Posted on 08/02/2011 5:37:46 AM PDT by marktwain
An open letter to ATF
John R. Spencer, Chief
Firearms Technology Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Dear Chief Spencer,
For some time, I’ve been hearing rumblings from sources in the firearms industry that your branch is going to classify .50 BMG upper conversions for AR-15 rifles as firearms, a departure from the past practice established by your office of considering them parts. I have since been informed this was confirmed by your office in a telephone conversation with a national firearms publication. Because this could have such profound and far-reaching effects, not only within the firearms industry, but also among private owners who have been in compliance with currently written regulations, I’m seeking to document if this is true.
Is it?
If not, I’m sorry to bother you and take you away from your busy and demanding schedule. My intent is either to confirm what I’ve been hearing or put it to bed. Please let me know so that I can share a denial with interested gun owners.
If it is true, here are some additional questions I’d like to get for-the-record answers to:
As per Federal Firearms Act. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 18, a firearm for intents and purposes of this inquiry is “Any weapon, including a starter gun, which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon,” and a firearm frame or receiver is “That part of a firearm which provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and which is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel.”
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
I thought that I wanted one until I saw the price of the ammo; 46 bucks for 20 rounds.
Wow! I need to purchase an AWC .22 threaded barrel for my suppressor and TPH, I wonder if this sort of thinking will prevent them from selling those barrels??
Ed
L
Nope. Regular Cal .50 BMG, 12.7x99mm. $1850.00, last I checked.
The SHTF50 is Safety Harbor Firearms, Inc. Upper Conversion Kit.
Receiver: Machined from 4130 Chromemoly Steel
Magazine: 5 Round, Single Stack Magazine. 1 Included
Muzzle Brake: 8 port steel. Threaded to muzzle.
Bolt Head: 2 lug, machined from 4340 Chromemoly Steel
Barrel: 4140 Chromemoly - 18, 22, and 29 inches long
1-15 Twist (Barrel Fluting Optional)
Scope Mount: Aluminum with Picatinney rail profile mounted on the receiver.
Bolt Body: Machined from 4130 Chromemoly tubing.
Hammer: 1 Supplied (to replace AR-15/M16 Hammer)
NO FFL is required for purchase
•Model: SHTF50-MAG
•Shipping Weight: 18lbs
•Manufactured by: Safety Harbor Firearms, Inc.
Personally, I want one in the .50x77mm cartridge, not for the M2 .50 BMG, but rather intended for use in the M8c spotter rifle for the M40A1 recoilless rifle. You are invited to guess why I prefer the lighter cartridge.
One word for you......
Reload!
Who wants to spend all the money on a .50 cal upper for that?
The SHTF50 is Safety Harbor Firearms, Inc. Upper Conversion Kit.
I also love the “SHTF” brand name, which PERFECTLY describes it’s purpose!
Thanks to everyone for the information. I have got to get me on of those!
Bookmark
ATF is notorious for getting ideas for administrative rulings by receiving bizarre questions from idiots who don't realize that if something hasn't been banned one way or another, asking if it will be all too often leads the ban-happy agency to answer "yes" and proceed to do so.
Nope, it’s the .50 BMG upper.
I would love to know more about how the BATFE claims a thread adapter is a machine gun. Can you give some more details?
BTW, I believe that the ATF has already declared an upper receiver for the AR-15 that was special built to convert the rifle to a belt fed weapon to be a “firearm”. Yes, it was semi-auto only.
>>You are invited to guess why I prefer the lighter cartridge. <<
Higher muzzle velocity?
The thread adapter exaggeration by a couple of field agents is one thing; another is the BATFE written declaration of 2004 that the possession of a 14-inch- long shoestring constites the possession of an unregistered machinegun.:
There was enough publicity and embarassment at the BATFE that a second, overriding ruling had to be made, lest the nation be plagued with overzealous cops raiding shoestores as dealers of deadly machinegunstrings:
And that was pretty well that, until an overly officious cop at one of our neighborhood watch meetings described was describing his *zero tolerance* policy on citizen misconduct, and I happily pointed out that he was in fact an armed felon, in posession of not one but two deadly and illegal shoestrings, as well as his department-issued semiautomatic weapon. placing him in violation of federal law, since while local cops may in some instances obtain and use full-auto weapons, they cannot possess unregistered ones, particularly shoestrings which have had their serial numbers removed or never applied. Making it worse for him, we have a state law making a violation of law in the performance of his duty a state felony. And there was a reporter in the room.
He had a quick defense: I was probably making the whole thing up. Unfortunately for him, I had copies of the two letters shown above with me, which a local gun shop owner had asked for. He really didn't want to see those, and I was agreeable.
So I gave them to the reporter instead.
Higher muzzle velocity?
Nope. Lower, with the smaller cartridge. And there's a reason why, in this case, that's desirable.
I won’t ask anymore questions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.