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Posted: 5/7/2008 3:46:44 AM EDT
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http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k202/rlfllc/1498DSC00680_JPG.jpg So quick internet research showed that this was possibly created by the now defunct, SOCOMMFG. Was there ever an ATF ruling on such a beast? Does anyone know if this was ever produced and if there are any competing minds working on such a project? I believe there was a "in theory" FN-249G upper as well. |
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There were two M11 coversion uppers that SOCOM MFG developed. One was a M249 and the other is the RPD upper that is pictured above. The owner of SOCOM MFG, was a fellow named Ernie Wrenn. Ernie initially gloated that he developed the M249 upper kit for Steven Tyler or Aerosmith fame for his personal collection. The only person I know that actually received a M249 kit was Robert Silvers (silencer tests/talk owner & mod). Rob bought of one the M249 kits, posted a bunch of pics on subguns, and then later admitted that it never worked right. My understanding is that Ernie ended up delivering a handful of the RPD units at Knob Creek right before they were clasified by the ATF as post sample machineguns. I beleive Ernie never submitted a unit for evaluation to the tech branch. Well, Rob Silvers sent his M249 unit back to Ernie for repair and never saw it again from what he posted back a couple years ago. I beleive he eventually had to sue SOCOM MFG and Ernie for his M11 lower and 10K or so the kit cost him. No idea what exactly happened in the end. I beleive the handful of RPD kits were eventually siezed and Ernie was raided by the ATF and found a bunch of (claimed anyway) improperly demilled beltfed kits (1917s or something). Ernie went to trial and Len Savage (Historic Arms) testified in Ernie's defense about ATF testing procedures etc. Eventually Ernie pled guilty to mail and wire fraud, for taking money on products that were eventually siezed in exchange for the illegal machinegun possession charges being dropped. The end result was that: 1. I beleive all the kits (249 and RPD) kits were confiscated. 2. SOCOM is out of business 3. Ernie Wrenn became a convicted felon losing his rights to firearm ownership much less a C2 license. 4. Len Savage fought for an RPD upper conversion meeting all the technical requirements only to have it finally be denied based on it was too much of a design difference from the original host frames intent or some BS of that nature. For folks like you and me. The biggest outcome of this was that the cost of a M11/9 doubled in a matter of weeks from $1000ish to $2000ish and then quickly climbed to $3000ish within the following months as dealers starting putting out ever higher and higher "WTB" offers for M11's hoping to cash in when these belt fed kits were available in quantity and they could resell. I still remember Craig Wheatly recurring ads on the old subguns board of WTB M11/s for $2500 and everybody thinking he was crazy as it was $1000 over the current going rate. Analogous to a major dealer today putting a WTB ad on subguns "WTB Colt M16s paying $30,000". These are the details I remember of the SOCOM fiasco a couple years back but anybody feel free to correct any details I got wrong. James Austin, Texas |
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James, Wow. Quite frankly more then I could have ever asked for and a very interested, albeit disturbing piece of NFA history. For many of us up-and-coming NFA collector, having seasoned collector speak about the past is incredibly sobering and helps me gather perspective in what some would consider a renaissance in collecting. Thank you for taking the time. |
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