Can a convicted felon own a black powder rifle?
Short answer: "Yes, but...""Black powder guns" is often used as a synonym for "muzzle loader", and by "muzzle loader", most people mean "separate ammunition" - you don't have a manufactured round all cased together, you have separate bullet, primer, and propellant, even if you've wrapped them all together in paper.Under federal law, guns that are "antiques" (whether actually built before 1898 or merely having this "obsolete" method of loading separate ball, powder, and primer) are exempt from the rules on purchase and possession thar apply to "modern" guns. (Note, this is *federal* law only, and only applies to purchase, possession, or otherwise lawful use. Your *state* may ban possession of even these by felons, and they are still "guns" if you do something otherwise illegal with them, like rob someone or carry it concealed in most places.)To sum up the confusion:Grandaddy's old Colt six shooter, built in 1897? Not a "firearm" to the feds, even if it uses ammo you can buy at WalMart.An otherwise *identical* gun, only built in 1899? Modern "firearm".A reproduction .36 caliber Colt Navy "cap & ball" six shot revolver where you have to load the powder, then the ball, then the cap (primer) in each chamber of the cylinder, made yesterday? Not a "firearm", because it's an "antique" because it doesn't take cartridges.That same reproduction, with a conversion cylinder so you can use modern .38 caliber ammo (yes, a ".38" is actually about a .36 bore... Calling it a .38 was marketing, to indicate it was more powerful)? Modern "firearm".See? Clear as mud... But the idea is that gangsters (the source of the definitions is a law intended originally to deal with Prohibition gangsters and Depression era bank robbers) don't use antiques or even copies of obsolete guns.
Does a misdemeanor go away? How long does it take?
How long do you have to list it might be a better question. They don't go away. After a certain period of time they are simply not relevant. A misdemeanor a year ago is certainly more ‘serious' than that exact same misdemeanor ten years ago.How long does it need to keep being brought up? That depends on a particular job and its requirements and how the question is asked. But it's always there unless dismissed or expunged or pardoned if someone wants to dig that far and deep into the past.