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Picked these up a while back at an estate sale and boy did I get a surprise when I tried to post them on ebay. I thought alarms were going to sound off or something. I figured "oh,well" and proceeded to try to post them on craigslist---you guessed it. Same results. Warnings about shutting down my account and blah, blah, blah So I decided to do a little reading about the outdoor game of my youth who's name mustn't be uttered and I find out it's even a federal crime to own these. What the hell? I know the story about the kid bitd who was killed by one of these. Most of us were told the story back then by parents who then confiscated them and then tossed them. I understand banning the production and future sales, as they were never a good safe idea, but making it illegal to even own them even as just a collection display? Sounds like typical political B.S. if you ask me.

Oh wow, I didn’t know either. That’s crazy!

These days, I guess, it's not exactly enforced since there are "outlaw clubs" who still hold competitions for these things. The real enforcement comes when trying to sell them on a public venue such as ebay or craigslist. What a time we live in----drugs are becoming legal and vintage outdoor games have federal legislation against them. I remember a time----geez now I sound like my dad.

I remember they just dissappeared from the face of the planet one day. They were a blast. There really is no substitution for close adult supervision though. Now I gotta go turn us in to the feds for talkin' about 'em. You even posted a pic, Basher.

We were using ours at a family picnic this summer. No one died.

As I understand it it's only the sale that's illegal not the owning/use/making your own(3D printing vanes).

Though play with them out in the public long enough and you're bound to run into someone who doesn't know the difference and calls the cops on you. Worse yet is when you get the cop that doesn't know the difference too.

We had them as a kid, but I'm not sure what became of them. Luckily no one ever got hurt. My friend still had a set at his grandpa's river camp that we used to fish at in our teens and twenties and we would set them up about 4 times the regulation distance and play long distance. Those things will fly a long way! I read an article a few years ago about banned toys and I guess after his kid was killed by one a guy did a study and found that there were hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of Emergency Room visits caused by them and once Uncle Sam caught wind of that they went bye bye. Sad story and honestly, probably for the best that they were banned. They were a lot of fun though. I still think I'd play with them if I had a set. You'd just have to really supervise any kids (or drunk adults!) very closely. We bought a set that has weighted bags at the end instead of a tip, but it just isn't the same...

No doubt, they were not the safest toy. I have a few fond memories, and they all include doing something stupid, like flinging them straight up in the air and playing chicken with my buddies. The crazy thing, is they were not sold as childrens toys. It says right on the box, "game for adults". Parents not supervising their children or leaving their dart set out where kids could get at them led to plenty of the accidents, I'm sure. I have a couple Wham-o Powermaster crossbows from bitd. You wanna talk about a dangerous toy! These were known for the limbs cracking while drawing it and busting people in the head. If it didn't break, you have an 80# crossbow that can do a little more damage than a Red Ryder to say the least.

No doubt! I don't know what happened to all the darts from his camp, but I remember one got lodged about 30 feet up into a wooden utility pole at about 60 mph and is probably still lodged in there all these 20+ years later if I had to guess! Rural King was selling those small crossbows for like $19.99 and I almost grabbed one, but after watching the youtube video of how powerful they were I decided that no good could come from me owning one!

Here in the UK the ban made some more sense but you guys in the USA can buy guns ............. I mean they were never a good idea for kids but a crime to own them ! but go buy a gun any time you like but no lawn darts seems well odd from the outside of the USA

Legally buying guns is at least regulated and recorded somewhere...big brother watching but this is news to me. I'm sure I've got some lawn darts/jarts out in the barn somewhere...breaking the law, breaking the law in my best Judas Priest voice

Todd

klavy69 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:59 pm Legally buying guns is at least regulated and recorded somewhere...big brother watching but this is news to me. I'm sure I've got some lawn darts/jarts out in the barn somewhere...breaking the law, breaking the law in my best Judas Priest voice

Todd

Topic is "Federal Crime".... how did I know you would be here, Todd?

Some toys I remember having in my youth that were deemed too dangerous were a hose toy called Water Wiggle, and Entertech squirt guns. The Water Wiggle killed a couple kids, and the Entertech squirt guns were too realistic. I've mentioned them on here before.

Incredible_Serious wrote: ↑Sun Nov 19, 2017 10:01 pm
Topic is "Federal Crime".... how did I know you would be here, Todd?

Hmmm, and this comes from the penal colony of Australia


Todd

klavy69 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:09 pm

Incredible_Serious wrote: ↑Sun Nov 19, 2017 10:01 pm
Topic is "Federal Crime".... how did I know you would be here, Todd?

Hmmm, and this comes from the penal colony of Australia


Todd

HA!

On a side note regarding lawn darts and such: We need to bring back natural selection!