North Carolina
Permanent URL for this collectionhttps://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/4818
North Carolina
This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to North Carolina. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the colonial period through statehood to the present.
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, militia and frontier records, coastal and naval stores archives, manufacturing and law-enforcement collections, and oral histories tied to North Carolina people and places.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.
Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.
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Item type:Item, 1782 N.C. Sess. Laws 413-14(1782)Created a draft for the Continental Army. Subject to the draft were "all the inhabitants ... between the ages of sixteen and fifty." To prevent the widespread community practice of filling draft ranks with the most vulnerable and least motivated, the act specified that "no British or Hessian deserter who hath not been a resident of this State twelve months, or orphan or apprentice under eighteen years of age, Indian, sailor or negro slave, shall be received as a substitute for any class volunteer or draft whatever."Item type:Item, 1792 N.C. Sess. Laws 33-34(1792)The minimum age remained 18, while the maximum dropped to 45. The mandatory arms paralleled the federal statute. Each infantryman was required to "provide himself with a good musket or firelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than 24 cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball ; or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch and powder-horn, 20 balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder."Item type:Item, 1777 N.C. Sess. Laws 1(1777)The Militia of every County shall consist of all the effective men from sixteen to fifty years of age.Item type:Item, 1746 N.C. Sess. Laws 244(1746)Mandated that each militiaman appear with "a Gun, fit for service, a Cartouch Box, and a Sword, Cutlass, or Hanger [a type of sword], and at least Twelve Charges of Powder and Bail, or Swan Shot, and Six Spare FlintsItem type:Item, 1715 N.C. Sess. Laws 29(1715)The Militia of this Government shall consist of all the Freemen within the same between the years of Sixteen years & Sixty. This included free blacks. Each militiaman had to provide himself with "a good Gun well-fixed Sword & at least Six Charges of Powder & Ball."Item type:Item, 1760 N.C. Sess. Laws 518(1760)"[T]hat all Freemen and Servants within this Province, between the Age of Sixteen and Sixty ... there be mustered, trained, and exercised in Arms, and be provided with a well-fixed Gun, shall forfeit and Pay, if at a private Muster, Six Shillings, if at a general Muster Ten Shillings; and shall also be provided with a Cartouch-Box, a Sword, Cutlass or Hanger, and have at least Nine charges of Powder (made into Cartridges) and sizeable Bullets or Swan Shot, and Three spare-flints, a Worm, a Picker..."Item type:Item, 1715 N.C. Sess. Laws 30(1715)"And Be It Further Enacted by the Authority afors'd that all such persons who by this Act are exempt from Enlisting themselves or appearing at Muster as afors'd shall be ready at any time of danger to wait & attend the commands of the Governor or Commander in Chief for the time being completely provided with Arms & Ammunition on Penalty of Ten Pounds for such neglect to be levied by Warrant from the Governor or Commander in Chief as before in this Act is appointed for other times."Item type:Item, 23 W. Clark, State Records of North Carolina 63 (1904)(1715)Ch. 46, An Act Concerning Servants & Slaves: Directed "that every Christian Servant shall be allowed by their Master or Mistress at the expitation of his or her time of srvice Three Barrells of Indyan Corn & two new Suits of Apparrel of the Value of Five ounds at leasr or in liey of one suit of Apparrel a good well-fixed Gun, if he bwe a Manservant."Item type:Item, 1787 N.C. Sess. Laws 813-14(1787)The militia law kept the militia as "all freemen and indented servants within this State, from eighteen to fifty years of age." The required arms and equipment were now more specific and varied by role in the militia. For commissioned officers in the infantry, "side arms" (handguns) "or a spontoon" (a pole arm). For private and non-commissioned officers, a musket or rifle, plus a cartridge box, powder horn, shot pouch "in good condition," "nine charges of powder made into cartridges with sizeable balls or swan-shot," a spare flint, and one worm and picker. As for artillerymen, they "shall be armed and accoutred with small arms in the same manner of the infantry, except the non-commissioned officers, who shall have swords instead of fire-arms." Horsemen, whether officers or privates, needed "a strong, serviceable horse, at least fourteen hands high, with a good saddle, bridle, holsters, one pistol, horseman's sword and cap, a pair of shoe boots and spurs," plus "a proper cartouch-box and cartridges all in good order."Item type:Item, 1785 N.C. Sess. Laws 710-11(1785)Raised the minimum militia age to 18. Militiamen included "all freemen and indented servants" (but not servants for life, a/k/a slaves). Militiamen had to arm themselves with "a well fixed gun and cartouch-box, with nine charges of powder made into cartridges and sizeable bullets or swan-shot, and one spare flint, worm and picker.Item type:Item, 1792 N.C. Sess. Laws 33(1792)The minimum age remained 18, while the maximum dropped to 45. The mandatory arms paralleled the federal statute. Each infantryman was required to "provide himself with a good musket or firelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than 24 cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball ; or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch and powder-horn, 20 balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder."Item type:Item, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance 232 (Jon L. Wakelyn ed. 2006) (Concessions and Agreements, Jan. 11, 1664)(1664)All inhabitants and freemen of Carolina above seventeen years of age and under sixty shall be bound to bear arms and serve as soldiers whenever the grand council shall find it necessary."Item type:Item, 1760 N.C. Sess. Laws 521(1760)Every trooper (horseman) needed "Holsters, Housing, Breast-Plate and Crupper, a Case of good Pistols, a good Broad Sword, Twelve Charges of Powder, Twelve sizeable Bullets, a Pair of Shoe-Boots, with suitable Spurs, and a Carbine well fixed, with a good Belt, Swivel and Bucket."Item type:Item, 1770 N.C. Sess. Laws 787-88(1770)Eliminated a conscientious objector exemption and ordered "all Male Persons of the people called Quakers, between the age of Sixteen and Sixty" to enlist in the militia. Additionally, the act provided that "the Father or where there is no Father living, the Mother of each and every Person under the age of Twenty One Years, shall be liable to the Payment of the Fines becoming due from their respective sons so under age."Item type:Item, 1779 N.C. Sess. Laws 191-2(1779)[E]ach Militia Soldier [had to] be furnished with a Good Gun, Shot bag a Cartouch Box or powder Horn, a Cutlass or Tomahawk.Item type:Item, 1777 N.C. Sess. Laws 1(1777)The Militia of every County shall consist of all the effective men from sixteen to fifty years of age.Item type:Item, Acts of the General Assembly and Ordinances of the Trustees for the Organization and Government of the University of North Carolina 16 (1838)(1838)Ch. 5, §§ 20-24: Every Student who shall send to any person a challenge or message, either in writing or otherwise, purporting to be a challenge to fight a duel, shall be expelled.Item type:Item, Acts of the General Assembly and Ordinances of the Trustees for the Organization and Government of the University of North Carolina 15 (1838)(1838)Ch. 5, § 13: Prohibited students from keeping any firearms or gunpowder at the college. Prohibited keeping, carrying, or owning any sword, dirk, sword-cane, or other deadly weapon. Prohibited use of firearms without the permission of the college president.Item type:Item, 1860-61 N.C. Sess. Laws 219-20(1860)Priv. Laws, ch. 180, § 1: Granted the town of Wilmington the authority to levy and collect taxes annually on all pistols, dirks, Bowie-knives, or sword-canes if worn about the person at any time during the year, as well as all pistol galleries.Item type:Item, 1862-1863 N.C. Sess. Laws 60(1862)Priv. Laws, Adj. Sess., ch. 49, § 9: [T]hey may prohibit and prevent by practices the riding or driving of horses or other animals at a speed greater than six miles an hour, within the city; and also the firing of guns, pistols, crackers, gun powder or other explosive, combustible or dangerous materials in the streets, public grounds, or elsewhere within the city.Item type:Item, Laws for the Government of the City of Raleigh 63 (1854)(1854)§ 6: No person shall discharge any gun or other fire-arms within any of the streets or public squares of the city, or upon any lot of the same, (excepting his own lot,) on pain of forfeiting four dollars for every such offence. Or, if the offence be committed in the night, the offender shall forfeit twenty-five dollarsItem type:Item, 1868-69 N.C. Sess. Laws 202(1868)Priv. Laws, ch. 123, § 18: Granted the Board the power to levy and collect taxes on all pistols, except when part of stock in trade. Also on all dirks, Bowie-knives, and sword-canes if worn on the person at any time during the year. Tax not to exceed one dollar.Item type:Item, 1865-66 N.C. Sess. Laws 22(1866)Priv. Laws, ch. 7, § 64: That they may prohibit and prevent, by penalties, . . . and also the firing of guns, pistols, crackers, gun-powder or other explosive, combustible or dangerous materials in the streets, public grounds, or elsewhere within the city."Item type:Item, 1868-69 N.C. Sess. Laws 96, 101-102(1869)Priv. Laws, ch. 79, § 25: The commissioners may prevent by penalties the firing of guns, pistols, crackers, gunpowder or other explosive materials in the streets or corporate limits.Item type:Item, 1865-66 N.C. Sess. Laws 69-70(1866)Priv. Laws, ch. 7, § 30: That the said board of aldermen shall have power to make from time to time, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning the firing of fire-arms, and all explosions in said city, the pace and speed at which horses may be driven or rode through the streets, the arrangements of stove-pipes in buildings, the mode in which fire shall be kept, or carried through the city, the manner in which powder and other explosive and inflammable substances may be kept and soldItem type:Item, 1865-66 N.C. Sess. Laws 63(1866)Priv. Laws, ch. 7, § 19: Granted the Board of Aldermen the power to levy a fifty dollar tax on every pistol, Bowie-knife, dirk, sword-cane, or any other deadly weapon worn upon the person except a pocket knife without special permission from the aldermen.Item type:Item, 1868-69 N.C. Sess. Laws 59-60(1868)Pub. Laws, ch. 18, § 1: [I]f any person or persons whomsoever shall be known to hunt in this state on the Sabbath with a dog or dogs, or shall be found off of their premises on the Sabbath, having with him or them a shot-gun, rifle or pistol, he or they shall be subject to indictment; and, upon conviction, shall pay a fine not to exceed fifty dollars at the discretion of the Court, two-thirds of such fine to enure to the benefit of the free public schools in the County of which such convict is a resident, the remainder to the informant.Item type:Item, 1861 N.C. Sess. Laws 25(1861)Pub. Laws, 2d. Extra Sess., ch. 17, § 10: Every resident enrolled and notified, as is directed in the third section of this act, shall within one month thereafter, provide himself with a good musket, smooth bore gun or rifle, shot pouch and powder horn, and shall appear so armed and accoutred when called out to exercise or in actual service; the commissioned officers shall severally be armed with a sword or revolver at his discretionItem type:Item, 1866-67 N.C. Sess. Laws 103(1867)Pub. Laws, ch. 72, § 14: Property tax of one dollar on every dirk, Bowie knife, pistol, sword cane, dirk cane, and rifle cane. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by forfeiture of the weapon.Item type:Item, 1868-69 N.C. Sess. Laws 407-08(1868)Pub. Laws, ch. 167, § 7: Every person who commits any assault upon the person of another, with any deadly or dangerous weapon, or who unlawfully shoots or attempts to shoot at another with any kind of fire-arms, with intent to injure any person, without intent to kill such person or to commit any felony, shall be punished upon conviction, by imprisonment in the State's prison not exceeding five years.Item type:Item, 1865-66 N.C. Sess. Laws 33-34(1866)Pub. Laws, ch. 21, § 11: Imposed a $1 tax on every dirk, Bowie knife, pistol, sword cane, dirk cane, and rifle cane used or worn during the year.Item type:Item, 1865-66 N.C. Sess. Laws 103-04(1866)Pub Laws, ch. 40, § 15: "an act to amend chapter one hundred and seven, section sixty-six, of the Revised Code, relating to free negroes having arms;Item type:Item, 1860-1861 N.C. Sess. Laws 68(1860)Pub. Laws, ch. 34, § 1: Prohibited "any free negro" from wearing or carrying or keeping in his house any "any shot gun, musket, rifle, pistol, sword, sword cane, dagger, bowie knife, powder or shot."Item type:Item, 1856-1857 N.C. Sess. Laws 34(1856)Pub. Laws, ch. 34, § 23, pt. 4: On every pistol, except such as are used exclusively for mustering, and on every bowie-knife, one dollar and twenty five cents; on dirks and swordcanes, sixty five cents: Provided, however, That of said arms, only such shall be taxable, as at some time within the year have been used, worn or carried about the person of the owner, or of some other, by his consent.Item type:Item, 1850-51 N.C. Sess. Laws 243(1850)Ch. 121, § 5: Applied a property tax on all pistols, Bowie-knives for one dollar. A property tax of fifty cents applied to dirks, sword canes.Item type:Item, 1856-1857 N.C. Sess. Laws 22(1856)Pub. Laws, ch. 24, § 1: [T]he true intent and meaning of the 95th section of the 34th chapter of the Revised Code was and is hereby declared to be to prevent fire hunting for deer with a gun or guns in the night time, and nothing more.Item type:Item, Francois X. Martin, A Collection of Statutes of the Parliament of England in Force in the State of North Carolina 60-61 (1792)(1792)Restatement of the Statute of Northampton, prohibiting going armed with force and arms in affray of peace, nor to go nore ride armed by night nor by day in fairs, markets, nor "in the presence of the King's Justices.Item type:Item, 1786 N.C. Sess. Laws 407(1786)An Act for Raising Troops for the Protection of the Inhabitants of Davidson County, ch. 1, § 5: That every able bodied man who shall be enlisted into the said service, and shall furnish himself with one good rifled or smooth bored gun fit for service, one good picker, shot-bag and powder-horn, twelve good flints, one pound of good powder, and two pounds of good leaden bullets or buck shot suitable to his gun . . . [shall be provided with certain items of clothing].Item type:Item, John Haywood, A Manual of the Laws of North-Carolina, Arranged under Distinct Heads in Alphabetical Order, Oaths and Affirmations 40 (1814)(1814)The oath of a Constable, § XXIII: You shall swear that you will well and truly serve the State of North Carolina in the office of a constable, you shall see and cause the peace of the State to be well and duly preserved and kept according to your power, you shall arrest all such persons as in your sight shall right or go armed offensively, or shall commit or make any riot, affray or other breach of the peace; you shall do your best endeavor, upon complaint to you made, to apprehend all felons, and rioters, or persons riotously assembled; and if any such offender shall make resistance with force, you shall make hue and cry, and shall pursue them according to lawItem type:Item, 1858-1859 N.C. Sess. Laws 35-36(1858)Pub. Laws, ch. 25, § 27, pt. 15: Imposed a tax of one dollar and twenty-five cents on every dirk, Bowie-knife, pistol, sword cane, dirk-cane, and rifle cane.