Antique Firearms
As an NRA member, I can appreciate antique firearms. But did you know that being in possession of a concealed antique firearm is not a crime?
The crime of
carrying a concealed firearm is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. However, Florida statutes permits the concealed carry of antique firearms.
An "antique firearm" is defined by Florida statutes as "any firearm manufactured in or before 1918 (including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar early type of ignition system) or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1918, and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1918, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade."
I practice
criminal defense in Miami and Broward. I represent clients charged with carrying a concealed firearm. I have come upon cases where the firearm in question is a pre-1918 antique that may have been found by police in a concealed fashion.
Guess what? It isn't a crime.
If you have been arrested for carrying a concealed firearm and you believe that your weapon qualifies as an antique,
call me today. You may be able to get your charges dropped.