Fixing Illegal Modifications

[johnwilliamson062]

I saw an ad on Swapgiant I have been thinking about for the last week or so. Someone had sawed off the butt stock of a shotgun, decided that was a bad idea since it did not meet minimum overall length and had reglued the stock back on. My understanding is that once you break 922R compliance, cut a barrel, take out of C+R compliance etc. the firearm is forever illegal or not C+R even if you return it to its original form, at least technically.

Is this true? Am I mistaken?

 

[ZeSpectre]

My understanding is that once you break 922R compliance, cut a barrel, take out of C+R compliance etc. the firearm is forever illegal or not C+R even if you return it to its original form

Now how would they even enforce that? If I were to take a shotgun, saw the stock off to an illegal length, then buy a new stock and install it who would ever be able to tell what I'd done?

If I were to saw my double barreled gun down too short, then drop the barrels into a crusher and put new legal length barrels on it...same thing.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

at least technically.

I realize it is difficult to enforce. In the case I submitted the poster admitted his actions and it was pretty obvious what had happened just looking at the stock. I am not asking if it is realistically en forcible, just if that is the law, as understood by others here. I am obviously not invested enough to pay a lawyer to find out if this guys shotgun is legal or not.

 

[NavyLT]

In regards to 922r compliance, only the action of assembling the gun is illegal. Possession, buying and selling the gun is not prohibited:

(r) It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble from imported parts any semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation under section 925 (d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes except that this subsection shall not apply to—
(1) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.

 

[vranasaurus]

Even if that is the law the government would have the burden to show that it was at one time illegaly modified and then modified back into a legal configuration.

That is a pretty difficult thing to prove and I doubt the governemnt would waist their time absent some very compelling evidence.