Legality of semi-auto self-built firearms.

[artherd]

After playing the name game with ATF for several years, I'd bet money they would consider anything motor/electrical/computer operated either a machinegun or DD. From the description, it sounds like while calling this firearm "semi-automatic" it is still fired "automatically" by the software without any action on your part. To me, that sounds like a machinegun but with a very slow cyclic rate.

No, the 'trigger' would look and feel like a conventional trigger. However it would be tied to an electro-mechanical switch.

For every single function of the trigger, the gun will fire exactly and only once.


Human intervention will be required for each shot to take place.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

sounds like an E Grip
http://www.tippmann.com/systems/egrip.asp


Introducing the All New E-Grip, Electronic Grip System. The E-Grip system uses an electronic control board to activate a solenoid. When activated, the solenoid disengages the sear, which in turn fires the marker. The System is powered by a concealed 9 Volt Battery. All electronic components are completely contained inside the grip, which allows you to quickly and easily change grips.

Fire Modes:
Semi-Auto: Fires 1 Shot for each trigger pull.
Auto-Response: Fires 1 Shot for each trigger pull or release.
Full Auto: Fires Repeatedly as long as the trigger is held.
3 Shot Burst: Fires 3 Shots for each trigger pull.
Turbo: Fires 1 shot for every trigger pull, fires 1 shot for every trigger pull or release if the time between trigger pulls is less than .25 seconds.


theres also the Morlock or the Chaos board

http://www.exarin.com/
http://www.vaporworks.net/icd.htm

 

[Logan5]

I've always wondered how this "civilian manufacture" business works concerning companies that manufacture full autos. I assume it's meant to mean "for sale to civilians"? What I really wonder is, suppose you incorporated, for the purpose of design and R&D, intending to eventually sell the designs to manufacturers. Could you build prototypes of whatever you wanted, and test them at your local range, as long as you never contemplated commercial manufacture or sale?
Would a lot of the ATF grief be avoided by being John Q Citizen, head of JQC weapons design inc, instead of just a private citizen?

 

[Hkmp5sd]

The "civilian manufacture" is based on how the federal government regulates machineguns. By using the claim that machineguns are transported across state lines, they use the commerce clause of the constitution. This is why the Department of the Treasury handles machineguns and not the Department of Justice. In theory, if a person manufactures a machinegun in his home, the federal government doesn't have any say in the matter because it never crossed state lines. The only real problem with this theory is most states (that don't outright ban machineguns) have a law stating it is illegal to possess a machinegun other than one registered with the federal government.

In addition, the 1986 machinegun ban wasn't really a ban on machineguns, but on registering machineguns. Once the ban became effective, the government would no longer accept/approve applications to register machineguns for civilians.

So it is kind of a Catch-22. The feds won't let you register it and the states won't let you possess unless it is registered with the feds.

 

[Logan5]

Ok, I see what you're saying, but I'd imagine the vast majority of firearms are manufactured by "Civilians". I mean, the Army dosen't manufacture all their own firearms, Civilians do. So if I'm working for Colt turning out M16's to fill a government contract, the ATF's not going to come to my house after work even though I'm building full auto weapons all day every day five days a week, right? So they must mean something more specific by "civilian manufacture".

 

[Strings]

Logan, you can be liscensed as a manufacturer of full autos, but only as a business. Any weapons made under this liscensing are then the property of said business. Meaning, if you close the business, you would have to transfer everything over to yourself (paying a $200 a piece tax). At least, that's my understanding. I'm sure SOMEONE here knows more than humble lil' me...

 

[Hkmp5sd]

A manufacturer with the appropriate license and SOT, while being "civilian" can manufacture machineguns, but only for sale to government, LEO or export. He cannot maintain control of the machineguns if he business closes. The whole process is very complicated, very expensive and the person must actually be in the business of manufacturing machineguns for one of those markets. The average person cannot simply pay the SOT and start making machineguns for his own use.

It is similar to the drug industry. A manufacturer of prescription drugs is making a controlled substance, but he cannot make them for his own use or sell them to anyone he pleases. He must keep records of what and how many he makes and where they were sold/shipped.

 

[artherd]

Harry- pretty much exactly, except without the full-auto capability of course

Hkmp5sd, you are correct, to open a buisness making machineguns (eg Colt, Bushmaster, etc.) for the federal gov't, or to LEOs, one needs a barage of permits and licences.

On the federal level:

Type 7 or Type 10 FFL (qualified to deal in post-86 NFA items.)
Class II SOT (Special Occupational Tax) holder.

Both of these are difficult to get, cost $500/year or (sometimes much) more, and can be revoked at any time.

Amoungst other things, you have to notify the ATF *24 hours* after you manufactuar each machine gun.

State and local restrictions can come into play as well, big time.

All you ever wanted to know about NFA items, and more; http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/wbardwel/public/nfalist/nfa_faq.txt

 

[Logan5]

Not to go too far afield from the original topic, but does anyone know how much of a factor this is in a company's ability to bid on Government contracts for full autos? To what extent are foreign contractors able to underbid US ones for M4's and FN-MAGs and so on because US manufacturers are saddled with these regs?
The current political slapfight over jobs going overseas makes me wonder... I went through the '02 list of top 100 defense contractors, but I didn't see any obvious smallarms manufacturers on it; is it just not a big money area compared to helicopters and cruise missiles?