M-16 Auto Sears... still sold?

**DISCLAIMER: I fully understand the general legal issues that go along with machineguns, and the fact that NFA rules make it illegal to produce a machinegun or obtain one made after 1986. This question was just based out of a hypothetical discussion I had with another shooter the other day**

This question is more of a technical one, just for the sake of curiosity... a friend and I were recently talking guns, and how it seemed like things like auto sears (or parts kits containing them) were commonly sold at the gun shows we remember going to 10-15 years or so ago. Neither of us has seen one around in a while, though neither of us really attend gun shows these days, nor have we ever looked for the parts since neither of us can afford a pre-86 M-16.

But, as a matter of legal discussion, we started debating the current legal situation, and were wondering where things stand from an ATF perspective on these parts. Thus, the following questions:

1) Are auto sears for M-16 style rifles now considered an NFA part that needs to be tax stamped in and of themselves? If so, what became of all of those parts kits we used to see at gun shows? Are those all considered unregistered machine-guns now?

2) Or, are auto sears still just part of a parts kit that really has no relevance other than the fact that they can only be installed on a properly registered/tax-stamped NFA lower receiver (one of those elusive pre-86 lowers with the proper design to accommodate the auto sear)?

 

The only legal auto-sears must have a serial number and be registered with BATFE. All the usual rules apply.

Possession of an un-registered auto-sear but no possession of an AR is not a crime, SFAIK.

Today's ARs are narrower inside the lower receiver than when the idea first came about, so without internal machining, an oritginal auto-sear won't fit.

 

The auto sear by itself is considered a machine gun :

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/p...d-unlawfully-selling-unregistered-machineguns

 

Very interesting. I didn't know there was a difference.

So the M-16 design changed at some point to a drop in system?

 

M16 was not changed to a drop-in system. The drop-in auto sears were an aftermarket item used with semi-auto AR15s and are themselves considered machine guns.

On M16 parts sets used in an AR15 rifle build, what I have is this:

ATF E-Publication 5320.8
Extract:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING AR-15 TYPE RIFLES

ATF has encountered various AR-15 type rifles such as those manufactured by Colt, E.A. Company, SGW, Sendra and others which have been assembled with fire control components designed for use in M16 machine guns.

The vast majority of these rifles which have been assembled with an M16 bolt carrier, hammer, trigger, disconnector and selector will fire automatically merely by manipulation of the selector or removal of the disconnector. Many of these rifles using less than the 5 M16 parts listed above will also shoot automatically by manipulation of the selector or removal of the disconnector.

Any weapon which shoots automatically, more than 1 shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, is a machine gun as defined in 26 U.S.C. 5845(b), the National Firearms Act (NFA). In addition, the definition of machine gun also includes any combination of parts from which a machine gun may be assembled, if such parts are in possession or under the control of a person. An AR15 type assault rifle which fires more than one shot by a single function o the trigger is a machine gun under the NFA. Any machine gun is subject to the NFA and the possession of an unregistered machine gun could the possessor to criminal prosecution.

Additionally, these rifles could pose a safety hazard in that they may fire automatically without the user being aware that the weapon will fire more than 1 shot with a single pull of the trigger.

In order to avoid violations of the NFA, M16, hammers, triggers, disconnectors, selectors and bolt carriers must not be used in assembly of AR-15 type semiautomatic rifles, unless the M16 parts have been modified to AR-15 Model SP1 configuration. Any AR-15 type rifles which have been assembled with M16 internal components should have those parts removed and replaced with AR-15 Model SP1 type parts which are available commercially. The M16 components also may be modified to AR-15 Model SP1 configuration.

It is important to note that any modification of the M16 parts should be attempted by fully qualified personnel only.

Should you have any questions concerning AR-15 type rifles with M16 parts, please contact your nearest ATF office. Our telephone numbers are listed in the “United States Government” section of your telephone directory under the “United States Department of Justice.”
:Endextract

NRA published ATF approved instructions for converting M16 internal parts to AR15 SP1 semi-auto only configuration. Frankly, it is simpler and easier to buy semi-auto AR15 fire control groups. Any M16 parts sets used with a semi-auto lower must be altered to semi-auto only configuration (they probably wouldn't fit an AR15 lower without alteration).

I would contact ATF regulators with questions. I would not blunder ahead and get caught by ATF enforcement agents.

 

I don't pretend to know everything about everything, so I thank those who provided correction to my "SFAIK".

 

To answer the question of whether drop-in sears are still for sale, they are sold as frequently as any other $15-20,000 firearm.
So the answere is greater than never; but not all that frequently, either.

 

Fair enough.
But. it was the portion I could answer.

I haven't seen an M-16 parts kit in so long I can't remember where it was I saw it. But I have seen a transferable drop in come up for auction, though.

 

To answer the question, yes, they're still sold. I have seen complete M-16 lower parts kits at gun shows in the past few months. I can get you one, they were $80.

 

M-16 Auto Sears ... still sold?
To assure that it is clear _ the opening post confused two types of auto sear:
_ The M16 auto sear as found in a parts kit for an M16 or in a parts set from a disassembled M16 is an original M16 part.
_ The drop-in auto sear aka DIAS is an add-on used to convert an AR15 semi-auto to fire full auto. Never was an original M16 part and would not be found in an M16 maintenance kit or a stripped M16 parts set.
BTW: The ATF quote in my previous post was from:
ATF E-Publication 5320.8 ·
Revised: April 2009 ·
which was the last version I had.

 

The OP didn't confuse the two types, several other posters did. The opening post only mentioned the original M16 parts kits, and the accompanying sears.

 

The M16 auto-sear is still sold.



Brownells has them for $10
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...ts/sears/auto-sear-assembly-a2-prod22435.aspx


They are different than a DIAS or drop in auto sear.



Or lightning link.



With the right FFL and SOT you can still make new machineguns, just can't make them transferable to ordinary folks.

 

^^ True.

In addition, they are totally possible to get and come upon if you know where to look. You can easily do the machine work to get the sear to work, but there are more parts that I won't list here that you would need to make it fully auto, and a specific part you need to make it burst fire.