FRC Jurisdictions Portal
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This top community organizes Firearms Research Center holdings by jurisdiction. It provides separate collections for U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the federal jurisdiction, spanning the territorial period to the present.
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- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and selected municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, company records, and oral histories tied to specific places and periods.
- Research outputs: FRC reports, datasets, and interpretive materials that contextualize legal and technical developments.
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- Browse: open a jurisdiction collection to view items for that state, territory, DC, or the federal jurisdiction.
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Items are described using Dublin Core with standardized fields for Jurisdiction, Date Issued, Category, and Exceptions to support precise discovery and comparison.
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Item type:Item, 4 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 78 (1823)(1720)Appropriated one thousand pounds to distribute "to each christian titheable [subject to taxation], one firelock, musket, one socket, bayonet fitted thereto, one cartouch box, eight pounds bullet, two pounds powder, until the whole one thousand pounds be laid out."Item type:Item, 5 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 16 (1823)(1738)The militia under this act consisted of "all male persons, above the age of one and twenty years."Item type:Item, The Charter and the Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence-Plantations in America, 1719, at 86 (Sidney S. Rider, ed. 1895)(1718)Provided that "all male Persons ... from the Age of Sixteen, to the Age of Sixty Years, shall bear Arms." Arms were "one good Musket, or Fuzee, the Barrel whereof not to be less than three foot and an half in length," plus a sword or bayonet, a pound of gunpowder, thirty bullets, six flints, and a cartridge box.Item type:Item, 9 Stat. at Large of South Carolina: Containing the Acts Relating to Roads, Bridges and Ferries, With an Appendix, Containing the Militia Acts Prior to 1794, at 643 (David J. McCord ed., 1841)(1739)"all persons who are liable to bear arms, shall constantly keep in their houses such arms, furniture, ammunition and accoutrements.Item 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, 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, 1 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 787 (1834)(1738)Designated deer hunting seasons and penalties for out-of-season harvests.Item type:Item, 9 Stat. at Large of S.C. 633 (1841)(1721)"Acts relating to the Militia," Stateutes at Large of South Carolina No. 440: Required that master or mistress provide "every white male servant or servants… at the term and exdpirtation of his or their srvice be freed and discharged shall be provided with such good and sufficient arms, ammunition, and accoutrments, as by this act is directed..."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, 4 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 78 (1823)(1720)Appropriated one thousand pounds to distribute "to each christian titheable [subject to taxation], one firelock, musket, one socket, bayonet fitted thereto, one cartouch box, eight pounds bullet, two pounds powder, until the whole one thousand pounds be laid out."Item type:Item, 5 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 17 (1819) (enacted 1738)(1738)An act for the better Regulation of the Militia: "That every person, so as aforesaid listed, free mulattos, negros and Indians,) and placed or ranked in horse or foot, shall be armed and accoutred in manner following: that is to say, Every horse-man shall be furnished with a serviceable Isorse, a good saddle, with breast-plate, crupper, curb-bridle, carbine or fuzee, and bucket, holsters, a case of pistols, cutting sword or cutlass, double cartouch-box, and six charges of powder,- and constantly appear with the same, at the time and place appointed for muster and exercise; and shall keep at his place of abode, one pound of powder, and four pounds of ball, and bring the same into the field with him, when thereunto required. And every footman shall be furnished with a firelock, musket, or fuzee, well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same, or a cutting sword or cutlass, a cartouch-box, and three charges of powder"Item type:Item, 5 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 62 (1819) (enacted 1738)(1738)Ch. 14, § 8: "That whosoever shall, hereafter, use any firehunting, or the killing of any deer by such means on any patented land; every person present at such fire hunting, shall forfeit and pay twenty shillings for every such offence: And if any Indian be found fire-hunting, as aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful, for the owner of such land, or his or her overseer, to take away the gun of such Indian, and the same to keep to his own use.'"Item type:Item, 4 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 131 (1823)(1723)Ch. 4, § 14: "And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That no negro, mulatto,or Indian whatsoewver; (except as is hereafter excepted,) shall hereafter presume to keep, or carry any gun, powder, shot, any club, or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive; but that every gun, and all powder and shot,whipped. and every such club or weapon. as aforesaid, found or taken in the hands, custody, or possession of any such negro, mulatto, or Indian, shall be taken away..."Item type:Item, 5 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 61 (1819) (enacted 1738)(1738)Ch. 14, § 2: "That from and fter the passing of this act, it shall not be lawful for any person whatsoever, to hunt, shoot or kill, any bark, between the first day of December, and the last day of July, which shall be in any year; nor to hunt, shoot, or kill, any doe or fawn, between the first day of January, and the last day of September, in any year. And if any person whatsoever shall presume to hunt, shoot, or kill, or destroy, any such bucks, doe, or fawn, running wild in the woods, within the times herein before respectively limitted; or shall buy or receive the samee of any Indian, or other person; every such person so offending s?II forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings current money, for every buck, doe, or fawn, so killed, bought, or received;"Item type:Item, Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations in America 86-87 (1179 [1719])(1718)That every Listed Soldier of the said Militia, shall be always provided with one good Musket, or Fuzee, the Barrel whereof not to be less than three foot and an half in length, to the satisfaction of the Commission Officers of the Company; also one pound of good Gunpowder, thirty Bullets, fit for his Gun, six good Flints, fit for Service; one good Sword, or Baionet, a Cartouch Box, readyItem type:Item, 1731 R.I. Pub. Laws 240-241(1731)Restricted the firing of any gun, pistol, squib, rocket, or firework on any street or in any tarvern after dark. Violators fined five shillings on first offense, ten shillings on second offense, twenty shillings for offenses beyond the second.Item type:Item, 3 Stat. at Large of Pa. 253-254, ch. 245, § IV(1721)Restricted the firing of guns or other firearms within the city. Violators fined five shillings or two days jail time.Item type:Item, 1725 Pa. Laws 31, An Act For The Better Securing Of The City Of Philadelphia From The Danger Of Gunpowder, § 2.(1725)No person whatever within the precincts of the city of Philadelphia aforesaid, nor within Two Miles thereof, shall, from and after the Time the Powder Store aforesaid is so erected and finished presume to keep in any House, Shop, Cellar, Store, or Place of the said City, nor within Two Miles thereof, other than the Powder Store aforesaid, any more or greater Quantity, at any one Time, than Twelve Pounds of Gun-powder, under the Penalty of Ten Pounds for every such Offence.Item type:Item, 3 Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801 255-256 (1896)(1721)"if any person or persons shall presume . . . to carry any gun or hunt on the improved or inclosed lands of any plantation other than his own, unless he have license or permission from the owner of such lands or plantation . . . he shall for every such offense forfeit the sum of ten shillings."Item type:Item, The Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801, at, 46-49, ch. 456, §§ 1-8(1721)That if any person or persons shall presume, at any time after the sixteenth day of November, in this present year on thousand seven hundred and twenty one, to carry any gun or hunt on the improved or inclosed lands of any plantation other than his own, unless he have license or permission from the owner of such lands or plantation, and shall thereof convicted ether upon view of any justice of the peace within this province, or by the oath or affirmation of any one or more witnesses, before any justice of the peace, he shall for every such offense forfeit the sum of ten shillings.Item type:Item, John C. Lowber, Ordinances of the Corporation of the City of Philadelphia, at 15-16, Ordinance No. 3, § 4 (1812)(1721)That if any person or persons, of what sex, age, degree or quality soever, from and after publication hereof, shall fire any gun or other fire-arms, or shall make, or cause to be made, or sell or utter, or offer to expose to sale, any squibs, rockets or other fire works, or shall cast, throw or fire, any squibs, rockets, or other fire works, within the city of Philadelphia, without the governor's special license for the same, of which license due notice shall first be given to the mayor of the said city, such person or persons so offending, and being thereof convicted before any one justice of the peace of the said city, either by confession of the party so offending, or by the view of any of the said justices, or by the oath or affirmation of one or more witnesses, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of five shillingsItem type:Item, Samuel Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives. Selected And Arranged From Original Documents In The Office Of The Secretary Of The Commonwealth, Conformably To Acts Of The General Assembly, February 15, 1851, & March 1, 1852, at 160, As to the Act for the better Govemnt[sic] of the City iof Phila. (1852)(1713)§This Act inflicts 5s penalty on persons riding a gallop and 10s for persons trotting, with Drays or their Teams in the streets, and 5th for suffering a Dog or a Bitch going at large; or firing a Gun without licenseItem type:Item, 2 Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801 420 (1896)(1712)"And that no master or commander of any merchant ship or vessel shall fire, or suffer to be fired, on board his vessel, any ordnance or other gun after eight o'clock in the evening, nor before daylight in the morning, without license from the governor first had, under the penalty of ten shillings for every of fense. Nor shall any person presume to fire any gun, guns or small arms within the built part of the said city, without special license from the governor, or some magistrate of the said city for so doing, under the penalty of two shillings and six pence for every offense."Item type:Item, 1715-55 N.C. Sess. Laws 36(1729)An Additional Act to an Act for Appointing Toll-Books, and for Preventing People from Driving Horses, Cattle, or Hogs to Other Persons' Lands, ch. 5, § 7: Prohibited "slaves" to hunt on any person's land besides their master's with any weapon.Item type:Item, 1752 N.Y. Laws 199(1730)Ch. 560, § 20: Prohibited slaves from having or using any gun, pistol, sword, club, or any other kind of weapon. Violators punished by up to twenty lashes.Item type:Item, Acts of Assembly, Passed in the Province of New York, From 1691, to 1718, at 144 (1719)(1712)"An Act for Preventing, Suppressing, and Punishing the Conspiracy and Insurrection of Negroes, and other Slaves": Prohibition on "any Negro, Indian, Mulatto Slave" from having or using any gun or pistol outside of their master's presence.Item type:Item, 1716 N.H. Laws 91, in 2 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 285 (Albert Stillman Batchellor ed., 1904) (enacted 1718)(1718)Required every "householder" to have a musket, bandoliers, cartridge box, bullets, powder, cleaning tools, and a sword. Penalty of six schillings for each arm and two schillings for each other defect.Item type:Item, 1717 Mass. Acts 336(1717)An Act For The Better Regulation Of Fowling: That if any person or persons shall, at any time after two months from the publication of this act, make use of any boat, canoe, float, raft or other vessel, wherewith to approach to, and shoot at any waterfowl, in any part of this province, he or they so offending, shall each of them forfeit and pay, for every such offence, the sum of forty shillings to the informer. And every such offender shall be, and hereby is prohibited and restrained from using a gun to shoot at waterfowl for the space of three years next after his offence, upon the like penalty of forty shillings for each time he shall presume so to offend, to be disposed of in manner as the forfeiture aforementioned.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 271-72 (1726)(1719)An Act For the Punishing and Preventing of Duelling: That whoever ... fight a duel, combat, or engage in a rencounter with rapier, or small-sword, back-sword, pistol, or any other dangerous weapon, to the danger of life, mayhem, or wounding of the parties, or the affray of his Majesty's good subjects, (although death doth not thereby ensue) and be thereof convicted, by due course of law, before the Court of Assize, or Court of General Sessions of the Peace, in the respective Counties of this Province, shall be punished by fine, not exceeding a hundred pounds, imprisonment, not exceeding six months, or corporally punished...Item type:Item, 1728 Mass. Acts 516(1728)An Act for Repealing an Act Entitled, "An Act For The Punishing And Preventing Of Dueling," and for Making Other Provisions Instead Thereof, ch. 5: That whoever from and after the publication of this Act shall be so hardy and wicked as to fight a duel, or for private malice, displeasure, fury or revenge, voluntarily engage in a rencounter, with rapier or small-sword, backsword, pistol or any other dangerous weapon, to the hazard of life, mayhem, or wounding of the parties, or the affray of his Majesty's good subjects, although death doth not thereby ensue; or shall by word, message, or any other way, challenge another to fight a duel, or shall accept a challenge, although no duel be fought, or shall any ways abet, prompt, encourage or seduce any person to fight a duel, or to challenge another to fightItem type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 226-27 (1726)(1713)An Act To Prohibit Shooting Or Firing Off Guns Near The Road Or Highway On Boston Neck: That no person or persons, from and after the publication of this Act, may presume to discharge or fire off any gun upon Boston Neck within ten rods of the road or highway leading over the same, on pain of forfeiting and paying the sum of twenty shillings . . . And for the better conviction of persons offending against this Act, it shall be lawful, to and for any Free-holder, to arrest and take into custody any gun so fired off, and render the same to one of the next Justices in Boston, in order to its being produced at the time of trial.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 272-73 (1726)(1719)An Act in Further Addition to an Act for Erecting a Powder House in Boston: That, from and after the publication of this Act, no gunpowder shall be kept on board any ship, or other vessel, lying to or grounded at any wharf within the port of Boston. And if any gunpowder shall be found on board such ship or vessel lying aground, as aforesaid, such powder shall be liable to confiscation, and under the same penalty, as if it were found lying in any house or warehouse. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no powder be carried through any town upon trucks, under the penalty of ten shillings per barrel for every barrel of powder so conveyed, and so proportionally for smaller cask.Item type:Item, The Charter Granted by Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Providence of the Massachussets Bay in New England 189-90 (1726)(1715)An Act For Erecting a Powder-House within the Town of Boston: That, from and after the publication hereof, any person within the town of Boston, that shall presume to keep, in his house or Warehouse, any powder, above what is by law allowed, shall forfeit and pay, for every half-barrel, the sum of five pounds . . . That any person or persons whosoever, that shall throw any squibs, serpents, or rockets, or perform any other fireworks within the streets, . . (shall be fined).Item type:Item, Laws of Maryland, 1713; Ch. 44, Sect. 32, in The Black Code of the District of Columbia in Force September 1st, 1848, at 11 (1848)(1713)Prohibition on "Negro or other slave" from carrying a gun or offensive weapon off their master's land.Item type:Item, 1715 Md. Laws 117(1715)An Act for the Speedy Trial of Criminals, and Ascertaining Their Punishment in the County Courts When Prosecuted There, and For Payment of Fees Due From Criminal Persons, ch. 26, § 32: Prohibited "any negro or other slave" from carrying any gun or offensive weapon off their master's land without a ticket.Item type:Item, 1715 Md. Laws 90(1715)An Act for the speedy trial of criminals, and ascertaining their punishment in the county courts when prosecuted there, and for payment of fees due from criminal persons, chap. 26, § 7: And, to prevent the abusing, hurting or worrying of any stock of hogs, cattle or horses, with dogs, or otherwise, Be It Enacted, That if any person or persons whatsoever, that have been convicted of any of the crimes aforesaid, or other crimes, or that shall be of evil fame, or a vagrant, or dissolute liver, that shall shoot, kill or hunt, or be seen to carry a gun, upon any person's land, whereon there shall be a seated plantation, without the owner's leave, having been once before warned, shall forfeit and pay one thousand pounds of tobacco...Item type:Item, Item type:Item, 2 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 1703-1745, at 293 (1977) (passed May 5, 1722)(1722)An Act to Prevent the Killing of Deer out of Season, and Against Carrying of Guns and Hunting by Persons not Qualified: That if any Person or Persons shall presume, at any Time after the Publication hereof, to carry any Gun, or Hunt on the Improved or Inclosed Lands in any Plantation, and on other than his own, unless he have Lisence or Permission from the owner of such Lands or Plantation, and shall be thereof Convicted, either upon the View of any Justice of the Peace within this Province, or by the Oath or Affirmation of any one or more Witnesses, before any Justice of the Peace, he shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of Fifteen Shillings, with Costs attending such Conviction.Item type:Item, 8 Stat. at Large, from the Twelfth Year of Queen Anne, to the Fifth Year of King George I: To which Is Prefixed, a Table Containing the Titles of all the Statutes During that Period 306–07 (Danby Pickering ed. 1764)(1716)CAP. LIV-An Act for the more effectual securing the Peace of the Highlands in Scotland, Enacted November 1, 1716 (anno primo Georgii I): Prohibited any person within the Scottish Highlands from possession any broad sword, target, poynard, whingar, durk, side-pistol or side-pistols, or gun, or any other warlike weapons. Violators shall forfeit such arms and fined not less than five nor more than forty pounds sterling, and imprisoned until such fine is paid.Item type:Item, 9 Geo. 1, c. 22 (1723)(1723)An act for the more effectual punishing wicked and evil-disposed persons going armed in disguise, and doing injuries and violences to the persons and properties of his Majesty's subjects, and for the more speedy bringing the offenders to justice: Prohibited anyone going armed with sword, fire-arms, or other offensive weapons while having their faces blacked or disguised in any forest, chase, park, paddock, grounds inclosed with any wall, pale, or fence? or in any high road, open heath, common or down, or to wilfully hunt unlawfully. Violators guilty of a felony, and shall suffer death.