First ATF Ruling of 2015: More expansion of power

[Jumping Frog]

If you want to complete an 80% receiver for yourself, guess you cannot rent or borrow tools . . . .

However, the ruling also brings to my mind questions about other machining operations. What if I want to borrow my brother's machine shop after hours to otherwise perform machining operations on a gun: adding scope mounting holes, threading a barrel, lightening the slide, etc. Does that machine shop suddenly need to be a licensed gun manufacturer?

Seems like typical ill-conceived idiocy.

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In its first ruling of 2015, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has held that businesses may not allow individuals to use their equipment to further process incomplete firearm blanks, frames and receivers , attorney Joshua Prince reported Saturday. Such businesses may not assist or provide machinery access to unlicensed individuals without being licensed firearms manufacturers.

The effect of this ruling will be to close down operations in which persons who are legally entitled to manufacture their own firearms for personal use are permitted by a business to use its equipment, either with instruction or without. Provided such firearms are not intended to be sold or distributed, marking and record-keeping requirements do not apply. By changing the rules, ATF has closed down a means by which people who lack the equipment themselves to finish off a part will be able to exercise their right to build a firearm, a practice many rely on, particularly when completing so-called “80 percent” precursor receivers.

Held, any person (including any corporation or other legal entity) engaged in the business of performing machining, molding, casting, forging, printing (additive manufacturing) or other manufacturing process to create a firearm frame or receiver, or to make a frame or receiver suitable for use as part of a “weapon … which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,” i.e., a “firearm,” must be licensed as a manufacturer under the GCA; identify (mark) any such firearm; and maintain required manufacturer’s records.

Held further, a business (including an association or society) may not avoid the manufacturing license, marking, and recordkeeping requirements of the GCA by allowing persons to perform manufacturing processes on blanks or incomplete firearms (including frames or receivers) using machinery, tools, or equipment under its dominion and control where that business controls access to, and use of, such machinery, tools, or equipment.

Held further, this ruling is limited to an interpretation of the requirements imposed on persons under the GCA, and does not interpret the requirements of the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5801 et. seq.

[C-dub]

That's just ridiculous.

[anygunanywhere]

That's just ridiculous.

That is all you can expect from this government. Ridiculousness.

[Beiruty]

But why one has build a receiver from 80% to have a firearm with no serial number? How is this an advantage?

[Rex B]

How is it an advantage? It's not, unless and until the day comes when the Feds pull all those 4473s and begin knocking on doors.

I find it interesting that the ruling only applies to businesses loaning equipment. I know quite a few people that have personal hobby machine shops that are better equipped than a lot of businesses. Those appear to be unaffected by this ruling, unless the ATF can show that the hobbyist has been doing work for profit.

[tomneal]

That reminds me of Plan A -vs- Plan B

Plan A
Don't get on "THE LIST"
(That ship has sailed for me. Too many 4473's, hunting licenses, subscriptions, posts, memberships, shooting matches, purchases at sporting goods stores, ...)

Plan B
Make "THE LIST" so large that "THEY" don't want to mess with those on "THE LIST".

I am not all that handy mechanically. An 80% AR 15 receiver has little appeal.

[VMI77]

You're on "the list" if you've ever used a credit card to purchase ammo, a scope, grips, slings, or any other item that is normally used in conjunction with a firearm. If you bought it over the internet you're probably on two lists. This is a total surveillance state. The Feds may not know how many and exactly what kind of guns you have, but they know if you've got a gun, and that's all they need to know.

[Setxjeff]

But why one has build a receiver from 80% to have a firearm with no serial number? How is this an advantage?

Why does anyone build anything: furniture,wooden toys,houses ect. I built my first 80% in my own shop with my own tools as a, see if I could make a operating rifle project. I stamped mine so it is marked but not registered, but I believe Big Brother knows or could find out if I have an 80% lower. The government can find out anything you have ordered online, anytime there is a large scale shooting shortly afterwards the gun,ammo,magazines even the clothing is tracked and usually released to the media.
To have a completely untraceable weapon I believe ,A person would have to start out with a solid block of steel do all the machining yourself and tell no-one. Then there is ammo,even reloading components can be tracked.

[Jumping Frog]

To have a completely untraceable weapon I believe ,A person would have to start out with a solid block of steel do all the machining yourself and tell no-one. Then there is ammo,even reloading components can be tracked.

Cash purchases at gunshows (private, non-FFL) or private sales.