Q: Ok well I'm from VA so the fireworks that go way up in the air are illegal here. We always get them though in PA and this year along with the normal mortar ones, we got a couple of "500 gram" ones that are supposed to be for grand finales. It's supposed to be like you light one fuse and it sets off 25 consecutive over about 3 minutes. We were looking at the grams though to compare them and the regular mortar ones say 1.4 grams so we figured that 500 grams divided by 25 shots would be 20 grams each and they would be huge... But then we realized that it says 1.4 even on the 500 grams ones. So what exactly does the whole "500 grams" thing mean? Thanks.
A: 500 grams is the max content of any substance in any firework according to federal law which mean that no where in the USA is anything over that legal the 500 gram finales you get are called cakes, they contain 500 grams of material, if you want the biggest firework legal in USA, get 500 gram single shot, THESE ARE AMAZING, they cost about 20 bucks each and i usually but 15-20 for my show but i run a stand so i get them for 10 bucks, but your logic is wrong, a 20 gram mortar is really small, so small, they dont even make them, the lowest ive seen is 100 gram and they're 6 or 7 dollars the 1.4G is NOT the amount of explosive material, it is the class, all legal fireworks are 1.4G Consumer Class Fireworks, 1.4G stands for (Minor Explosion Hazard Confined To Package:Pyrotechnics) There are actually a few classes 1.1G, 1.2G, 1.3G, 1.4G and 1.4 S and your fireworks are 1.4G Class C and more about cakes There are hundreds of different kinds, so only last 30 seconds, some last 5 minutes, and you know those saturn missile batterys, legally they are cakes so if you put on a show, i recommend a few "show" cakes a few 300, 400, and some 500 gram single shot aerial shells (again, the biggest legal firework under FEDERAL law) and a couple finale cakes with one or two 500 gram shells, if at all possible, go to Phantom Fireworks Stands, they have the best really heres a hint around july second, everybody puts thing but one get one free and about half of those people do buy 1 get 2 or 3 freeso you can spend 200 on 500+ worth of fireworks and usually if people spend 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600+ i give tons of free fireworks out with each 'level' of buyer and there are actually a lot of people who spend 600+!! man this is long, i need sleep and ill be pretty mad if i dont get best answer for this email me for any questions about anything fireworks its_zackry@yahoo.com