Legality of making a gun at home?
- Thread starter Bobarino
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entropy
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It would be tried in Federal Court; They don't have to prove you used imported parts, you have to prove you didn't. 
Many parts, particularly barrels, have arsenal and/or proof marks on them, making country of manufacture easy to determine. Many parts sold as 'US compliant' are stamped 'made in USA' or such, also.
Many parts, particularly barrels, have arsenal and/or proof marks on them, making country of manufacture easy to determine. Many parts sold as 'US compliant' are stamped 'made in USA' or such, also.
Jeff OTMG
Member
Realize that 'manufacturing' is taking a complete AR15 upper and complete AR15 lower and putting them together with the 2 pins. If a dealer does it then he is manufacturing without a license and avoids paying the 11% Pittman-Robertson tax. That is why it is cheaper to buy the parts and put them together, BUT you can do it yourself and it is legal. Just don't do it with the intention of selling them because that is manufacturing and dealing without a license.
Too Many Choices!?
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The way I understand it......
Actually the ,"manufacture" term applies only to the receiver and parts being machined from raw materials. Putting the parts together into a complete rifle is not ,"manufacture". If assembling was manufacture then it would be impossible(illegal) for a non licensed person to "assemble" or "build" ANY type of gun at home ......
Actually the ,"manufacture" term applies only to the receiver and parts being machined from raw materials. Putting the parts together into a complete rifle is not ,"manufacture". If assembling was manufacture then it would be impossible(illegal) for a non licensed person to "assemble" or "build" ANY type of gun at home ......
patentnonsense
Member
Guys, be CAREFUL discussing this. Even if your interpretation of the law is correct, various Federal agencies may have their own interpretations.
Too Many Choices!?
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I am waiting for my receiver now.....
I am waiting for a rock river arms receiver right now to build an ar-15 pistol from ! That is what I base my assumption on as I have seen one done this way. Buy the receiver and a parts kit and build either a rifle or a pistol from the pre-fab parts. You can't make it with the intention of selling it though. One of these days soon I should get the call from my FFL!
I am waiting for a rock river arms receiver right now to build an ar-15 pistol from
! That is what I base my assumption on as I have seen one done this way. Buy the receiver and a parts kit and build either a rifle or a pistol from the pre-fab parts. You can't make it with the intention of selling it though. One of these days soon I should get the call from my FFL! Buying a finished receiver and assembling a complete rifle or pistol is NOT manufacturing. There are no more restrictions on assembly of a legal configuration weapon than on buying complete guns. Only major exception being import parts may be restricted to a certain number.
If you assemble a number of them and sell them for profit, the BATFE may nail you for "engaging in the business" of selling firearms, not manufacturing.
Manufacturing means building with intent to sell. Only manufacturers need a license to build a gun.
Building a gun for yourself is NOT manufacturing and needs no license as long as the gun you build can be legally possessed by you. The BATFE has, somewhat arbitrarily, decided the difference between assembly and building is determined by who does the last (at least) 20% of the work to finish the receiver. That's why there are 80% receivers available.
If you build it and get tired of it, you can sell it, just like any other legal gun you might have.
There is no federal restriction on how many guns you can build in a year.
Don in Ohio
If you assemble a number of them and sell them for profit, the BATFE may nail you for "engaging in the business" of selling firearms, not manufacturing.
Manufacturing means building with intent to sell. Only manufacturers need a license to build a gun.
Building a gun for yourself is NOT manufacturing and needs no license as long as the gun you build can be legally possessed by you. The BATFE has, somewhat arbitrarily, decided the difference between assembly and building is determined by who does the last (at least) 20% of the work to finish the receiver. That's why there are 80% receivers available.
If you build it and get tired of it, you can sell it, just like any other legal gun you might have.
There is no federal restriction on how many guns you can build in a year.
Don in Ohio
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