Went to the B'burg range today. Dude next to me had a 10.5'' SBRed AR. I'm looking into SBRing my 14.5'' so I asked him how long it took to get his stamp. He said, "What?" I asked him again. He said, "Oh, I don't have one." I looked at him wierd and walked away. He watched me the rest of the time he and his buddies were there. Apparently I scared him by asking. Now, I'm not tring to get anyone in trouble, but people like this are why responsible gun owners get a bad wrap. What do you say to someone or do you just let it go?

I did hear a story about a guy showing off his SBR to a guy in the next lane who turned out to be a BATF agent so it is possible to get caught !

+1

There are so many ways to violate Gun Laws it is almost impossible to keep track. I do not look to "gotcha" folks, but if the subject comes up, I will set them straight. What they do with that info is their business.

seen it several times. I generally ask friendly questions when I see whats obviously a C3 item. the answers have ranged from obvious ignorance to blatant law breaking. ignorance either way you look at it.

lets see.... one guy with a home made lightning link, one guy with a paperclip, no less than half a dozen sbr's, two home made cans (different guys), one guy that had a friends legal mg (individual reg, not trust or business).








ever wonder how many guys bring illegal guns into a gun store?

There's probably dozens of violations that I've missed for every one that I've seen and noticed.
I've seen many semi firearms with adjustable triggers that "doubled" when hot, filthy (particularly .22s slamfiring) or when excessively lubed in the wrong places.
Seen lots of folks in simultaneous possession of semi-autos with reciprocating charging handles, and shoelaces.
I probably have unknowingly seen untold numbers of 922r violations because someone's magazine baseplate wasn't made in the USA, or that tricksy parts guy at the gunshow sold them a trigger made from Romanian steel instead of one that obviously shined with pride from being made in the USA.
Likely I missed seeing a few improperly silver soldered flashhiders on 14.5" barrels too, or maybe the odd guy who once put his T/C Encore's rifle stock on before taking the pistol barrel off when converting it.
I'm sure I've unknowingly seen untold numbers of AR lowers illegally made into pistols when they were bought as rifles on the 4473.
Might even have been an NFA shooter or two who left their paperwork in the other range bag. I'd have known, had I asked to see their paperwork.
But I generally don't make a habit of it, as I consider it to be a bit rude coming from folks who aren't LEOs.

I haven't lost a lot of sleep over other people's violations. That's what they pay BATF agents for. My job is to make sure that I have MY paperwork with me, that my rifles don't ever double,etc.

I have a hard time thinking of this guy as being "[ir]responsible". He is certainly foolish to have an SBR without a stamp but this action poses no direct threat to anybodies safety (except maybe his dog ). The haters are going to hate who we are and what we shoot regardless of 6" more or less.

That being said, it is foolish to assemble an SBR without a stamp (just not worth the risk) and yes, I see NFA and 922r violations quite often. The most common is stuff like a pistol upper on a rifle lower, a Ruger Charger in a full length stock, VFG on a handgun rail and rifle builds without compliance parts. I often try to clue people in (to be helpful, not being a dick) but I usually get a deer in the headlights stare or a "fuck-off" for my trouble.

If it even comes up in discussion, I will politely inform them of the law.

If they don't care, I just wish them luck in not getting caught.

Now if I thought they were getting ready to gun people down, that would be a different story.

I'd have explained to him the process to make it legal and try to educate him. If he didn't care or had no interest in making it legal that's no skin off my back.
The law is unjust, I'm sure as hell not going to help the authorities enforce it.

I totally understand the safety concern to yourself...you are about to tell a guy who knowingly has an illegal firearm with a couple of his armed buddies what's what? You don't want to stir that pot.

But there is a very tactful way to go about doing it that probably won't get you shot. Be the "cool guy" and tell him you're doing him a favor with a friendly warning, and that you know there are several local BATF agents and staties who use that range all the time and have been known to scope out what people have. And that he might want to get his stamp or shoot somewhere else so he doesn't accidentally get busted by one.

Granted you'd love to read him the riot act for being irresponsible, but if you approach it that way you probably achieve the same effect without creating a confrontation with 3 armed, willful law breakers.

This. If you run across a guy who genuinely didn't know and hadn't thought to look (shame on him, but it happens), then it's best to try and save his bacon by letting them know he is at risk.

If they know and just don't care, I wouldn't go out of my way to rat them out, but I certainly won't feel sorry for them if they get caught.

Several years ago down in NC, I was at a "local" range, meaning an abandoned quarry, doing some shooting with some friends. One of my friends invited a co-worker to shoot with. This kid showed up with a kit build full auto Sten SMG that he built himself. He let loose a mag or two and I got the hell out of there. I will say that it did work very well, but was illegal as a gun can just about get. He never did get caught and last I heard he was no longer building illegal guns. I have no idea and don't want to know where the ones he built ended up.

About 25 years ago, I was shooting at the old Leesburg Police Department range in Loudoun County. There were 5 of us shooting, and I had my S&W Model 76 9mm SMG. A couple of other guys showed up to shoot, and really started to give me the stink-eye when I pulled out the SMG and fired a mag-full downrange. I noticed one of them walking around behind our cars, taking down our license numbers. It turned out that they were ATF agents. After I showed them my form 4 for the SMG everything was okay, but they were really buggy there for a while.

They sound like officious jackwads, not that this is any surprise. They could have and should have just asked to see your tax form before they started an impromptu investigation and file on you. It's not like the law specifically says they can demand to see your forms ... oh wait ...