I'm sure this has probably been answered on here a million times, and i'm over looking it but....
I am looking at an AR-15, but was told that it has a M-16 carrier. I know you can't have any M-16 lower parts without it being registered as such, but does the M-16 carrier make this gun in violation. Thanks for your help.  I just want to be able to shoot it and not have to worry.

Your fine. Now go shoot some squirrels... nasty buggers

Techncially, my understanding of the ATF is that you cannot have sufficient parts in it (or readily at hand) to make it FIRE full-auto.  So in an abstract theoretical sense, any and all parts are fine, as long as at least one critical component is missing.


However - the consensus seems to be that it is generally a bad idea to start installing full-auto fire control parts (even if not enough are installed for full-auto operation), because the ATF could start to argue that it is sufficiently easy to drill a small hole and drop in one more simple part - or something like that.

However, the M16 carrier is very common-place, and the ATF has written at least one formal opinion/ruling that says it is okay.  Several manufactures (including Colt) regularly ship semi-auto AR rifles with M16 carriers.

So the carrier is fine - just don't get any other full auto parts to install or have lying around your house, next to your drill press.  

Quoted: I'm sure this has probably been answered on here a million times

Nope!  But it has been answered 87 times!

Thanks for the help. I'll just get the rifle and enjoy it.

There's a whole long thread over in the legal section on the subject:

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=6&t=147440

Thanks for the link. I'm glad this thread didn't turn into the "shit storm" that went on there. I guess I should have searched and read more before posting, instead of being lazy.

i have two factory colt 9mm ars and both of them have full auto bolt carriers in them