I just purchase a barreled preban upper for my preban lower.  The barrel is 11.5" with a 5" flash hider threaded on to make the legal 16" rifle length.  Now for the question of the day:

Does the flash hider (or any compensator) have to be premanently affixed (i.e., welded) for a preban config?  I know for postbans, the attachment have to be permanent.

TIA for any feedback or info.

No, the attachment does not have to be permanently affixed on a preban. It is perfectly fine for the flash hider or whatever to screw off, that is what it was intended to do.

However, if it is a short barrel, less than 16", and it is using that attachment to put it over the legal length (much as the 11.5" with 5" flash hider) then the attachment must be permanent. Once something is permanently attached they consider it part of the barrel when measuring it for legal length. Hope that helps.

Michael

Hopeless,

Ponyboy is completely correct. A muzzle attachment does not have to be permanent on a Pre Ban. However, unless you want to apply for a short barreled rifle license/permit, the FS would need to be permanently attached to make the barrel length 16".

Of course if your lower was a [i]pistol[/i] lower then that would be different.

Bushmaster has a note to this effect on their website in the pre ban upper section concerning the 11.5 and 14.5" barrels.

Mike