When playing with explosives, etc., what are some general guidelines as to what's legal/not legal in the U.S.? I'de like to know because I live across from a fire station.

Thanks

If you're worried about legal technicalities, this is not the hobby for you. Making or using basically anything explosive is illegal (aside from a Class C devices, depending on where you like), be it a single M-80 or a 15lb APAN charge.

Pretty much the only things that are generally legal in this hobby are rocketry and Class C fireworks.

Here's a few ground rules though.

1. It's legal to possess or use black powder for sporting firearms, or for use in model rocketry.

2. It's legal to possess the CHEMICALS used to make flash powder, however it is NOT legal to possess flash. (Unless you have a BATF license, which I'm assuming you don't).

3. It's legal to possess all of the chemicals and metals sold to amatuers by pyrotechnic supply companies.

Those are the basics. The main rule is, if you're making a homemade explosive, it's illegal. You can potentially get into a lot more trouble for making HEs than you can LEs. Another thing you might want to think about, if you're making M-80s or other explosives, do not sell them to anyone! Making explosives is bad enough but if you sell them, you're in even deeper if you were to get caught.