Current law on SBR in Michigan?

[MasterSergeantA]

A fellow who frequents our LGS was asking for help in building a SBR. It is just your standard 10.5" AR type. I was guiding him through the Form nutroll and provided some fingerprint cards, etc. when he asked if he should put his "new" address down or the current one since he was moving. When I asked where he was moving, he said "Michigan". I was under the impression that, except in cases of C&R type guns, SBRs were not allowed in MI. Anyone here have better information? I know laws change periodically and wanted to check before I tell him to forget it.

I checked the Michigan State Police webpage and it seems the law is still as I understood it. But whoever administers the page doesn't appear to know the law very well as indicated by the following: "Under the Federal Gun Control Act, individuals may only possess those fully-automatic firearms that were lawfully possessed before May 19, 1986. The Attorney General has concluded that a person who has been authorized to possess a fully automatic firearm by the federal Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is deemed licensed and may lawfully possess that firearm in Michigan." http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-1591_3503_4654-10953--,00.html So who knows what else they got wrong?

Interesting that SBRs are measured with stocks folded/collapsed.

Anyone know for sure? Anyone need a 10.5" upper if it is correct?

 

[Zane]

No SBRs in Michigan. You are correct.

 

[MasterSergeantA]

Thank you, Zane. I will let him know.

 

[Trebor]

Correct, No SBR's in Michigan.

I don't believe the ATF is approving the C&R SBR's for Michigan either now. I don't quite understand the intricaties of C&R SBR issue in Michigan, so I don't know why they are no longer allowed, but that was the last I heard a couple years back.

 

[RhinoDefense]

In Michigan, you have to have a C&R license and the weapon has to be a C&R for SBR and SBS. ATF must approve if you have the credentials to own such weapon. The problem is there can't be any dealers in Michigan. It must come from a C&R and one can't use a C&R to deal.

It's also a PITA because as an 07/02 I can't deal or manufacture SBR/SBS even for LE sales and I can only work on those department weapons if an officer is right there with me. I can't keep the weapon on premises without a representative from the department, ie the cop has to stay with the weapon.

 

[rjrivero]

FWIW, there has been a proposal to legalize SBR's in Michigan.

The current law forbids current production SBR's in Michigan. Somehow, LEO's are exempt. (I can't find any law that exempts LEO's but I digress.)

The problem arises that Dealers can't demo these SBR's to LEO's because even SOT's aren't allowed to own them for demo purposes, per current law.

An FFL/SOT with some connections, had a series of sit downs with the MI AG, and they drafted an amendment to the MCL that would in fact make ownership of SBR's and SBS's legal.

I have seen a draft of this proposal, and it is very similar to the Machine gun and Silencer verbage in the books. The biggest problem I forsee with that, is the fact that it would probably take another letter of opinion from the AG to allow private ownership of these firearms.

Small steps, I guess.

 

[USAF_Vet]

You can own a SBR, if it's a transferable full auto.
Not the most cost effective way into a SBR, though.

 

[Trebor]

You can own a SBR, if it's a transferable full auto.
Not the most cost effective way into a SBR, though.

Than it's not a SBR though. It's a MG. The MG classification supercedes the SBR classification. It's just a MG with a short barrel, which is legally different from a "Short Barrelled Rifle."

 

[USAF_Vet]

Than it's not a SBR though. It's a MG. The MG classification supercedes the SBR classification. It's just a MG with a short barrel, which is legally different from a "Short Barrelled Rifle."

Yes, I know full auto trumps all. But the full auto rifle still has a short barrel.

I always found it amusing I can own a fully automatic rifle with a short barrel, not not an identical one that is semi auto.

 

[SuedePflow]

An FFL/SOT with some connections, had a series of sit downs with the MI AG, and they drafted an amendment to the MCL that would in fact make ownership of SBR's and SBS's legal.

I have seen a draft of this proposal, and it is very similar to the Machine gun and Silencer verbage in the books. The biggest problem I forsee with that, is the fact that it would probably take another letter of opinion from the AG to allow private ownership of these firearms.

Small steps, I guess.

Over a year later, is there any progress with this proposal? I'm guessing not, but figured I'd ask anyway.

 

[rjrivero]

Over a year later, is there any progress with this proposal? I'm guessing not, but figured I'd ask anyway.

It got shelved in the aftermath of December 2012. The Governor failed to sign an amendment to the CCW law, and the other firearms laws at various stages just dried up.

There was also a push to the DNR to get suppressors legalized for hunting, but that is now being back burnered too.