Mounting guns

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Avizpls

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What is the legality of mounting a .22LR or similar to a radio controlled helicopter or car or something (complete with video camera sighting system).That could potentially be loads of fun, but I fear there is no way its going to be legal.

I am into robotics, circuitry and what not, and this could be a neat project.

Any word?
 
This may not be specifically illegal, but would likely fall under the catch-all of reckless endangerment.


If you live truly in the middle of nowhere, it might not matter. But not much does, out in the desert.
 
I have seen clubs of modelers do something similar with remote control boats and bb guns. They stage mock sea battles iirc.
 
I like the idea and with the advent of readily available electronics to do this it would be a cool project. It brings up interesting security measures that would be needed to prevent the system being taken control of and adequate safety measures for the arming 22LR not unlike arming the missiles or guns on a plane. If I were to do it I would probably build the gun from scratch to allow better servo control and size. I would guess someone would find it illegal.
 
I don't know if it should, specifically, be illegal or not, but it seems like a bad idea. The military invests alot in arming systems. Building a remote fire control system that you know is not going to be actuated by cell phones or some other random emission is not easy when all your components come from Fred's Hobby Hut.


Such a project could easily come out as a Darwin Award winner.
 
Why would anyone automatically think it would be illegal or a bad idea? It doesn't sound any more dangerous to mankind than actually having a gun in your hands. It wouldn't be any more effective for illegal activities than having a gun in your hands either.

What it sounds like, is fun.
 
It would make following the rules of gun handling safety difficult. As fun as it sounds, it's a BAD idea.
 
It would make following the rules of gun handling safety difficult. As fun as it sounds, it's a BAD idea.
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Please explain, I don't see how this would be inherently dangerous. You have a gun, you have a sight picture, you have a target, and you have a trigger. The separation of the gun from your hand is the difference between shooting from remote control and shooting with a gun in hand.

Everything is still controlled by the shooter, and a shooter's attitude towards safety is what makes shooting safe, not the mechanics of how you hold a gun and pull the trigger.

This gives me an idea on how to get rid of rats in the attic.....
 
As I already pointed out, Butch, the transmitter circuits in hobby gear isn't secure in any way. It would be difficult to make sure the triggering servo wouldn't self actuate from other radio noise.

On top of that, if this is mounted in a remote helicopter, it is going to be difficult to control the muzzle.


Taking a loaded, cocked gun and attaching it to a barely controllable helicopter is not the embodiment of "safe gun handling". In fact, you are no longer handling the gun at all.


This is not a "guns are bad, okay" issue. It is a technology issue. The aircraft and control system involved are too crude to be trusted with a loaded firearm.
 
i could see doing it with the car, maybe the helicopter in a very controlled environment. what about using a paintball gun or something on a car just to kind of test the idea first? its similar and you would need the same kinds of controlls as a .22 but its a lot less dangerous.
 
While I am by no means a heli-flying expert, take a look at how controllable these bad boys can be.

Link to movie


I wouldnt be using standard radio transmission signals. I would be on the same frequency, but the "fire" command would be a series of complicated signals that would be next to impossible to duplicate randomly. It would take about .100seconds to send the command rather than <.001seconds for a typical transmit sequence.

Im not trying to be gung-ho about this, flying around above childrens play grounds and straffeing the the neighbor hood cats, but this could be a neat lil toy.

And I dont think it should be illegal, but I can see how it would be considered so by the same people who brought us AWB and mag resrictions
 
I am not an expert on radio controls, nor have I ever played one on TV. So explain this to me:

1. Why can the controls not be shielded, or coded (the way that a garage door opener is?) so that stray radiations don't trigger the gun off?

2. Wouldn't you set up your firing range to take into account the instability of the firing platform, and wouldn't that be a large part of the challenge, hence the fun? It seemed axiomatic to me that this hobby would require remote (pun intended) ranges where missing the target would not cause undue damage.
 
butch, this is true

Some of these heli-rigs cost upwards of 2000 dollars. These guys all go out in large groups and can all be flying at the same time. There is a "lock" on the controller" and a "key" on the plane. Only the right signal will get to the servo.

And yes, a large range would be key.
 
Butch50

Why would anyone automatically think it would be illegal or a bad idea?
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If BATF looks at a gun in a wallet holster as AOW, then I see no way a gun attached to a remote control car/plane/boat could fall into the definition of a handgun. Or rifle or shotgun for that matter.

Please explain, I don't see how this would be inherently dangerous.
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I think control is the key here. A gun in your hand is under your control. In a way, a gun on a helicopter 100 feet away is under your control, but that's tenous.

I remember someone saying a gun requires the attention of a 2 year old. Meaning you don't want to let it out of your sight, or out of reach. Mounted on a r/c helicopter if definitely out of reach, and could end up out of sight.

What do you do if one of these mechanisms fails and you lose control of this thing and it triggers the firing mechanism accidentally? Or flies over the next hill/wall building? What if someone picks it up? Will radio signals from other things mimic your controls? What if the battery goes dead? What if it runs out of fuel and fires when it crashes?

It could break the rules of gun safety- Is the muzzle going to be pointed at you when you fly the helicoptor/gun back to you? Where is the muzzle pointed when it's 50 feet in the air pointed 360 degrees as you're maneuvering it?
 
1. Why can the controls not be shielded, or coded (the way that a garage door opener is?) so that stray radiations don't trigger the gun off?
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Never came home and found your garage door open? This still happens, time to time. Actually, it happens constantly anywhere Air Force One flys, but you understand my point.

It seemed axiomatic to me that this hobby would require remote (pun intended) ranges where missing the target would not cause undue damage.
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Yes, which is why I already said "If you live truly in the middle of nowhere, it might not matter. But not much does, out in the desert." Of course, if you are out in that desert, there is one thing of value that could potentionally be destroyed.
 
I watched that movie, that model appears very stable in the hands of the operator shown. I think you are onto a great idea.

With the right FFL you could even go fully automatic. :) It could change the old sport of shooting rats at the dump into a whole new experience. :D

If you wanted to test fire the setup once you have it together, think ratshot for testing.
 
I have a friend that is into remote control airplanes. He had one that dropped simulated bombs which I thought was pretty cool...however, they were non explosive, just filled with some sort of talcum powder or something. He has had a few malfunctions in the years of flying them (crashes, loss of control, etc), and even lost one plane when a novice showed up and turned on his transmitter that happened to be on the same frequency. Although there are rules in place, and occurences like this seem to be rare, they do happen. Also, when I shoot I have a good safe backdrop. I think this would be hard to achieve at altitude or in a place that is suitable for flying r/c aircraft. To me, that would be a risk I wouldn't be willing to take. Just my opinion.
 
An old quarry comes to mind as a good firing range. It could be on level ground as long as it is out in the boonies.
 
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