Montana state laws on reloading components for ammunition (Big Sky, Power: buying, high school)

[ma77hew]

i was wondering if anyone knew if there is an age restriction on buying primers and smokeless powder for reloading ammunition both pistol and rifle in the state of Montana. I asked others online and they know there isn't a federal law, but possibly a state law depending on which state, what about here in Montana?

I just turned 18 and I'm interested in reloading.

Thanks

[rangerider]

I couldn't find anything specifically stated in the Montana Annotated Code, but I know that it's 18 for powder (both black and smokeless) and primers. Bullets, cases, and tools don't have a mention. I think they have the 18 on there because powder and primers are considered explosives and therefore are subject to federal regs, as well. So I think you're good to go!

Have fun starting, reloading's a lot of fun as well as occasionally frustrating. A good pair of optically correct safety glasses might be a good first on your shopping list. Things do occasionally happen that will make you double glad you had them on.

If you can find someone who has been reloading for awhile and is good at it, see if they'll let you sit in on some sessions. Watching it done goes a long way towards being able to do it right, and you can save some $$ by not buying stuff you don't need.

If you're going to do handgun loads, there's a Practical Shooter's organization near you: Big Sky Practical Shooting Club

Most guys in there more than likely do rifle stuff, too. I don't know of anybody who wouldn't be happy to take on someone getting started, just make sure you learn from someone who knows their stuff - shortcuts and non-published data have a way of biting a person hard when working with gunpowder.

[Fodderman]

Originally Posted by ma77hew

i was wondering if anyone knew if there is an age restriction on buying primers and smokeless powder for reloading ammunition both pistol and rifle in the state of Montana. I asked others online and they know there isn't a federal law, but possibly a state law depending on which state, what about here in Montana?

I just turned 18 and I'm interested in reloading.

Thanks

I would just call a local shop that sells those supplies and ask them. Their information will be more accurate than random forum posters.

[rangerider]

FWIW, the random forum poster here just called a shop to make sure his memory was correct...it was.

[Reziac]

Good info. I think we may all become a lot more interested in reloading in the future, given the direction things are going!!

Do come back and tell us what you learn -- I think it would be interesting and useful to hear it from a novice's viewpoint.

[Fodderman]

Originally Posted by rangerider

FWIW, the random forum poster here just called a shop to make sure his memory was correct...it was.

No offense intended and I wasn't referring to anyone on this site - the OP said he had talked to people in other forums. I've just seen many people rely on information for important subjects from "the Internet" as a whole (forum posters, web sites, Wikidpedia) and taking that information as gospel when there was a very easy alternative to a definitive answer. And that can get you into trouble sometimes.

And, BTW, I didn't mispell Wikidpedia up there. I consider that site to be a cesspool of human knowledge. But that's just my opinion.

[rangerider]

No offense taken; I knew what you were saying and agree wholeheartedly. I am regularly chastised by my mailing list for referring them to Snopes or various other sources when obviously inaccurate stories are circulated, some for the umpteenth time! After perusing the MT Code for a spell, I was surprised to find that it wasn't listed specifically - federal law spells it out. Being a shooter/reloader, I had seen the age restriction signs in sporting goods stores and gun shows a zillion times, just couldn't find the chapter and verse to spell it out. As far as Wikipedia goes, it's like your reference librarian told you in high school - always cite two or more references. I find Wikipedia wrong about as often as right; pretty much like the media today...

[Pashta]

Does state gun law supersede the federal law or the other way around?

[Reziac]

Theoretically state law should trump federal, per the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

Tenth Amendment -- Powers of States and people.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

However, the Feds hold the power of "we took your tax dollars and now we ain't gonna give you anything back" over the states to enforce whatever they want.

It occurs to me that the correct response here isn't for the states to give in and give up that Constitutional right, but rather for the states to simply keep their taxes and tell the feds to take a hike... but we've already discussed that at length elsewhere on this forum.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Fodderman

And, BTW, I didn't mispell Wikidpedia up there. I consider that site to be a cesspool of human knowledge. But that's just my opinion.

It's usually a good starting point, and useful for quick summaries for a lot of stuff, but as you say... it's also riddled with half-facts and not-quites. The useful part is most often the citation section.

Then again, when Encyclopaedia Britannica was evaluated for accuracy and completeness, it proved no better (and remember, it was written and maintained in essentially the same fashion, only difference is EB contributors get paid for each article -- they are not necessarily experts!) The truth is, compendiums of knowledge will always have this problem -- even if not biased, there is often a lack of the full sense of history, so the writer presents only superficial knowledge, perhaps without realising it.