Maybe a dumb question.

MrDontPlay · August 15, 2011, 08:33 PM

Does a forend grip on a handgun make it an NFA item?

PTK · August 15, 2011, 08:58 PM

In a word, yes. It becomes an "Any Other Weapon", since the BATFE interprets anything that has more than one perpendicular grip as other than a handgun. A handgun is defined as a firearm with one grip perpendicular to the bore. Silly, but the law...

steveno · August 16, 2011, 06:53 AM

so which comes first? (1)do you have to send in the forms before you buy the grip? (2) I assume most of the grips don't have a serial number(?) so do you have to send the serial number of the handgun in and get approval before you buy and/or attach the grip?

chasep255 · August 16, 2011, 09:36 AM

Well if you have both parts before getting the tax stamp that could be considered constructive possession. You would register the serial number of the pistol as the AOW.

Skans · August 16, 2011, 10:14 AM

I've got more gun parts than I probably know about; and more guns than I can remember. I'm sure that I have got several foregrips for my AC556 (only one mounted at a time

) I bet if I tried, I could get one of those foregrips to fit one of my pistols that has a rail on the frame. Does that make me technically in "constructive possession" of an unregistered NFA item? Somehow, I tend to think no one is willing to try to make that case to a jury just because you can figure out how to make something illegal out of all of the junk you have lying around. In other words, unless you are trying to make illegal things with your extra foregrips that are meant for weapons they can be used on, I wouldn't worry too much about constructive possession.

gyvel · August 16, 2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Somehow, I tend to think no one is willing to try to make that case to a jury just because you can figure out how to make something illegal out of all of the junk you have lying around. In other words, unless you are trying to make illegal things with your extra foregrips that are meant for weapons they can be used on, I wouldn't worry too much about constructive possession.

Remember who you are dealing with: If BATF had some motive for making a case against you, they could make your life miserable, even if you won your case.

These are the same morons that declared a sholelace to be a machine gun, and sent weapons across the border so they could track them.

Skans · August 16, 2011, 02:05 PM

Well, let me just put it this way - if BATFE is really interested in pursuing someone who legally has vertical foregrips for a specific rifle (which happens to already be registered NFA), which can also be mounted on a pistol with a rail on it (not sure why anyone would ever do this???), they could probably find out who I am and where I live.

If you use something like a shoestring or even cardboard (supposedly it's been done with certain guns no longer in production) to make a semi-auto fire full auto, that's completely different than what I'm talking about. I might have some duct tape and plastic coke bottles laying around that could be illegal NFA items too - but, I don't think BATFE is prosecuting people for keeping duct tape and coke bottles in the same house as gun(s).

I guess what I'm saying is I think there's a lot of fear and hype about what BATFE will do to you, when you aren't breaking any laws.

PTK · August 17, 2011, 12:04 AM

If the ONLY place that vertical foregrip can go is on a pistol, NO rifles/shotguns you own have rails, etc., then yes it can be considered constructive possession.

However, as stated already, you'd have to be doing something seriously wrong already (showing up at a range with the foregrip on a pistol, for example) for any attention to be given to the foregrip itself if it does nothing but sit in a box or go on a long arm.

If you have no other legal use for it, and own only one firearm, a handgun with rails, and have the foregrip, yeah, that's pretty clear what you're intending to do.

gyvel · August 17, 2011, 08:40 AM

Quote:

I guess what I'm saying is I think there's a lot of fear and hype about what BATFE will do to you, when you aren't breaking any laws.

All I was saying is that if they had some motive to make a case against you, they could make your life miserable.

August 15, 2011, 08:33 PM	#1
MrDontPlay Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2010 Posts: 587	Maybe a dumb question. Does a forend grip on a handgun make it an NFA item? __________________ Someday I'll be good enough to know if a gun is accurate or not.

August 16, 2011, 10:14 AM	#5
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	I've got more gun parts than I probably know about; and more guns than I can remember. I'm sure that I have got several foregrips for my AC556 (only one mounted at a time) I bet if I tried, I could get one of those foregrips to fit one of my pistols that has a rail on the frame. Does that make me technically in "constructive possession" of an unregistered NFA item? Somehow, I tend to think no one is willing to try to make that case to a jury just because you can figure out how to make something illegal out of all of the junk you have lying around. In other words, unless you are trying to make illegal things with your extra foregrips that are meant for weapons they can be used on, I wouldn't worry too much about constructive possession.

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August 15, 2011, 08:58 PM	#2
PTK Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2008 Posts: 442	In a word, yes. It becomes an "Any Other Weapon", since the BATFE interprets anything that has more than one perpendicular grip as other than a handgun. A handgun is defined as a firearm with one grip perpendicular to the bore. Silly, but the law...

August 16, 2011, 06:53 AM	#3
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	so which comes first? (1)do you have to send in the forms before you buy the grip? (2) I assume most of the grips don't have a serial number(?) so do you have to send the serial number of the handgun in and get approval before you buy and/or attach the grip?

August 16, 2011, 09:36 AM	#4
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	Well if you have both parts before getting the tax stamp that could be considered constructive possession. You would register the serial number of the pistol as the AOW.

August 16, 2011, 02:05 PM	#7
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	Well, let me just put it this way - if BATFE is really interested in pursuing someone who legally has vertical foregrips for a specific rifle (which happens to already be registered NFA), which can also be mounted on a pistol with a rail on it (not sure why anyone would ever do this???), they could probably find out who I am and where I live. If you use something like a shoestring or even cardboard (supposedly it's been done with certain guns no longer in production) to make a semi-auto fire full auto, that's completely different than what I'm talking about. I might have some duct tape and plastic coke bottles laying around that could be illegal NFA items too - but, I don't think BATFE is prosecuting people for keeping duct tape and coke bottles in the same house as gun(s). I guess what I'm saying is I think there's a lot of fear and hype about what BATFE will do to you, when you aren't breaking any laws.

August 17, 2011, 12:04 AM	#8
PTK Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2008 Posts: 442	If the ONLY place that vertical foregrip can go is on a pistol, NO rifles/shotguns you own have rails, etc., then yes it can be considered constructive possession. However, as stated already, you'd have to be doing something seriously wrong already (showing up at a range with the foregrip on a pistol, for example) for any attention to be given to the foregrip itself if it does nothing but sit in a box or go on a long arm. If you have no other legal use for it, and own only one firearm, a handgun with rails, and have the foregrip, yeah, that's pretty clear what you're intending to do.