Milling Questions

[Blackfox893]

At my college they have a full service machine shop for mechanical engineers. If I had the opportunity, would it be possible and legal for me to mill an AK receiver for my own personal use? Of course, it would not be a full auto AK, it would conform to semi auto specifications.

Second question. Would a CNC milling machine be able to mill an AK receiver? I won't get to go to the machine shop until the fall term begins.

Sorry if I am being vague, but I have not taken any mechanical engineering courses yet, and my knowledge of milling/machining is relatively limited

 

[YankeeFlyr]

Yes

I'm not a machinist, but I am a mechanical engineer who has designed, in my last job, almost exclusively for manual milling.

I assume you mean a fully milled receiver, as opposed to just performing hole/cutout operations for a stamped receiver.

Yes, there are no features in an AK milled receiver that are exotic/specialized for a CNC (or manual) mill to produce. Kalashnikov originally designed the weapon for simple production on (relatively) unsophisticated machines.

We're not talking M1 Garand receivers, here...with complex jigs, gauges, etc.

 

[Arp32]

Someone will be along shortly to explain exactly what kind of FFL (license) you'd need

 

[Blackfox893]

I believe that my case means I do not need an FFL, as I do not intend sell the weapon, but merely use it's a way for me to learn more about milling and decide if I wish to make and design firearms as a career.

 

[Sam1911]

You're building it for your own use, that's perfectly legal without any licenses or registration of anything with anyone.

Keep the barrel over 16" long and the overall length (with stocks extended) greater than 26" and you're perfectly fine.

You DON'T even have to mark it or put a serial number on it.

 

[JShirley]

You DON'T even have to mark it or put a serial number on it.

...though you may want to, in case you change your mind about selling it, 25 years from now!

 

[Sam1911]

...though you may want to, in case you change your mind about selling it, 25 years from now!

Actually, even then it is not legally (federally) required. The ATF reccomends it in their FAQ, but the law they point to regulates Title II stuff, not a regular rifle or pistol.

Here's a thread from a couple of weeks ago that gets into it a bit: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=663537

 

[EMC45]

Sam nailed it.

 

[545days]

I will be surprised if the university allows you to build weapon parts in their machining lab. It would be a nice surprise, but surprising none the less.

 

[Centurian22]

Sounds like an awesome project!!! Hope they do allow it, good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Jim K]

Again, the old Nanny reminding folks to check local and state laws. Some states regulate "assault rifles"; I don't know how far that extends or if it would apply, but better check now than be sorry later. As to the school's position, I suspect they don't have any and won't until some anti-gun lunatic goes ape and accuses you of making guns to slaughter the entire school population; then some wimpy school president will order you expelled, jailed, executed, or whatever it takes to satisfy the Brady Campaign. Tread carefully with this one.

Jim

 

[Blackfox893]

I would be doing the project openly, and with approval from the relevant authorities. The college is in Florida so I doubt laws will be too much of an issue, but I will become familiar with them so that I stay within the law. I do not wish to endanger myself nor anyone else, and the university will have the final say on yes or no. If they do not allow it I will stick to vehicles I guess.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I think that your project is an excellent one as long as you stay in bounds as as far as school regs and Federal demands.
On another forum, a guy described, WITH photos his project regarding the machining of a Stephens Favorite Action.
VERY IMPRESSIVE!

 

[Jim K]

Not relevant here, but just FYI for folks building their own receivers. If you want to make your own receiver from scratch for yourself, you do not need any federal license or papers.* But YOU must make the receiver. If you farm out the job, in whole or part, to anyone else to do it for you, THAT PERSON needs to have a federal manufacturer's license, since he/she is making it for sale or transfer to another person, you. You can have someone advise you, but if he does any of the work, he needs the license.

*The exception is NFA firearms; you cannot legally make an automatic weapon or convert a conventional firearm to an automatic weapon (machinegun). You would still need BATFE approval to make a short barrel rifle, short barrel shotgun, suppressor, etc., but a receiver alone is not a short barrel anything.

Jim