I thought that any lower receiver that WAS NOT assembled into a complete weapon before the "pre-ban date" of 9/13/94 was illegal if now assembled in a pre-ban configuration.

I just had someone who should know (owner/operator of a Tac Ops Shop)tell me that this drop dead assembly date was "sometime in 97 not in 94"  Have I been wrong all this time?

He also said that the burden of proof for such things was no longer with the owner of the weapon but with the Feds. Is this true? (Small consolation if you are having pay the legal bills to defend yourself for sure)

Thanks in advance for any comment you may have.....

Semper Fi
Rocketman

You have been correct all along.  I don't know where he gets his info, but just because he owns a shop does not mean he knows the law.

It didn't have to be assembled, necessarily - it was also a pre-ban if packaged separately with a complete set of parts to build a pre-ban rifle.  How you'd prove that one, I've got no idea.

I think the legal section in the old ar15 site used to state the drop dead date and the serial numbers of manufacturers regarding their reciever's build date. Try to contact someone at ar15.com and see if they can e-mail you this info. By the way ... you were right.
p.s.  if busted YOU must prove the assembly date of a pre-ban gun, not the gov't.