This provision defines what counts as an offensive weapon and lists exclusions. It also lets the commissioner of public safety designate collector’s items by rule and requires annual updates.
1. An offensive weapon is any device or instrumentality of the following types: a. A machine gun. A machine gun is a firearm which shoots or is designed to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. b. Any weapon other than a shotgun or muzzle loading rifle, cannon, pistol, revolver or musket, which fires or can be made to fire a projectile by the explosion of a propellant charge, which has a barrel or tube with the bore of more than six-tenths of an inch in diameter, or the ammunition or projectile therefor, but not including antique weapons kept for display or lawful shooting. c. A destructive device as defined in section 101A.1. d. A ballistic knife. A ballistic knife is a knife with a detachable blade which is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism, elastic material, or compressed gas. e. Any part or combination of parts either designed or intended to be used to convert any device into an offensive weapon as described in paragraphs “a” through “d”, or to assemble into such an offensive weapon, except magazines or other parts, ammunition, or ammunition components used in common with lawful sporting firearms or parts including but not limited to barrels suitable for refitting to sporting firearms. f. Any bullet or projectile containing any explosive mixture or chemical compound capable of exploding or detonating prior to or upon impact, or any shotshell or cartridge containing exothermic pyrophoric misch metal as a projectile which is designed to throw or project a flame or fireball to simulate a flamethrower. 2. An offensive weapon or part or combination of parts therefor shall not include the following: a. An antique firearm. An antique firearm is any firearm, including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system, manufactured in or before 1898 or any firearm which is a replica of such a firearm if such replica is not designed or redesigned for using conventional rimfire or centerfire fixed ammunition or which uses only rimfire or centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade. b. A collector’s item. A collector’s item is any firearm other than a machine gun that by reason of its date of manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is not likely to be used as a weapon. The commissioner of public safety shall designate by rule firearms which the commissioner determines to be collector’s items and shall revise or update the list of firearms at least annually. c. Any device which is not designed or redesigned for use as a weapon; any device which is designed solely for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line-throwing, safety, or similar device; or any firearm which is unserviceable by reason of being unable to discharge a shot by means of an explosive and is incapable of being readily restored to a firing condition. [C27, 31, 35, §12960-b1; C39, §12960.01; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, §696.1; C71, 73, 75, 77, §696.1, 697.10, 697.11; C79, 81, §724.1] 83 Acts, ch 7, §1; 88 Acts, ch 1164, §2, 3; 92 Acts, ch 1004, §1, 2; 2000 Acts, ch 1116, §7; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §205; 2014 Acts, ch 1092, §148; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §194; 2016 Acts, ch 1044, §1, 4; 2017 Acts, ch 69, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 12, §6, 8 Referred to in §123.56, 124.401, 657.12, 724.2, 809.21, 809A.17