Hi - Was wondering if someone could clear up something for me that is probobly very obvious but I just do not understand it since I just became interested in the AR-15.

According to the law, I am not allowed to own a SAW that meets the following criteria, right?:

Any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as;
Norinco, Mitchell, Poly Technologies, Avtomat Kalashinikovs.
Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI, Galil.
Beretta Ar70 (SC-70).
Colt AR-15
Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, FNC.
SWD M-10, M-11, M-11-9, M-12.
Steyr AUG.
Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22.
Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.

and

Any semiautomatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of the following features:
a folding or telescoping stock.
a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
a bayonet mount.
a flash suppressor or a threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor.
a grenade launcher.

If the AR-15 accepts a detachable magazine, doesn't that make it illegal regardless if it has less than 2 of the "following features?"

Thanks a lot!

That's why Colt doesn't call their rifles AR15 anymore and their rifles are now designated things like MT6601,MT6400C,MT6700,MT6731 etc.

Many people call them AR15s but technically there hasn't been an AR15 made since before the AWB, if you are talking about what is stamped on the receiver.

But the second list has nothing to do with the first. The first list is those specific rifles that are banned by NAME. These can no longer be manufactured (in reality most domestic manufacturers simply changed their nomenclature, and modified the rifles to comply with the AWB configuration rules).

What the second list is saying is that if a semiautomatic rifle has a detachable magazine, it can only have ONE of the features listed, if it has two or more it is an illegal "semiautomatic assault weapon".

That's why most post-ban AR15 clones have only the pistol grip.

Now you can see why prebans are much sought after, they are grandfathered and can have all the features and still be legal.

You can also see why this is such a silly law, written by people who are afraid of the APPEARANCE alone of a rifle without any understanding of what makes it an effective weapon. Lets be thankful they didn't understand or we might all be talking about bolt action rifles now.

Now I see.  Thanks a lot!
So it is perfectly legal to have a bayonet mount as long as the SAW has none of the other "following features", right?

Yep. Best yet, duct tape the bayonet onto the rifle so you can keep the pistol grip. Remember, its not the big ass knife that illegal, its the lug.

Thanks again.
One other thing - If I happen to see an AR with a bayonet mount (and I never did), is it safe to say that that SAW is used by someone in the military?  Or might it be illegal?

LOL!

G23c

An AR-15 rifle manufactured on or before 9/13/94 can [b]legally[/b] have a bayonet lug (or the other "evil" features) and be owned by a civilian.

Right, right.  Got it.

Thanks a lot guys!