Discussion BATF Targets Cannon Owner

The Grand Jury charges:
On or about August 6, 2019, in the Eastern District of Washington, the Defendant, KENT KIMBERLING, did knowingly possess a firearm, to wit:
- a red, white, and blue, cannon destructive device having a bore diameter in excess of one-half inch; and
- an improvised explosive projectile further described as a small metal compressed carbon dioxide gas cartridge and soda can; not registered to the Defendant in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation of26 U.S.C. §§ 5841, 5861(), 5871.


Screenshot 2021-07-12 at 07-58-34 Explosives Boobytraps - Explosives-and-Booby-Traps-LES-FOUO ...png
 
describing it as a "cannon" really does not tell us much. I wonder what type of ignition system it had? There must have been something about it that is different than the civil war style cannons we use at reenactments. I would sure like to see more details about what made it illegal other than just the bore measurement. Makes me wonder if it was breech loading and used a shotgun shell or something similar to fire it.
I have a feeling it wasn't the cannon alone but the soda can described in the Grand Jury charges as "an improvised explosive projectile." The cannon may have been legal even with a bore over .500", but once the cannon was used as the device to launch the IEP, the cannon also became illegal.
 
Just a hunch, but I would guess the BATF was involved because they didn't really have much else to charge him with other than breaking a firearm law. In other words, the police wanted him off the streets for their own safety, but they aren't allowed to arrest you for that so they got him on something else.
It doesn't seem that getting this clown off the streets is inflicting any real harm to society.
 
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