Are Brass Knuckles Illegal in Minnesota? Penalties and Defenses

Yes, brass knuckles are illegal in Minnesota. Under Minnesota Statutes Section 609.66, subdivision 1(a)(4), it is a crime to possess, manufacture, or transfer metal knuckles — the statutory term that covers brass knuckles and any similar device made of metal. You don’t have to use them, threaten anyone with them, or even intend to. Having a pair in your pocket, glove box, or dresser drawer is the offense.¹

What the Law Bans

Section 609.66 reaches three separate acts: making metal knuckles, giving or selling them to anyone, and simply having them. All three carry the same penalty. Hobby metalworking counts as manufacturing. Handing a set to a friend counts as a transfer.

A common mistake is assuming the state has to prove you meant to hurt someone. For most “dangerous article” charges under subdivision 1(a)(5), that is true. For metal knuckles under subdivision 1(a)(4), it is not. Intent is not an element. If the knuckles are yours and the state can prove you knew they were there, you have committed the offense.¹

Penalties for Possession, Manufacturing, or Transfer

Standard Misdemeanor

In most locations, a metal knuckles violation is a misdemeanor. Maximum penalty: 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.¹

Gross Misdemeanor in School, Park, and Public Housing Zones

If the offense happens in a school zone, park zone, or public housing zone — geographic boundaries borrowed from Minnesota’s controlled-substance law — the charge becomes a gross misdemeanor. The ceiling rises to 364 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.

There is one narrow carve-out. If the knuckles were in a residence inside one of those zones, and you were an owner, tenant, or lawful guest of that home, the standard misdemeanor penalty applies instead.¹

Using Brass Knuckles on Someone Is a Felony

The stakes change entirely if the knuckles get used. Metal knuckles qualify as a “dangerous weapon” under Minnesota law, which defines the term as any device designed as a weapon and capable of producing death or great bodily harm. Striking someone with them is assault in the second degree under Section 609.222.²

Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon is a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, a $14,000 fine, or both. If the victim suffers substantial bodily harm, the maximum climbs to ten years and $20,000.³

Mandatory minimums also apply. Under Section 609.11, a first felony committed with a dangerous weapon other than a firearm carries a mandatory minimum of one year and one day in prison. A second or subsequent offense raises the floor to three years. Judges cannot go below those numbers.⁴

Self-Defense Is Not a Legal Reason to Carry Them

This trips up a lot of people. Minnesota recognizes a general right to use reasonable force to resist an attack under Section 609.06, but that statute covers how you may respond in the moment. It does not authorize you to carry a prohibited weapon in anticipation of trouble. Possession itself is the crime, and the statute contains no self-defense exception.⁵

Practical consequence: if an officer finds knuckles during a traffic stop and you explain that you keep them for protection, you have just admitted every element of the offense.

Federal Buildings Add a Separate Layer

State law isn’t the only exposure. Under 18 U.S.C. § 930, bringing any “dangerous weapon” into a federal building is a federal crime. The definition — any weapon or device capable of causing death or serious bodily injury — covers metal knuckles.

Bringing them into a federal building such as a post office or Social Security office is punishable by up to one year in prison. Inside a federal courthouse, the maximum doubles to two years. If prosecutors can show you intended to use the weapon in a crime, the ceiling becomes five years.⁶

What Counts as “Metal Knuckles”

The statute doesn’t define the term, which leaves some gray areas. Traditional brass knuckles clearly qualify. So do versions made from steel, aluminum, titanium, or any other metal. Items sold as “paperweights” or “belt buckles” that are plainly shaped to fit over a fist will be treated as metal knuckles no matter what the packaging says. Courts look at design and function, not labels.

Combination items such as knuckle-duster knives or tactical keychains with metal finger rings are murkier. If a metal knuckle component is part of the design, expect a charge under subdivision 1(a)(4). The safe assumption: anything metal that is meant to be worn across the knuckles is covered.

Materials outside the statute’s wording are a different question. A plastic or carbon-fiber knuckle arguably falls outside subdivision 1(a)(4), though prosecutors may try to reach it under the broader “dangerous article” provision in subdivision 1(a)(5), which does require proof of unlawful intent. A rubber or plastic replica is the safer route if you need a prop.

Possible Defenses

Because intent isn’t an element, defenses are narrower than for most weapons charges. A few lines of argument do exist:

Not metal knuckles. If the item is made from a non-metal material, it may not fit the statute. Whether a given object qualifies is a factual dispute.
No knowing possession. If someone else left the knuckles in your bag, car, or home without your knowledge, you may not have “possessed” them in a legal sense. This requires credible evidence that you genuinely didn’t know.
Unlawful search. If police found the knuckles in a search that violated the Fourth Amendment, the evidence can be suppressed, which usually ends the case.

Consequences Beyond the Sentence

Even at the misdemeanor level, a weapons conviction follows you. It can affect employment, professional licensing, and housing applications, and it shows up on standard background checks for years.

You will also lose the knuckles themselves. Minnesota courts can order prohibited weapons seized and destroyed, so confiscated items are not returned even if the charge is later reduced or dismissed through a plea.

If you own a pair now, the cleanest path is to get rid of them before they become evidence. Once an officer sees them, the explanation you had in mind — whatever it is — won’t change the charge.

1
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609.66 – Dangerous Weapons
2
Justia Law. Minnesota Statutes 609.02 – Definitions
3
Justia Law. Minnesota Statutes 609.222 – Assault in the Second Degree
4
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609.11 – Minimum Terms of Imprisonment
5
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609.06 – Authorized Use of Force
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities