Are brass knuckles legal in MO?

Buddy swears some bill was passed in the last few years allowing switchblades/auto knives/brass knuckles.  I'm pretty sure that bill did happen, but didn't include the exclusion for brass knuckles, just the knives...but can't remember the code to look it up.

Most of what I can find via google says brass knuckles are still illegal in MO, but a few sites claim they were legalized in Aug of '22 yet I can find no proof of that.

Scanned that page for "brass," "knuckle," and "duster" but got no hits.

Knuckles (brass or otherwise) are illegal in Missouri. I doubt the offense is prosecuted often, but it is on the books.


 571.020.  Possession--manufacture--transport--repair--sale of certain weapons a crime--exceptions--penalties. — 1.  A person commits an offense if such person knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells:
 (1)  An explosive weapon;
 (2)  An explosive, incendiary or poison substance or material with the purpose to possess, manufacture or sell an explosive weapon;
 (3)  A gas gun;
 (4)  A bullet or projectile which explodes or detonates upon impact because of an independent explosive charge after having been shot from a firearm; or
 (5)  Knuckles; or
 (6)  Any of the following in violation of federal law:
 (a)  A machine gun;
 (b)  A short-barreled rifle or shotgun;
 (c)  A firearm silencer; or
 (d)  A switchblade knife.

 2.  A person does not commit an offense pursuant to this section if his or her conduct involved any of the items in subdivisions (1) to (5) of subsection 1, the item was possessed in conformity with any applicable federal law, and the conduct:
 (1)  Was incident to the performance of official duty by the Armed Forces, National Guard, a governmental law enforcement agency, or a penal institution; or
 (2)  Was incident to engaging in a lawful commercial or business transaction with an organization enumerated in subdivision (1) of this section; or
 (3)  Was incident to using an explosive weapon in a manner reasonably related to a lawful industrial or commercial enterprise; or
 (4)  Was incident to displaying the weapon in a public museum or exhibition; or
 (5)  Was incident to using the weapon in a manner reasonably related to a lawful dramatic performance.

 3.  An offense pursuant to subdivision (1), (2), (3) or (6) of subsection 1 of this section is a class D felony; a crime pursuant to subdivision (4) or (5) of subsection 1 of this section is a class A misdemeanor.

Didnt something get passed in the last 5 years that excluded switchblade/automatic knives?  I recall reading the bill for it.

Read what it says: "in violation of federal law."

Federal law says you can't mail switchblades through USPS and you can't carry switchblades into or on federal facilities. Those acts are still illegal in Missouri, but there is no separate state law regarding switchblade knives. It is only illegal to possess a switchblade in Missouri if you are violating federal law.

"knowingly possesses"


That's not mine.  I don't know how that got there.  

 (13)  "Knuckles", any instrument that consists of finger rings or guards made of a hard substance that is designed or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious physical injury or death by striking a person with a fist enclosed in the knuckles;


Eta: sifting through the nonsense, it appears the law (quoted above by bladeswitcher) was last updated by legislation in 2016 and took affect 2017. Minor language was changed (unrelated to knuckles or blades) , and the classification was changed from Class C to Class D felony. This was a result of a larger restructuring of sentencing guidelines and the addition of the Class E felony classification during the course of the legislative session.