(1) A person shall not transport, carry, or convey dynamite, gunpowder, or any other explosive between any places within this state on any vessel, car, or vehicle of any description that is operated by a common carrier and that is carrying passengers for hire. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $3,000.00, or both.

    (2) This section does not prohibit the transportation of any of the following:

    (a) Small arms ammunition in any quantity.

    (b) Fuses, torpedoes, rockets, or other signal devices essential to promote safety in operation.

    (c) Properly packed and marked samples for laboratory examination that do not exceed a net weight of 1/2 pound each and that do not exceed 20 samples at 1 time in a single vessel, car, or vehicle if the samples are not carried in that part of a vessel, car, or vehicle that is intended for transporting passengers for hire.

    (3) This section does not prohibit the transportation of military or naval forces with their accompanying munitions of war on passenger equipment vessels, cars, or vehicles.

    (4) This section does not apply to the transportation of benzine, naphtha, gasoline, or kerosene.