, another officer might say, "you need to quit what you are doing." It would certainly not be the first time a police officer has requested an individual to quit doing something that is not against the law. So for now my curiosity has been satisfied. I now know for sure that it is not illegal to reload in public where I live.

[3006guns]

Not sure if it's my LE family background or my just plain feisty nature, but my reply would be "Exactly WHY can't I do this in public if it's not illegal?" I have no problem putting an officer on the spot if he's making a demand based on his attitude or how much authority he THINKS he has.

No, I'm not really a trouble maker but a lot of our newer police need to realize that they are policemen......and that's ALL they are. That badge does not mean they can create law out of thin air just to prove a point.......or they'll be explaining to my attorney and a judge farther down the line.

I have absolute respect for law enforcement and the power civilization gives them...but only to the limit of that power and no further.

[mrjog]

That's just the thing 3006, an officer of the law is always going to hold the upper hand in a situation like this. If they give you the order to stop and you do not comply, then they may take it upon themselves, to charge you with disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct. Where I live, you could be brought before a magistrate who would probably just send you on your way. You wouldn't get into any real trouble. Nevertheless, you have suffered a real inconvenience.

[3006guns]

That's just the thing 3006, an officer of the law is always going to hold the upper hand in a situation like this. If they give you the order to stop and you do not comply, then they may take it upon themselves, to charge you with disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct. Where I live, you could be brought before a magistrate who would probably just send you on your way. You wouldn't get into any real trouble. Nevertheless, you have suffered a real inconvenience.

Agree 100%.......however, this is the reaction of an officer who is unsure of his position but still feels he must assert his authority. My point is that officer is exceeding that authority......that is, using color of authority to impose his will. Now, he CAN charge you with refusing to obey a lawful order (cease your activity) or disorderly conduct......unless you prove he was in the wrong in the first place.

If you're in the right, you're in the right and NOBODY should be pushing you around. I know I sound a bit like a child having a temper tantrum, but believe me that badge only goes so far.

Alright, let's assume that he places you under arrest and you appear before a judge. The judge dimisses the case. You were still arrested improperly and that becomes a matter for an attorney. Would I spend the money and time to fight it? You're darn right.

[Reload3006]

Again whether or not it is Illegal the owner/manager of an establishment asked the OP to stop doing what he was doing. The property owner has that right. If you were on my property and I asked you to stop doing something it doesn't matter if its illegal or not You have the Option to stop or get off my property. If you do not I can and will call the police and have you removed. If they come and remove you chances are you will be charged with trespass. Now if you were doing this in a city park I dont think anything can be done about it other than ask you to stop. Then you can demand to see the law and be advised of what laws are being broken. Public property and Private property are two different animals entirely.

[1hole]

"Remember, most cops are not walking legal encyclopedias."

MOST cops have no better idea of what the gun laws really are than they do about what constitutes a "bullet".

[parrott1969]

What is this world coming to?????? A man can walk around in public BUTT NAKED (San Deiago prevs) but he can not prep brass in public???? Well that's it, I am going to lay down in front of my truck and let it roll over my head!!!!! IT'S NOT SUICIDE, RATHER SWEET DEATH SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ESCAPE FROM LIB-TARDS!!! MY IDEA OF HEAVEN IS BEING ABLE TO THROW ROCKS AT LIB-TARDS ALL DAY.

[Lead Fred]

Liberals in my town are just plain crazy. A Gal saw my shotgun shell themos, and told security, it needed to be unloaded.....

They all laughed, and we all shared a cup of joe

[Sonnypie]

You guys have taken his comment way too seriously.

Well, some have.
I have a way with squeezing the stink out of turds.

I'd still rather watch the scenery than to prep cases at a bowling alley.
I take my reloading as more of a personal pleasure to enjoy in my own home, in my own shop.
My home is my Castle. Including the catapults...

[Pigslayer]

The situation played out a little different then how I think you may be imagining. The manager at this location knows me well enough to say whatever he wants. And to know that I wasn't going to do it if he wanted me not to. I could see what you mean about being "smarter and more professional". And I think he may have done it like that had I been a stranger.

I don't think he just made it up either. I think that there are many people out there that have no clue when it comes to laws concerning firearms, ammunition, propellants, etc. And I think he really does believe that it is illegal.

You'd be surprised at how little even State Police know about guns, their components, ballistics & even the governing laws. Not all, but many law enforcement people have never hunted nor picked up a firearm prior to police training. What they know is only what the academy has taught them. I think that a complete understanding of the dymamics of firearms should be taught.
Once my house was vandalized & two firearms stolen. The police came and together we looked throughout my property to see if anything else was destroyed and/or missing. When I took the officer to my shop his eyes got as big as saucers when he surveyed the loading equipment, containers of cast bullets & components in general. I guess he thought that he had just walked into an ammo dump. He was speechless. To me it was just normal for one to be in possession of all of what my shop contained. I grew up with all of that kind of stuff.
After talking to him about the shooting sports & my knowledge of reloading & ballistics in general, he said that I knew more about firearms than anyone on the city police force. I told him that my knowledge was limited compared to others I knew. (Such as people on this site & other shooting forums)
It was then that I realized how uneducated even law enforcement is when it comes to firearms knoweledge. This post is not meant to criticize any police officer but only to make poignant that there are few that are educated in our sport.
In closing I must say that it is due mainly to ignorance that our 2nd amendment rights have been put in jeopardy.