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.

Scope of Content

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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Now showing 1 - 40 of 64

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."
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."
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.
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.
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."
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 Flints
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."
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 15 (1980)
(1746)
Sought to raise 500 troops for a state army expedition against Canada. This act also made it unlawful for an officer "to inlist any young Men under the Age of Twenty One Years, or any Slaves who are so for Term of Life, bought Servants, or Apprentices, without the Express Leave in Writing of their Parents or Guardians, Masters or Mistresses."
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 5 (1980); see also 1753 N.J. Laws ch. 257; 1766 N.J. Laws ch. 422; 1770 N.J. Laws ch. 520; 1771 N.J. Laws ch. 539
(1746)
Each militiaman between the Age of Sixteen and Fifty Years" must "be sufficiently armed with one good sufficient Musket or Fuzee well fixed, a Sword or Bayonet, a Cartouch-Box or Powder-Horn," plus bullets and powder.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 5 (1980)
(1746)
Required most men aged 16 to 50 to enroll in the colonial militia, provide their own weapons and ammunition, attend regular training musters, and obey military officers. Violators faced fines and, if unpaid, up to three days' imprisonment.
3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 15-20 (1980)
(1746)
Encouraged 500 freemen and allied Native Americans to enlist for a campaign against French Canada by offering a £6 bonus, temporary protection from most civil debt collection, and military pay. It prohibited enlisting minors, slaves, servants, or apprentices without permission and imposed substantial penalties for unlawful enlistment.
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.
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..."
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."
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."
George H. Ryden, Delaware - The First State in the Union 117 (1938)
(1741)
Required males from 17 to 50 years to enlist. Besides that, everyone else who was living self-sufficiently (" every Freeholder and taxable Person" ) had to have the same arms as militiamen.
1 Del. Laws 175-76 (1797)
(1740)
Required " all the inhabitants and freemen" aged fifteen to sixty-three to " provide and keep . . . a well-fixed firelock or musket," plus ammunition supplies and cleaning tools.
9 The Statutes 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 645-47 (David J. McCord ed., 1841)
(1747)
Affirmed that it was "lawful to . . . call together all male persons in this Province, from the age of sixteen to sixty years." It also made "every person liable to appear and bear arms . . . keep in his house, or at his usual place of residence, and bring with him to such muster, exercise or training, one gun or musket, fit for service, a cover for his lock, one cartridge box," twelve cartridges, horn or flask filled with at least a quarter pound of gun powder, a shot pouch with appropriate bullets, "one girdle or belt, one ball of wax . . . to defend his arms in rain, one worm and picker, four spare flints, a bayonet, sword or hatchet.
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"
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.'"
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..."
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;"
The Statutes at Large of South Carolina: Edited Under Authority of the Legislature 417 (1840)
(1743)
"every white male inhabitant of this Province... who shall, on any Sunday or Christmas day in the year, go and resort to any church or any other public place of divine worship within this Province, and shall not carry with him a gun or a pair of horse pistols, in good order and fit for service, with at least six charges of gun-powder and ball, and shall not carry the same into the church or other place of divine worship as aforesaid, every such person shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings, current money, for every neglect of the same."
1740 S.C. Acts 174
(1740)
An Act for the Better Ordering and Governing of Negroes and other Slaves in this Province, § 41: And Whereas an ill custom has prevailed in this Province, of firing guns in the night time; for the prevention thereof for the future, be it enacted that if any person shall fire or shoot off any gun or pistol in the night time after dark and before day-light without necessity every such person shall forfeit the sum of 40s. current money for each gun so fired as aforesaid
7 Stat. at Large of S.C. 417–19 (1840) (enacted 1740, re-enacted 1743)
(1740)
Required ever white male inhabitant liable for militia service to carry a gun or pair of horse pistols in good order and fit for service to church. Also required at least six charges of gun powder and ball. Violators liable for twenty shillings on each violation.
1740 S.C. Acts 11–12
(1740)
An Act for the Better Ordering and Governing of Negroes and other Slaves in this Province, § 23: Prohibited any "negro or slave" from possessing or using firearms or weapons without a ticket or license from their master, punishable by seizure of weapons.
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, ready
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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 shillings
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 license
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."
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.
1715-55 N.C. Sess. Laws 69
(1745)
An Act to Prevent Killing Deer at Unseasonable Times: That it shall not be lawful for any person to kill or destroy any deer, running wild in the woods or unfenced grounds in this government, by guns, or any other ways or means whatsoever, between the fifteenth day of February, and the fifteenth day of July, yearly, and in each year, after the ratification of the said act; and that any person convicted of the same, shall forfeit and pay the sum of five pounds, current money . . .
A Collection of all the Public Acts of Assembly, of the Province of North-Carolina 215 (1752)
(1746)
"the Militia of this Government shall consist of all the Freemen and Servants... between the Age of Sixteen Years, and Sixty?" Further, the statute required every member of the militia to be "well provided with a gun, fit for service, a Cartouch Box, and a Sword, Cutlass, or Hanger, at least 12 charges of powder and ball, or swung shot, and six spare flints?"
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.
6 Documents Relative To The Colonial History Of The State Of New-York 316 (1855)
(1744)
forbid the exportation of gunpowder

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