15 USC § 1245 - Ballistic knives

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s1245"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "15 USC § 1245 - Ballistic knives"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
section_number: "1245"
section_name: "Ballistic knives"
chapter_number: 29
chapter_name: "MANUFACTURE, TRANSPORTATION, OR DISTRIBUTION OF SWITCHBLADE KNIVES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 85–623, § 7, as added Pub. L. 99–570, title X, § 10002, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–167; amended Pub. L. 100–690, title VI, § 6472, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4379.)"
---


# § 1245. Ballistic knives

**(a)** **Prohibition and penalties for possession, manufacture, sale, or importation** section 1151 of title 18section 7 of title 18

Whoever in or affecting interstate commerce, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in ), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in ), knowingly possesses, manufactures, sells, or imports a ballistic knife shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

**(b)** **Prohibition and penalties for possession or use during commission of Federal crime of violence** Whoever possesses or uses a ballistic knife in the commission of a Federal crime of violence shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not less than five years and not more than ten years, or both.

**(c)** **Exceptions** section 1244 of this title

The exceptions provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of  with respect to switchblade knives shall apply to ballistic knives under subsection (a) of this section.

**(d)** **“Ballistic knife” defined** As used in this section, the term “ballistic knife” means a knife with a detachable blade that is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–623, § 7, as added Pub. L. 99–570, title X, § 10002, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–167; amended Pub. L. 100–690, title VI, § 6472, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4379.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1988—Subsec. (a). , substituted “in or affecting interstate commerce, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in ), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in ), knowingly possesses, manufactures, sells, or imports” for “knowingly possesses, manufactures, sells, or imports”.

Subsec. (b). , struck out “or State” after “Federal”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

> “The amendments made by this title [enacting this section, amending
> 
> , Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and enacting provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] shall take effect 30 days after the date of enactment of this title [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: