If I was to take a one of those parts PPSh and weld it back together into something that worked I would have something that would get me plenty of years in jail. So whats the point? If I was to take one and modify it to where it fired semi-auto only from the closed bolt and didn't make other PPSh work, and said my prayers and ate my fkn Wheaties it still wouldn't be legal would it?
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Dumb lengthy question
- Thread starter w_houle
- Start date
Letter of the law vs. Spirit of the law (as enforced)
As far as I know, there is no law saying you cannot have/build an open bolt semi auto. However, the law has language like "readily convertible" or something like that, and the Feds have determined that open bolt guns are, generally, "readily convertible".
Manufacturers of open bolt semis in the US have all converted their designs to closed bolt guns, decades ago, due to pressure from the BATF in legal cases. I was in the process of buying an open bolt Cobray back in the early '80s, when they were "technically" still legal, but "2 gentlemen in suits" persuaded my dealer to cancel the order and refund my money. Open bolt guns made before the redesigns are still legal and can be had, but are scarce, and command prices more than 10 times their original MSRP. And for that kind of money, they aren't very good guns.
Building an open bolt semi gun from a SMG parts kit might be within the letter of the law, but it would likely be considered outside the "spirit" of the law as enforced. Building a closed bolt semi from the same SMG parts kit would be only slightly less taxing than building the whole gun from scratch.
And if the Feds decide your toy is "readily convertible", they will still take it away, and try and put you in jail anyway. They may not succeed in the long run, but it could be very uncomfortable for you in the short run. And the short run could be years.
I wouldn't bother, but if you are serious, contact the Feds, and get permission in writing, before you do anything to the parts kit. And it is likely, if they do give you the go ahead, that they will want to examine the finished product, and rule on it. If they rule for you, you keep the gun. Against you, you lose the gun, but because you asked first, odds are they won't prosecute. Maybe.
Good luck.
As far as I know, there is no law saying you cannot have/build an open bolt semi auto. However, the law has language like "readily convertible" or something like that, and the Feds have determined that open bolt guns are, generally, "readily convertible".
Manufacturers of open bolt semis in the US have all converted their designs to closed bolt guns, decades ago, due to pressure from the BATF in legal cases. I was in the process of buying an open bolt Cobray back in the early '80s, when they were "technically" still legal, but "2 gentlemen in suits" persuaded my dealer to cancel the order and refund my money. Open bolt guns made before the redesigns are still legal and can be had, but are scarce, and command prices more than 10 times their original MSRP. And for that kind of money, they aren't very good guns.
Building an open bolt semi gun from a SMG parts kit might be within the letter of the law, but it would likely be considered outside the "spirit" of the law as enforced. Building a closed bolt semi from the same SMG parts kit would be only slightly less taxing than building the whole gun from scratch.
And if the Feds decide your toy is "readily convertible", they will still take it away, and try and put you in jail anyway. They may not succeed in the long run, but it could be very uncomfortable for you in the short run. And the short run could be years.
I wouldn't bother, but if you are serious, contact the Feds, and get permission in writing, before you do anything to the parts kit. And it is likely, if they do give you the go ahead, that they will want to examine the finished product, and rule on it. If they rule for you, you keep the gun. Against you, you lose the gun, but because you asked first, odds are they won't prosecute. Maybe.
Good luck.