Hey Guys,
I am new to the board, and have to admit, it is very adictive. I have been peicing together my AR for about a year now and getting very close. All I need is to get a gas break, a free float tube, and decide on a Stock.

I have a 20" HBAR SBBL 1/7. I also got a 5" FS off of EBay pretty cheap. I have been in the military (Army) for 21+ years and have no idea what the law is that is referenced in the forums about the MB/FS. Could anyone enlighten me? Everytime I have dealt with AR15's, or rather M16's, It has been in a military capacity. Can I mount my pretty cool 5" FS to my barrel?
Any advice is appreciated.

If your lower reciever is preban then the answer is yes, you can mount the flash hider. If you don't know if it is I'm sure someone else here can help as I don't know much about the manufacture dates. Good luck!

NO flash suppressors allowed on post ban rifles, only pre-ban lowers are allowed to have uppers w/ FS.

Post ban lowers/rifles are resctricted to MBs.

For serial number lists, check the homepage, lower left, "Legal Issues"

BTW and standard A2 or Vortex FS, should your rifle/lower qualify for one, would be a better choice than the XM177 type I'm assuming your refering to, (lighter too).

Mike

Thanks for the quick responces,
Would the fact that I am Active Duty Military, and planning to use this weapon in military shoots give me any leave way with this legal issue?

No.  Because you are purchasing it for personal use.

P.S. BTW that stock will have to a fixed variety because telescoping stocks are also forbidden on post-ban weapons.

(from http://www.atf.treas.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm)

The term "semiautomatic assault weapon" means - a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable
magazine and has at least 2 of --

(1) a folding or telescoping stock;
(2) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
(3) a bayonet mount;
(4) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
(5) a grenade launcher;

That means if it is a POSTBAN receiver with detachable magazine you can have only one of these features. If you have a pistol grip, you can't legally have a flash hider or threaded muzzle too, or you have an illegal "semiautomatic assault weapon". If you have a preban receiver you are good to go.


Also, if it is a postban, just by having the flash hider on same premesis as the rifle with a threaded barrel, there could be a violation according to [18 U. S. C. 921( a)( 30)] which states: "Semiautomatic assault weapons in knockdown (disassembled) condition consisting of a receiver and all parts needed to assemble a complete semiautomatic assault weapon are subject to regulation if the parts are segregated or packaged together and held by a person as the parts for the assembly of a particular firearm." This would be subject to interpretation by the BATF.

The fact that you are in the military makes no difference, unless you are specifically authorized by your Unit Commander to carry personally provided weapons. I know of few military units which allow this, except possibly Delta Force type units and special Military Police units. It could be a court martial offense for a soldier to carry an unauthorized personal weapon, and that's not even considering whether or not it is in banned configuration. Civilian LEOs who are active in a law enforcement agency can legally own a semiautomatic assult weapon, but must relinquish or modify it if they are no longer employed by the LE agency. Anyone please correct me if I have said something innaccurate, but I believe this to be the case.

It's none of my business what you do, I just would hate to see anyone get burned because of ignorance of the current complicated firearms laws and regs. Any of these offenses could result in a felony conviction, which would prevent an individual from ever legally owning or purchasing a firearm again. Something to think about for sure.

Don't forget to visit http://www.awbansunet.com , and contact your congressional representatives.

Thanks For all of the replays. Especially _DR.
Very well written for all of us "Lay" people to understand. I hope this thread will help clear up this issue for any new-comers like myself in the future.

Again Thanks,

Hopefully all this nonsense will go away in September of 2004!
Then we can all go out and buy,buy,buy before they pass another, more comprehensive ban.

Bump