Yeah, you know the one, the one circa 1963 that teaches how to build small arms and bombs suitable for the S.O.G.-types to show uneducated peasants squatting in rice paddies and instruct them in their construction. It costs about seven bucks and can be bought at just about any gun shop or surplus store at any given location within this grand and glorious nation.

Anyhow, I want to write an article for my website about the fabrication and use of these field-expedient small arms. I'd love to build each one and give them the Mythbusters treatment - documenting their fabrication and construction then do an actual field test and range report for each.

So, is it legal to build the homemade small-arms in the manual? The only thing I can think that'd have legal ramifications would be that the barrels would be smoothbore and my addled mind can bring some sort of recollection about how smoothbores are legally shaky.

God, I'm a professional writer and I can't even squeeze out a cogent thought-line.

It's legal as long as it meets NFA standards and isn't a destructive device.  Otherwise, you would have to register these weapons and it wouldn't be worth it for what you're trying to do.  It's not against federal law to manufacture your own firearm, it just has to be of a type that would be otherwise legal.  

Well, I was thinking that it might be a no-no to build a smoothbore rifle or pistol, which is why we can't get Liberators anymore (so I've been possibly misinformed).

The manual details how to build single-shot (for lack of a better word, zip-guns) out of pieces of pipe and springs and so-forth.

Quoted: Well, I was thinking that it might be a no-no to build a smoothbore rifle or pistol, which is why we can't get Liberators anymore (so I've been possibly misinformed). The manual details how to build single-shot (for lack of a better word, zip-guns) out of pieces of pipe and springs and so-forth.

Yep, I have this book myself, the Improvised Munitions manual.  I know that smoothbore and rifled shotguns are both legal and that it is legal to have smoothbored black-powder weapons, if that is any help.  

Much obliged! I was a bit worried about that. I'll get on it after I do my big SHOT Show writeup this month.