I have to have this resolved by Thursday. At a gunshow this past weekend I purchased a Colt M4 semi auto. I do not have a class III. The upper is a Colt 14.5 in. upper with the standard flash hider. Someone else at the show saw me with it and then told me that I had to have a particular type of flash hider welded or pinned on to make the gun legal. I bought the exact same hider this guy recommended and took it to a local gunsmith for him to put on. I am not sure what the make of flash hider but the top of it has a bunch of points. I believe it is the Phantom, or Vortex. The gunsmith said if it would work, it would barely work (right at 16in.) and recommended that I get the gun rebarreled with a pre-ban CAR 16" barrel. The other alternative the gunsmith gave me is to get a 3 in flash hider. With this smith my choices are rebarrel or extra long flash hider. What should I do or are there other options?  

Have the bayonet lug removed and have a muzzle break permanantly welded onto the rifle. The break must make the measure of the barrel at least 16" in total length. My understanding is that simply welding a standard flash suppressor on will not be in compliance with the law. Correct me if I'm wrong guys.

I know using the standard flash hider will not work on the 14.5in barrel. The flash hider I bought and wanted the gunsmith to put on permanently is longer. A guy at the gunshow told me it was the correct size to get in order to make the gun legal. I am thinking that the gunsmith is unwilling to make the gun 16.0in. He would rather have the full 16" barrel and then the flash hider.

First, you need to determine if this is a PRE or POST ban rifle, that will determine what hangs off the end of your barrel...

PRE,, can have a Flash Suppressor, and can have threads...

POST must have a muzzel brake, and must be PERM affixed....

EITHER must be 16 inches minimum barrel length

Deadeye,

If the lower is a preban, send the upper to Kurt Wala at Kurt’s Kustom Firearms, [url]http://www.kurts-kustom-firearms.cityslide.com/[/url], and have him pin and weld the Phantom/Vortex.  Either will make legal length, but the Phantom needs a flash suppressor washer behind it to be safe.

This is a Phantom:
[img]http://www.yankeehillmachine.com/images/phantom.jpg[/img]

This is a Vortex:
[img]http://www.smithenterprise.com/img/graphics/vortex.jpg[/img]

If the lower turns out to be a postban, Kurt can lop off the bayonet lug and pin and weld on one of his brakes.

How to tell if you have a preban?  Check your serial number here: [url]http://old.ar15.com/legal/serialNumberList.asp[/url]

Ok, thanks for the replies so far. Here is what I have got. I have a preban lower and 14.5 in M4 upper that needs to be made legal. I bought a Phantom flash hider to put on in order to make it legal. Here and at the gunshow I was told the Phantom welded or pinned on would make the gun legal. The gunsmith today told me something different which I mentioned in my previous reply and the first message of this thread. Who is right? The gunsmith or the guys at the show and here? Also, the gunsmith today told me that even separated from the lower, that 14.5in upper is illegal for me to possess. Is this true?

First, could it be you don’t have the correct Phantom flash suppresser?

My Colt 14.5 inch M4 barrel with Phantom measures 16.250 inches.
It has an 1/8 inch or less of the original peel washer.

It is common practice to use either a Phantom or Vortex to bring a 14.5 inch
barrel out to the legal 16 inch limit.  The flash suppressor must be permanently
attached to qualify.

Barrel length is measured from the bolt face, (bolt being closed) to the end of the
barrel.  This length includes any permanently attached extensions, muzzle breaks
or flash suppressors.  The best way to measure this, insert a cleaning rod into the
barrel with the bolt closed, place a piece of tape on the rod at the end of the barrel,
remove rod and measure.  If the muzzle device is removable, it must be removed
to determine the correct length.  


Possession of a short barreled upper receiver and complete lower could be
construed as intent or conspiracy to manufacture an illegal short barrel rifle.
Your best bet would be to keep them as far apart as possible, maybe leave the
lower at an acquaintance's house until you’re up to par.

If you have anymore questions or problems, ask away.

[b]R[/b]ighteous [b]K[/b]ill