[Steppes] Coronation

[Ironwyrm]

Thanks Dux for posting that, I've been looking through the years old records back from my gunfight team days for that legal loophole in the Texas law to post it myself.  I'm one of the few persons whom can boast of sitting in the historical saloons located around the Fort Worth's stockyards drinking, playing poker, wearing & shooting a side arm in the last hundred years (Not to mention getting paid for it!), a dubious honor at best!
 
I was actually arrested once and my weapons confiscated but the case was dropped and everything returned to my possession within in three days.  I was in period costume and employed as an actor at the time (even had my check on me) and stopped for a bad tail light as I left the show site, the arresting officer wasn't amused (Guess he didn't like the show, huh?).  
 
I believe it's referred to as "gray laws" and what to do is left up to the discretion of the officer, but it's a lawyer's wet dream!
 
Ironwyrm


Greg Shetler <mordockvonrugen at comcast.net> wrote:
Funny thing about the wording of Texas law with respect to "weapons": nearly
all "weapons" are illegal except when used for historical re-enactment,
hunting, or sporting. The law uses some complex wording, but it comes down
to sporting - bow and arrow for hunting or sport shooting, throwing knives
for sport throwing, axe for historical show and/or sport throwing, dagger as
historical replica, etc. Out of SCA or sport context, those would be
illegal. In SCA and/or sport context, they're legal.... 

For those interested, here is an extract of relevant law from
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/ftp/forms/ls-16.pdf :
PC CH. 46. WEAPONS
PC §46.01. DEFINITIONS. In this Chapter:
(1) "Club" means an instrument that is specially designed, made,
or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by
striking a person with the instrument, and includes but is not limited to
the following:
(A) blackjack;
(B) nightstick;
(C) mace;
(D) tomahawk.
[snip]
(6) "Illegal knife" means a:
(A) knife with a blade over five and one-half inches;
(B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being
thrown;
(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto, and poniard;
(D) bowie knife;
(E) sword; or
(F) spear.
(7) "Knife" means any bladed hand instrument that is capable of
inflicting serious bodily injury or death by cutting or stabbing a person
with the instrument.
PC §46.02. UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS. (a) A person commits
an offense if he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on
or about his person a handgun, illegal knife, or club.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an offense under this
section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if the
offense is committed on any premises licensed or issued a permit by
this state for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

(b) Section 46.02 does not apply to a person who:
(4) is engaging in lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting activity
on the immediate premises where the activity is conducted, or is
directly en route between the premises and the actor's residence, if the
weapon is a type commonly used in the activity;

In general, sporting equipment used in sporting context is not considered a
weapon. Sporting equipment used with intent to injure is a weapon....

Gotta love semantics, especially when lawyers have fun with it. :D

Dux

-----Original Message-----
From: steppes-bounces+mordockvonrugen=comcast.net at ansteorra.org
[mailto:steppes-bounces+mordockvonrugen=comcast.net at ansteorra.org] On Behalf
Of Ironwyrm
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 1:24 AM
To: Barony of Steppes - SCA, Inc.
Subject: Re: [Steppes] Coronation


Michael Smith wrote: 

We don't have weapons. We have sporting equipment.



Hmmm, I like that idea, sporting equipment huh!?! Let's see now, fourteen
inch double edged dagger on the belt, that's an eating utensil. Double
faced axe stuck in the back of the belt, well may have to chop some wood.
Throwing daggers up the sleeves, quiver full of arrows over the shoulder &
bow in the hand, well that's all sporting equipment too. 

Hey, we're good to go, that judge is really going to just love us!

Reminds me of pulling into Fort Hood for the last academy of the bow. I can
still see that look on the guard's face when he asked if we had any weapons
and the response was "Well yeah!".

Ironwyrm







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