So now that I have had a chance to review the new ATF gun grab, I can say that I anticipated much of what was in there. However, there is one part that I must admit not being adequately equipped for. Upper receivers are now considered to be firearms, as are 80 percent lowers. This creates a national problem for the USA, as well as a personal problem for me.
Since uppers are now firearms, and any unserialized firearm that comes into the possession of any FFL must be serialized, this is going to be a big problem. Unless an FFL holder is an 07 (manufacturer), it looks like the serial number has to come from the ATF itself. This will cause every handgun slide and every AR upper to be serialized (registered) with an ATF provided serial number. This sets up a nationwide firearm registry.
If I am correct about this, this creates a real problem for every gun owner in the country. This kind of registration has only one purpose: confiscation.
Now I anticipated 80 percent lowers becoming firearms. The uppers, I did not. Over the past year, I have managed to amass a good number of 80 percent lowers and stripped uppers of the AR15, Glock 19, and the AR308 varieties. A <classified> number of them have already been converted into firearms. Due to supply chain issues, what I have is a mismatch between the number of uppers and the number of lowers. Some of that has been corrected, but I am stuck on others. I need a few Glock uppers (slide assemblies), and a small number of AR308 uppers. I can’t find bargains right now on either one. They are all out of stock or so expensive that I just can’t justify it.
The clock is ticking. I have just a few weeks to secure what I need, create the firearms, and cache them before it becomes a crime.
10 Comments
Klapperschlange · April 17, 2022 at 3:35 pm
FFL shop owners will have to hire people to keep track of all those serials.
If they can’t tell what a woman is how do they know what makes a firearm?
Firearms are constructs of the white male patriarchy. (sarc)
Locally the shops have a policeman in a cruiser run background checks because business is booming.
joe · April 17, 2022 at 4:43 pm
cache them anyway…buy used glocks at the gun show or from private citizens…part them out to finish you pistols…the AR’s will be a little more difficult to finish…
Jonathan · April 17, 2022 at 5:06 pm
Exactly. There is nothing that prevents private sales in the future.
The other thing is that it is easy to do at home engraving. If the upper is serialized already, there is no need for the FFL to add a serial to it with the attendant background check.
Also, i assume that many dealers won’t want the potential liability of marking other people’s work unless there is an explicit disclaimer of liability that I missed in the regulation.
As an 07, I wouldn’t want to put my name on someone else’s work.
Does this apply to all guns, or all post 68 guns? There are LOTS of old shotguns and rifles with no serials.
I assume they’re going to run into the problem of few places being willing to do this work.
Divemedic · April 17, 2022 at 6:27 pm
The ATF requires that the engraving be a minimum of 0.003 inches in depth
SiG · April 17, 2022 at 8:33 pm
Just about any cheap CNC router will work for .003″ depth of cut. I’d guess they’re imposing that so that you don’t use a label maker or paints that can be removed.
Look at the machines called 3018 CNC machines, where 3018 is the size of the work area in cm (30 by 18cm or 11.8 by 7.1″). To engrave something like an AR-15 lower, you need to be able to hold the cutter and raise the cutter enough to clear the thickness of what you’re going to engrave. You don’t need four axis CNC, just three. I see them starting at $140-ish on eBay or Amazon.
Yes, the Fed bois are making you buy new tools. But they’re very useful tools.
Ben C · April 17, 2022 at 5:58 pm
There is no change in the issued final rule that changes an AR15 upper receiver’s legal classification.
page 239:
“Unlike the proposed rule, this final rule does not require multiple parts of a split frame or receiver to be marked (i.e., only the upper receiver of a split receiver rifle need be marked, unless the lower is the grandfathered part). Thus, non-serialized parts of a split frame or receiver may be replaced without violating section 923(i).”
Picture and more info specific to the AR15 on the bottom of page 331 and top of page 332.
Ratus · April 17, 2022 at 6:14 pm
No, it’s a confused mess & illegal, but existing designs are “grandfathered” in.
So current AR uppers & pistol slides are not going to be considered firearms.
If you’re designing a new upper or modifying an AR lower design, you’re screwed because it’s up to the discretion of the ATF director to determine if it’s a design or just a modification of an existing design.
In all probability, FFLs are going to refuse to accept any “PMF” for any reason to keep from having to comply with this new rule.
Also, PSA dagger slides are good to go and relatively inexpensive.
They are having an Easter sale and some of them are marked down.
Ratus · April 17, 2022 at 6:27 pm
PSA dagger optic cut (RMR & Doctor) slides are $130 minus barrel and recoil assembly. In three different colors. Others of the same conventional iron sight behind optic are $160.
They have iron sight in front of RMR & Doctor optic cuts for $180 in two different “lighting cut” styles.
With complete slide & threaded barrel of the above for $255-275.
Steve S · April 17, 2022 at 6:39 pm
History. Registration. Confiscation. Genocide. Rinse and repeat.
joe · April 18, 2022 at 8:04 am
bigtexordnance.com
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