Question about wearing out a legal full-auto

**JohnKSa** · April 24, 2013, 11:36 PM

It is my understanding that it is legal for a person with a legally registered fully-automatic firearm to repair the firearm to keep it in working condition.

My question is, what if the receiver wears so badly that it can not be repaired. Can the receiver be replaced and the registry entry adjusted to reflect the new serial number?

If that is legal, could a non-registered receiver be used for the replacement/repair?

Logically speaking, this would be a zero-sum exercise from the standpoint of the registry, but I know it's not always about logic.

5.56RifleGuy · April 25, 2013, 12:18 AM

In short, no. If something happens and your registered part becomes irreparably damaged, you are SOL. You would be amazed what can be fixed though.

ClydeFrog · April 25, 2013, 12:28 AM

The M-2 .50BMG has been around for decades & they seem to hold up in some armorys & military units.

Those & the B-52 bomber aren't going anywhere for a few decades.

ClydeFrog

Willie Sutton · April 25, 2013, 07:26 AM

KG-9's, on the other hand, crack their frames and become junk.

If you have a registered cracked pre-86 KG-9 in your collection that you shelled $5000 out for, you might be more interested in how to keep it working.

Moral: Buy firearms with metal receivers.

Willie

.

teeroux · April 25, 2013, 07:41 AM

Quote:

In short, no. If something happens and your registered part becomes irreparably damaged, you are SOL. You would be amazed what can be fixed though.

If you made an exact copy (minus damage and excessive wear) with all same markings and made the old one disapear. Who other than you and god would know? I don't believe that the ATF is taking metalugical samples or electron microscope scans of NFA items. Yet....

Skans · April 25, 2013, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Can the receiver be replaced and the registry entry adjusted to reflect the new serial number?

Legally? Absolutely not. I have to believe that your wonderful legislators who passed the '86 ban intended on all of the old machineguns eventually failing beyond repair. That was the intent of the legislation, wasn't it?

You can fix it, but you cannot replace the receiver. Ruger was replacing broken AC556 receivers (rare) - my understanding is that they were replacing them with the few pre-86 receivers they still had in stock.

Willie Sutton · April 25, 2013, 10:47 AM

^^ True.

Type 07 FFL manufacturers can destroy a serialized receiver and replace it with another one with the same serial number ONLY if it is done at the factory to replace a defective part, and ONLY if the item has not been shipped out after original manufacture. Once it leaves the factory it is what it is, and no other will legally replace it.

Willie

.

April 24, 2013, 11:36 PM	#1
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,973	Question about wearing out a legal full-auto It is my understanding that it is legal for a person with a legally registered fully-automatic firearm to repair the firearm to keep it in working condition. My question is, what if the receiver wears so badly that it can not be repaired. Can the receiver be replaced and the registry entry adjusted to reflect the new serial number? If that is legal, could a non-registered receiver be used for the replacement/repair? Logically speaking, this would be a zero-sum exercise from the standpoint of the registry, but I know it's not always about logic. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

April 25, 2013, 12:18 AM	#2
5.56RifleGuy Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2010 Location: USA Posts: 1,212	In short, no. If something happens and your registered part becomes irreparably damaged, you are SOL. You would be amazed what can be fixed though. __________________ Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus

April 25, 2013, 12:28 AM	#3
ClydeFrog Junior member Join Date: May 1, 2010 Posts: 5,797	Ma Duece... The M-2 .50BMG has been around for decades & they seem to hold up in some armorys & military units. Those & the B-52 bomber aren't going anywhere for a few decades. ClydeFrog

April 25, 2013, 07:26 AM	#4
Willie Sutton Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Posts: 1,066	KG-9's, on the other hand, crack their frames and become junk. If you have a registered cracked pre-86 KG-9 in your collection that you shelled $5000 out for, you might be more interested in how to keep it working. Moral: Buy firearms with metal receivers. Willie .

April 25, 2013, 10:47 AM	#7
Willie Sutton Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Posts: 1,066	^^ True. Type 07 FFL manufacturers can destroy a serialized receiver and replace it with another one with the same serial number ONLY if it is done at the factory to replace a defective part, and ONLY if the item has not been shipped out after original manufacture. Once it leaves the factory it is what it is, and no other will legally replace it. Willie .