I'm new to rifles, or I should say the legalities of rifles, And I think I'm going to build an AR-15. Now let me see if I've got this straight, I can use post-ban parts on a pre-ban or post ban lower reciever, but I can only use pre-ban parts on a pre-ban lower reciever? Are there any compatibilty problems? I would like to build a standard A2, and maybe convert it to M-4 spec. later. Thanks!
AR-15s
- Thread starter Dave AA
- Start date
I actually typed a long answer to your post but it got lost in an "Internal Server Error" and I just can't make myself do it again.
Go to www.ar15.com and check out the legal stuff. If that doesn't discourage you then you probably SHOULD build one. They can answer your questions better anyway!
Mikey
Go to www.ar15.com and check out the legal stuff. If that doesn't discourage you then you probably SHOULD build one. They can answer your questions better anyway!
Mikey
Also, anyone have experince with diff. manufacturers (bushmaster, armalite)? do the finishes match? Thanks!you can't build a preban configured gun from a preban stripped lower
there are no preban lower parts, except for the collapsable stock
if you own a preban rifle you could attach another upper with a bayonet lug & FS
http://jpar15.com/customer.htm
CRIME BILL NOTICE
On 9/14/94 we were advised by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco &
Firearms that the Crime Bill does not allow any lower receiver to
be completed into an "assault rifle" as it is defined in the Bill. It
does not matter when the lower receiver was manufactured, only
when it was assembled as part of a complete rifle. In other words,
you cannot buy a so-called "pre-ban lower" and assemble it into a
rifle that meets the definition of an "assault rifle" as described in
the Crime Bill.
After September 14, 1994, no lower receiver can be completed to
form a "semi-automatic" rifle that has an ability to accept a
detachable magazine and has two or more of the following
features:
A.a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously
beneath the action of the weapon
B.a flash suppressor or threaded barrel
designed to accommodate a flash
suppressor (a recoil reducing device is
considered acceptable)
C.a folding or telescoping stock
D.a bayonet mount
E.a grenade launcher
What this means is that you may have a post ban ("post ban"
meaning assembled after 9/14/94) AR-15 rifle which has only one
of the listed features, and that is the pistol grip. It was previously
believed by most people in the industry that "thumb-hole"
configuration stocks were a way to technically eliminate the "pistol
grip" feature on a rifle. However, BATF has now interpreted the
Crime Bill in such a way that it isn't possible to construct an AR-15
type rifle without a pistol grip regardless of the stock
configuration. Because there is no way to eliminate the pistol grip
feature, you may not have a flash suppressor or a muzzle that is
"threaded to accept a currently manufactured flash suppressor." A
compensator or recoil reducing device is acceptable as long as it
is attached permanently by pinning, welding or high temperature
silver solder or attached with a thread pattern for which there is no
flash suppressor made.
dZ
------------------
will you stand with me in DC on 10-2-99?
http://www.myplanet.net/jeffhead/LibMarch
there are no preban lower parts, except for the collapsable stock
if you own a preban rifle you could attach another upper with a bayonet lug & FS
http://jpar15.com/customer.htm
CRIME BILL NOTICE
On 9/14/94 we were advised by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco &
Firearms that the Crime Bill does not allow any lower receiver to
be completed into an "assault rifle" as it is defined in the Bill. It
does not matter when the lower receiver was manufactured, only
when it was assembled as part of a complete rifle. In other words,
you cannot buy a so-called "pre-ban lower" and assemble it into a
rifle that meets the definition of an "assault rifle" as described in
the Crime Bill.
After September 14, 1994, no lower receiver can be completed to
form a "semi-automatic" rifle that has an ability to accept a
detachable magazine and has two or more of the following
features:
A.a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously
beneath the action of the weapon
B.a flash suppressor or threaded barrel
designed to accommodate a flash
suppressor (a recoil reducing device is
considered acceptable)
C.a folding or telescoping stock
D.a bayonet mount
E.a grenade launcher
What this means is that you may have a post ban ("post ban"
meaning assembled after 9/14/94) AR-15 rifle which has only one
of the listed features, and that is the pistol grip. It was previously
believed by most people in the industry that "thumb-hole"
configuration stocks were a way to technically eliminate the "pistol
grip" feature on a rifle. However, BATF has now interpreted the
Crime Bill in such a way that it isn't possible to construct an AR-15
type rifle without a pistol grip regardless of the stock
configuration. Because there is no way to eliminate the pistol grip
feature, you may not have a flash suppressor or a muzzle that is
"threaded to accept a currently manufactured flash suppressor." A
compensator or recoil reducing device is acceptable as long as it
is attached permanently by pinning, welding or high temperature
silver solder or attached with a thread pattern for which there is no
flash suppressor made.
dZ
------------------
will you stand with me in DC on 10-2-99?
http://www.myplanet.net/jeffhead/LibMarch
I used to work for Bushmaster, and we got this question all the time. You do have it right, you can do pretty much whatever you want with a preban, but postban rifles must have postban parts. It all boils down to the stock and barrel.
In a nutshell, a postban can't have a folding stock, a bayonet lug, or a flashhider. There are a bunch of accessories available for the muzzle of a postban, but almost none of them are actually BATF approved for use. I know at Bushmaster, we read the law through and decided that the only way to make a postban barrel legally was to have no threads on the muzzle at all, that way no matter who makes a flashhider in whatever thread, it still won't fit.
It is a PITA law, and stupid to boot, but that's no excuse for not following it.
As far as matching AR finishes, forget it. Finish doesn't match even from one manufacturer, let alone mixing them. The only way to get them to match is to get all your recievers together, strip them down, and send them off to get them refinished. There are a few places that do a nice black Teflon on AR's that looks pretty good. Hope this helps.
------------------
With my shield or on it...
Almost forgot, don't get burned trying to get a preban lower, there is no such animal. BATF states that if the lower was not assembled into a rifle prior to the date of the ban, it is now postban. Doesn't matter if it's 20 years old, it's postban. Lots of people got burned by buying lowers right before the ban at high prices assuming they would be able to build them up later, and the wording of the ban prevented that. Some lowlifes are trying to sell these as preban lowers reguardless of legality. So, forewarned is fore-armed, right? Be careful!
[This message has been edited by artech (edited September 24, 1999).]
In a nutshell, a postban can't have a folding stock, a bayonet lug, or a flashhider. There are a bunch of accessories available for the muzzle of a postban, but almost none of them are actually BATF approved for use. I know at Bushmaster, we read the law through and decided that the only way to make a postban barrel legally was to have no threads on the muzzle at all, that way no matter who makes a flashhider in whatever thread, it still won't fit.
It is a PITA law, and stupid to boot, but that's no excuse for not following it.
As far as matching AR finishes, forget it. Finish doesn't match even from one manufacturer, let alone mixing them. The only way to get them to match is to get all your recievers together, strip them down, and send them off to get them refinished. There are a few places that do a nice black Teflon on AR's that looks pretty good. Hope this helps.
------------------
With my shield or on it...
Almost forgot, don't get burned trying to get a preban lower, there is no such animal. BATF states that if the lower was not assembled into a rifle prior to the date of the ban, it is now postban. Doesn't matter if it's 20 years old, it's postban. Lots of people got burned by buying lowers right before the ban at high prices assuming they would be able to build them up later, and the wording of the ban prevented that. Some lowlifes are trying to sell these as preban lowers reguardless of legality. So, forewarned is fore-armed, right? Be careful!
[This message has been edited by artech (edited September 24, 1999).]