Build question

brute187

January 08, 2012 10:15

If I build my own AK or AR 15 do I need to have an FFL?

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  armilite

  January 08, 2012 10:23

  No, not if it is for yourself.

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  nmyers

  January 08, 2012 11:35

  It depends.
  
  You cannot build a gun that is substantially the same as one that cannot be imported. That could be a problem with an AK build.
  
  Neal

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  wpage

  January 08, 2012 13:43

  Best to check your state law...
  
  If you plan on transporting it you may need to # it.

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  62fuelie

  January 09, 2012 09:03

  If you are going to fabricate the receiver yourself then you need to check your local laws and comply with the standards they set. If you buy a receiver then all you need to do is be sure the rifle you assemble is the same as the the receiver was registered as, i.e. don't build a short-barreled-rifle on a receiver that was not registered with ATF as an SBR, don't build a pistol on a rifle receiver or vice-versa.

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  beantownshootah

  January 09, 2012 11:45

  quote:Originally posted by nmyers
  It depends.
  
  You cannot build a gun that is substantially the same as one that cannot be imported. That could be a problem with an AK build.
  
  Neal
  
  I don't think this is true.
  
  You cannot build a gun WITH FOREIGN MADE PARTS that cannot otherwise be legally imported.
  
  But as mentioned in the .223 AK thread, there is a whole cottage industry around taking legal import guns, throwing in a bunch of US made 922A compliant parts to change their configuration to something "evil" (ie pistol grip and high cap mag), and then making them legal.
  
  Its perfectly fine to buy an American made AR or AK receiver and build it into anything you like, so long as its not full auto, has the appropriate barrel length, and doesn't otherwise run afoul of Federal law. Even a short barreled rifle would be OK to build, if you register the receiver and do the paperwork first.
  
  Now, there may ALSO be restrictions about what you can and can't have within your particular state, so you'd have to check those two. Uncle Sam may not care if you build an AR-15 in your living room, but I think Uncle California will!
  
  In terms of building your own gun, [EDIT; I mean from SCRATCH] yes you can, but once built you can't legally transfer the gun, so its yours, permanently.
  
  Edit: To be clear, here, this only applies if you're building your own RECEIVER, either from scratch, or from an unfinished (eg "80%" receiver). If you build your own gun from scratch, you can't legally transfer it.
  
  On the other hand, if you're starting your build with a serialized receiver you buy via a regular way (ie with background check, etc), then once the gun is complete its a regular built gun the same as any other, and you can transfer, as per Federal and State law.

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