It is ordered and appointed, that the commanders of all the several plantations, do upon holy days exercise the men under his command, and that the commanders yearly do likewise upon the first day of December, take a muster of their men, together with the women and children, and their ages, countries, and towns, where they were born, with the ships they came in, and year of the Lord, as also of arms and munition . . .

[Act XLI, (1642-43). It is enacted and confirmed that masters of every family shall bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable gun with sufficient powder and shot upon penalty of ten pounds of Tobacco for every master of a family so offending to be disposed of by the church wardens who shall levy it by distress, and servants being commanded and yet omitting shall receive twenty lashes on his or her bare shoulders, by order from the county courts where he or they shall live.]

Articles Agreed On And Concluded At James City In Virginia For The Surrendering And Settling Of That Plantation Under The Obedience And Government Of The Commonwealth Of England . . . Art. 13: That all ammunition, powder and arms, other than for private use shall be delivered up, security being given to make satisfaction for it.

An act prohibited the Illegal Trade in Powder, Lead and Guns, however the exact text has been lost to history.

It is ordered, that no man within this Jurisdiction shall directly or indirectly amend, repair, or cause to be amended or repaired, any gun small or great belonging to any Indian, nor shall endure the same, nor shall sell or give to any Indian, directly or indirectly, any such gun or gunpowder, or shot, or lead, or mold, or military weapons, or armor, nor shall make any arrow heads, upon pain of a ten pound fine for every offense at least, nor sell nor barter any guns, powder, bullets or lead, whereby this order might be evaded, to any person …

No person who had not lands of the yearly value of 100 pounds other than the son and heir of an esquire or other person of higher degree, should be allowed to own a gun.

Laws of the Duke of York, Indians (1676). No person shall sell give or barter directly or indirectly any gun or guns powder, bullet, shot, lead nor any vessel of burthen, or row boat canoes only excepted without license first had and obtained under the Governor’s hand and Seal, to any Indian whatsoever, nor to any person inhabiting out of this government nor shall amend or repair any gun belonging to any Indian, nor shall sell any armor or weapons, upon penalty of ten pounds for every gun, armor, weapons, vessel or boat, so sold given or bartered, five pounds …

Laws of the Colony of New York, Indians. No person shall sell, give or barter directly or indirectly any gun or guns, powder, bullet, shot, lead nor any vessel or burthen, or row boat, canoes only excepted without license first had and obtained under the governors hand and seal to any Indian whatsoever, nor to any person inhabiting out of this Government, nor shall amend or repair any gun belonging to any Indian, nor shall sell any armor or weapons, upon penalty of ten pounds for every gun, armor, weapon, vessel, or boat so sold given or bartered, five pounds …

That every foreign ship or vessel above thirty tons, coming into any port or part of this province from over the sea to trade or traffick [sic], all or the major part of the owners whereof are not actually inhabitants of this province, shall, every voyage they make, pay two shillings in money per ton, or one pound of good gunpowder, for the supply of his Majesty’s fort and fortifications within this province, to be received by the treasurer, or such other person or persons as shall be appointed to receive the same.

[Ordinances of the City of New York, § XII. And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the Prices and Rates to be taken by Cart-Men for the carriage of firewood, goods, wares and merchandise, and other things within this city,be according to the rates and prices hereafter mentioned, with out any exactions. . . For every load of gunpowder, to or from the powder-house, not exceeding four casks, two shillings and six pence. If less than four casks eighteen pence. If more than four casks three shillings.]

Laws of Georgia, An Act for the Better Security of the Inhabitants, by Obliging the Male White Persons to Carry Fire Arms to Places of Public Worship. Whereas it is necessary for the security and defence of this province from internal dangers and insurrections, that all persons resorting to places of public worship shall be obliged to carry fire arms: 1. Be it enacted, That immediately from and after the passing of this act, every male white inhabitant of this province, (the inhabitants of the sea port towns only excepted, who shall not be obliged to carry any other than …

Required every “free negro or mulatto” to first obtain a license before carrying or keeping “any fire-lock of any kind, any military weapon, or any powder or lead.”

Burlington City Ordinances, Shooting Batteries, Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Burlington, § 1. That when application shall be made to the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Burlington in council assembled, by any gunsmith conducting a gun shop in said city, it may be lawful for said Council to authorize the committee on internal improvements to instruct the applicant in what manner and of what materials he shall erect a shooting battery within said city, and said committee are required in all cases when such application is made, to judge of the …

[Revenue, An Act to Amend and Reduce into one the several Acts in Relation to the Revunue of this State, and for other purposes – February 4, 1844, Rates of Taxation, § 1. . . .A tax of two dollars on each dueling or pocket pistol, except such as are kept for sale by merchants, artisans, or kept for use by military companies. . . ]

§ 1. No pistol gallery or rifle gallery, or any other building or enclosure, where fire arms are used for practicing in firing with ball or shot, shall hereafter be kept in the compact part of the town of Newport, under a penalty of two hundred dollars for the first offence and five hundred dollars for every subsequent offense.; to be recovered, to and for the use of the State, by indictment in any court proper to try the same. And the town council of said town is hereby authorized and directed to define the limits of the compact part …

Ordinances of the [City of San Francisco], § 13. Every person, house, or firm engaged in keeping a pistol or rifle shooting gallery, shall pay for a license to carry on the same, the sum of ten dollars per quarter, in addition to the amount of the powder license.

On every pistol, except such as are used exclusively for mustering, and on every bowie-knife, one dollar and twenty five cents; on dirks and swordcanes, sixty five cents: Provided, however, That of said arms, only such shall be taxable, as at some time within the year have been used, worn or carried about the person of the owner, or of some other, by his consent.

[An Act to Incorporate the City of Montgomery, Approved December 23d, 1837] § 6. And be it further enacted, That the said Mayor and Aldermen, shall have power and authority for the ordinary current expenses of said city, to assess, levy and collect annually, a tax on. . . pistol galleries, fifty dollars…

[Ordinances of the City of New dueOrleans,] Revenue – Taxes and Licenses, § No. 680. Every keeper of a pistol gallery, the whole tax being levied on each and every gallery, sixty dollars.

The following subjects shall be annually listed, and be taxed the amounts specified: . . . Every dirk, bowie-knife, pistol, sword-cane, dirk-cane and rifle cane, used or worn about the person of any one at any time during the year, one dollar and twenty-five cents. Arms used for mustering shall be exempt from taxation.

Laws of the State of Texas, An Act Authorizing the Corporate Authorities of the Town of Dangerfield, Fairfield and Springfield, to tax ten pin alleys, billiard tables and pistol galleries [(1860)]. § 1 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the corporate authorities of the Town of Dangerfield, in Titus county, Fairfield, in Freestone county, and Springfield in Limestone county, Texas, be and they are hereby authorized to levy a tax, of not more than five hundred dollars per annum, on ten pin alleys, billiard tables or pistol galleries, to be paid before any such …

[Ordinances of the City of Memphis, Shooting Galleries, § 1. That no person or persons shall set up or use any pistol gallery, or place for the discharging of pistols, guns or other firearms in the first story of any building in the city; nor shall any gallery be used in any manner involving risk or danger to any person in the city; nor shall any person setting up or using such pistol gallery be exempt from the ordinance and penalties now in force, for discharging or shooting any pistol, gun or firearms within the city limits, until such person …

§ 1. . . . collect a tax of two dollars per head on each and every dog over the number of three, and one dollar a piece on every gun or pistol, musket or rifle over the number of three kept or owned on any plantation in the counties aforesaid; the said tax to be applied to such county purposes as the said courts shall direct. § 2. That the owner of every plantation in said counties shall be required to render, upon oath, a full return of every dog, gun, pistol, musket, or rifle so held or kept …

Taxation, § 10. On All pistols or revolvers in the possession of private persons not regular dealers holding them for sale, a tax of two dollars each; and on all bowie knives, or knives of the like description, held by persons not regular dealers, as aforesaid, a tax of three dollars each; and such tax must be collected by the assessor when assessing the same, on which a special receipt shall be given to the tax payer therefor, showing that such tax has been paid for the year, and in default of such payment when demanded by the assessor, such …

[A] tax of not less than five dollars or more than fifteen dollars shall be levied and assessed annually by the board of Police of Washington county upon every gun and pistol which may be in the possession of any person in said county, which tax shall be payable at any time on demand, by the Sheriff, and if not so paid, it shall be the duty of the Sheriff to forthwith distrain and seize such gun or pistol, and sell the same for cash at the door of the Court House, after giving ten days notice by advertisement, posted …