I was bored and ended up reading about laws and restrictions on owning a tank like the L3/33 in the US. I couldn’t find much stopping you unless you’re a criminal, don’t have the money, or can’t find the tank. So, let’s say you’ve got a large property, somehow own an L3/33, and you put it in your upstairs kitchen (don’t ask me how). It’s 3AM, you’re making a sandwich, and you hear an intruder. You hop into your tank and mow him down with the machine gun. Is this legal, or am I just asking for trouble? I don’t know much about US gun or tank laws, so any info would be helpful.
The weirdest part about all this is the idea of having a tank indoors.
That said, this made me laugh. Imagine planning a break-in and then opening a door to face down a tank.
Bob said:
The weirdest part about all this is the idea of having a tank indoors.
That said, this made me laugh. Imagine planning a break-in and then opening a door to face down a tank.
Lol, didn’t think about it from the intruder’s perspective, but yeah, that would be either terrifying, disappointing, or just hilarious.
Why specifically a nearly 100-year-old Italian mini-tank?
Kenzie said:
Why specifically a nearly 100-year-old Italian mini-tank?
In the US, you can own a demilled tank without many restrictions. If you want to drive it on public streets, it needs to be street legal and licensed. If the tank still has active weapons, you’ll need a background check, fingerprints, and a $200 tax stamp for each gun and shell.
For self-defense, using a tank would be like using any other weapon. You might get charged with murder since you’d be protected inside the tank, but technically, you could defend yourself with it.
Also, you can own a muzzle-loading cannon without any special license. Some states don’t allow these items, though.
@Guy
From what I know, the rounds you need to stamp are HE and frag. Practice, solid, canister, and sabot ammo don’t need a stamp.
@Guy
Wow, that’s an actual legal answer, thanks.
Layla said:
@Guy
Wow, that’s an actual legal answer, thanks.
I used to own a Mark 1/2 Ferret Scout Car with a dummy machine gun, licensed as a historical vehicle. It was fun!
Layla said:
@Guy
Wow, that’s an actual legal answer, thanks.
I used to own a Mark 1/2 Ferret Scout Car with a dummy machine gun, licensed as a historical vehicle. It was fun!
That sounds cool. Did you ever get pulled over for it?
@Layla
Yeah, but the cops were chill since I had DARE logos on it. Back in the 90s, it was a lot more laid back.
Guy said:
@Layla
Yeah, but the cops were chill since I had DARE logos on it. Back in the 90s, it was a lot more laid back.
Lol, the 90s sound like they were peak times for this kind of stuff.
Kenzie said:
Why specifically a nearly 100-year-old Italian mini-tank?
It’s small, so it’s more convenient than something like an Abrams. The smaller calibre gun makes it easier to legally own.
@Layla
You’d probably be better off with a CVR(T). Still in use today.
[Link to CVR(T) military vehicle for sale]
Kenzie said:
@Layla
You’d probably be better off with a CVR(T). Still in use today.
[Link to CVR(T) military vehicle for sale]
That’s a solid option for a small self-defense tank. Personally, I like the smaller, mid-range tanks.
The law doesn’t really care about what kind of deadly force you use as long as it’s reasonable. But the DA might try to argue that if you’re inside your tank, you’re safe, and charge you with murder instead.
This happens sometimes. In mock trials, juries tend to convict more if you use an ‘assault weapon’ compared to a regular gun.
@Calvin
Where can I watch or read about these mock trials?
Layla said:
@Calvin
Where can I watch or read about these mock trials?
James Reeves has a YouTube channel where he talks about them. He’s a defense attorney for Law Shield.
There are laws for machine guns and destructive devices both federally and state-wise. A demilitarized tank is basically the same as a bulldozer.
You can own certain machine guns or destructive devices, but you need background checks, paperwork, and a $200 tax stamp. That also applies to each shot of ammunition.
If you’ve got a huge amount of money, you can defend your property with a tank. Honestly, I would expect that from someone with that much cash.
@Rick
You only need the tax stamp for explosive shells. Non-explosive rounds like solid or canister ammo don’t need it.
@Rick
Lol, I need to find a rich American living on a big property with a huge kitchen and no criminal record to try this out. God bless America.