I already know that illegally converting your semi auto gun to full auto can get you some serious jail time. Is it possible to contact the ATF to tell them ahead of time you're converting your AK to a select fire one and they give you permission and you send it to them to be registered? I've always pondered this idea and wondered if it was possible. Thanks a lot for any help on this.
How do you legally convert a semi-auto AK to a select fire one?
- Thread starter Retinchet
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Husker1911
Member
Welcome to The High Road. A short answer to your question, sadly, is no. There was a ban placed on fully automatic receivers, and none are available on receivers made post 1986. But please continue lurking/posting here to learn more!
Kaylee
Member
Well.. you could get a special manufacturing FFL, pay the requisite taxes for said FFL and subsequent creations to Uncle Sam, and.. oh heck, I'm sure there's lots of other hoops to jump through, but I don't know 'em all. I do know if your licenses lapse you can't keep the gun.
Anyhow, it's prolly more time and money that you want to go through if all you want is one select fire rifle. It would most like be much cheaper and easier to just pony up the big bucks for one already in the system.
Welcome to America, 2006.
Anyhow, it's prolly more time and money that you want to go through if all you want is one select fire rifle. It would most like be much cheaper and easier to just pony up the big bucks for one already in the system.
Welcome to America, 2006.
A transferable, NFA-okey-dokey full-auto AK-47 is a rare sight, indeed.
What would the going rate be for one of those? $12,000+
Of course, if you were a Class II manufacturer (cheaper to get than a Class III dealer), you could make, them, as long as you had an LEO sign-off for each one. And then the cost would be only a few hundred dollars. You could also make supressors and short-barreled long guns out the wazoo.
If you want to play with Class III toys, becoming a Class III dealer or Class II manufacturer is the only way to go, save for becoming rather well off on your own.
Rick
What would the going rate be for one of those? $12,000+
Of course, if you were a Class II manufacturer (cheaper to get than a Class III dealer), you could make, them, as long as you had an LEO sign-off for each one. And then the cost would be only a few hundred dollars. You could also make supressors and short-barreled long guns out the wazoo.
If you want to play with Class III toys, becoming a Class III dealer or Class II manufacturer is the only way to go, save for becoming rather well off on your own.
Rick
beerslurpy
member
You can become a Special Occupational Taxpayer and make guns for the purposes of "demonstrating them to government agencies." This allows you to own post-86 dealer samples and to make your own guns. Word to the wise, the ATF LOVES to harass Class 3 dealers and SOTs and they will resort to entrapment and various other dishonest tricks to get you in trouble.
Physically, turning a semi-auto AK into a full auto consists of drilling an extra hole in the receiver at a certai spot, replacing a few parts and adding a pin and a sear. This will make teh gun select fire and also time the hammer properly during full auto.
Legally speaking, making an AK with just the hole in the receiver for the pin counts as making a machine gun, although you could probably get out of that if you werent actually making one and had a decent lawyer. Knowingness is an element of machine gun possession under US v Staples. However, getting out of it with a good lawyer is expensive as hell and certainly less trouble than buying a real AK, even at pre-86 MG prices.
Blame congress for creating an intentionally vague class of items which count as machine guns without actually functioning like them. See SWD v US for a great example of the ATF classifying an open bolt single shot pistol as a machine gun because "open bolt = MG" under their interpretation of "readily convertible".
Physically, turning a semi-auto AK into a full auto consists of drilling an extra hole in the receiver at a certai spot, replacing a few parts and adding a pin and a sear. This will make teh gun select fire and also time the hammer properly during full auto.
Legally speaking, making an AK with just the hole in the receiver for the pin counts as making a machine gun, although you could probably get out of that if you werent actually making one and had a decent lawyer. Knowingness is an element of machine gun possession under US v Staples. However, getting out of it with a good lawyer is expensive as hell and certainly less trouble than buying a real AK, even at pre-86 MG prices.
Blame congress for creating an intentionally vague class of items which count as machine guns without actually functioning like them. See SWD v US for a great example of the ATF classifying an open bolt single shot pistol as a machine gun because "open bolt = MG" under their interpretation of "readily convertible".
Zen21Tao
Member
Also ban on receiver imports
It's my understanding that it isn't just a post-86 made receiver that is banned but also that all foreign MG receivers including pre-86 receivers are banned from import. Consider that most of the really old AKs around the world have pre-86 receives and if there wasn't an import ban the price would probably drop drastically.
It's my understanding that it isn't just a post-86 made receiver that is banned but also that all foreign MG receivers including pre-86 receivers are banned from import. Consider that most of the really old AKs around the world have pre-86 receives and if there wasn't an import ban the price would probably drop drastically.
MudPuppy
Member
Its an example of classism--only the rich can afford otherwise restricted items.
I wonder if I could qualify for a government grant or something?
Couldn't someone sue on this basis?
I wonder if I could qualify for a government grant or something?
Couldn't someone sue on this basis?
Hkmp5sd
Member
Machinegun receivers have been banned from importation since the '68 GCA banned all "non-sporting" firearms for civilian consumption. That is why there are so few real Aks, MP5s, etc. Most are those imported as semi's and then converted prior to 1986.
Even if you could import pre-86 receivers, you cannot now register them for civilian transfer, so it would have no effect on the price. 922(o) bans the registration for civilians of all machineguns, not merely those manufactured after 1986.
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