Why are bombs illegal?

[Doodler71]

I am asking seriously. Why are explosives illegal to possess, but other weapons that can cause mass casualties are not?

Why are bombs not covered under the 2 Amendment?

[Kalidurga]

1. Are we sure bombs aren't covered under the second amendment?

This is also a serious question. I don't see anything in the amendment that says people don't have the right to have bombs.

[2on2u]

2. It's a Hollywood thing. There is no telling when and if a movie will bomb at the BO. n/t

[JVS]

3. Are you sure they are?

I've known a lot of people who've blown up stumps in the yard.

[slackmaster]

4. Explosives are not illegal to possess

Their possession and use, and transport, are regulated and subject to licensing.

Why are bombs not covered under the 2 Amendment?

Destructive devices are regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934. Please read up on the subject.

[doc03]

5. Apparently arms must not include bombs. Why can't I have a grenade, how about a

working rocket launcher, what about a switch blade knife?

[Recursion]

7. You can with an explosives license

Frag grenades per se aren't very useful, but things somewhat like them are used to clear out brush in some situations.

[slackmaster]

8. You can buy a grenade if your state law permits it. The federal tax stamp will cost you $200.

You have to do the paperwork and get your background checked.

As for a rocket launcher, that may be available without any hassle in your state. A live round will cost you a $200 tax stamp, background check, etc.

Switchblade knives have interstate commerce regulated by federal law. State laws concerning commerce, possession, and use are all over the map. I can own them here in California, but I can't carry one with me unless the blade is 2 inches or less. In Oregon they're unregulated.

[Recursion]

17. Also a rocket launcher is just a metal tube

You can buy metal tubes.

[Recursion]

6. How do you think they demolish buildings?

Most explosives require a Federal Explosives License, and the materials themselves are pretty tightly controlled.

As we saw in Oklahoma City, a truck and some fertilizer makes a pretty effective bomb, though.

[doc03]

10. So you are proving the point that the 2nd Amendment is is not

all inclusive and any weapon could fall under the 1934 law if we demanded it. If they can control explosives and full autos they also control a bolt action if the public demands it. Since muzzle loaders were the state of the art back in the day we could control anything more advanced.

[Recursion]

11. I didn't know that needed proving; the entire country as far as I know accepts that

The problem has never been with putting semi-automatics on the NFA schedule, the problem has been what to do about the hundreds of millions of them that are already out there

[doc03]

13. So it can't be done, do nothing. It can be done apply it to all guns traded from here on.

As far as the ones already out there give them a year to bring them in and have them permitted under the law and if you are in possetion of one after that prison time. Don't say it's to hard we can't do it. That is always the NRA argumnet it's to hard, it can't be done, it won't work, etc.

[Recursion]

14. Our experience with drugs suggests to me it would cause more problems than it solves

But, I could be wrong.

[Peregrine]

9. Scalia seems to think

It covers anything carried by a typical infantryman. To include hand grenades. Madison saw the 2nd meaning just this, citizens had a right to bear arms equivalent to an infantryman.

[Recursion]

12. That's the explicit reasoning in Miller, IIRC

The reason sawed-off shotguns could be banned is because they are of limited military utility. I'd add that the same logic could apply to handguns, which are generally only given to officers (and at least in theory they're mostly for shooting your own troops if they try to run).

[Marinedem]

15. No.

"which are generally only given to officers (and at least in theory they're mostly for shooting your own troops if they try to run)."

Just no.

Maybe in the Red Army in the 30's-40's.

[Recursion]

16. I was thinking more of the 19th century

That said, I had a pistol in the Corps, though not everybody did. I can't remember precisely why my billet rated one.