I've been considering a 9mm Oly upper for my other lower, but if the price is right to build up a STEN it'll be another gun to add to the safe at probably half the cost.

With all the STEN kits flooding the market for under $30 or better. Any 'builders' out there doing receiver/build work with 16" barrels?

Ive thought about it. A license to manufacture firearms is necessary since the receiver tubes are unfinished and therefore un-numbered.
What does the license to manufacture cost?
Lebrew

This is almost ready for prime time, just waiting on ATF approval:

www.semiautosten.com

-Gloftoe

Thanks for the link! Thats what I was looking for.

lebrew - thats what I thought at first too, but due to the 80% AR lowers being sold and subsequently built into complete rifles - not sure if we'd need them numbered.

I know the .50 cal kit seller ran into problems selling unfinished kits, and those who built them into rifles needed to contact the ATF to register the firearm. If thats what it takes, maybe I'd consider it.

To me the hardest part would be comming up with a way to make it fire from the closed bolt position, not to mention you will have to buy the 16" barrel to with it. If you surpase those two problems you should be able to build one yourself.

What do you expect to be able to use from the kit?  The barrel is too short, the trigger is designed to catch the bolt, the bolt is fires from the open position.  Wouldn't it be easier to design a semi auto rifle that uses sten mags than redesign one that was meant to be a cheap, open bolt machinegun?

Catco did it using a MkII kit. While the STEN is a VERY simple design it is not simple to keep a build legal. The big problem is the open bolt design of the original STEN. Converting open bolt to closed bolt can be complicated and costly. Maybe they (the semiautosten folks) have figured a cheap and/or easy way to do it.

I'm not about to say that it's impossible. Just difficult. I hope it works!

The barrel length problem is solved by welding on a barrel extension to the original barrel. So your shooting through a 6" barrel with a 16" shroud. Catco used to sell a 16" custom made barrel but I can't find it on their site anymore.  

im hopin the GAYTF approves that sten kit quick. you shouldnt have registration problems if you build the receiver from less than 80% and DONT sell it ever.

There will be no need to be licensed to build a semiautosten for your own personal use... state and local laws may vary, be sure to check yours.  

Florida Ammo Traders is a licensed manufacturer of firearms (including allof that fun full auto stuff)... they will be distributor for the kits once ATF smiles on me.  They will also sell completed CNC cut receivers and completed carbines.  Please don't flood FAT with email just yet, he is sitting around waiting as I am.  If you want to be put on an email list to advise you when the kits start shipping just shoot an email to [email protected] or visit www.semiautosten.com periodically for project updates.

As far as conversion to semiauto, it is easy, and as someone pointed out creating a design that "isn't readily convertible" to full auto is the tough part.  As far as original kits usage you will be reusing the stock, trigger housing and all trigger mechanism parts, the magazine holder/ejector, the finger guard, cocking handle, recoil spring retainer cup, retaining ring and the bbl.  Sounds like pretty good use of the SMG parts kit to me...  The semiauto kit comes with trunions, bolt, striker, bbl extension.  Just enough US parts to keep it legal with 100% foreign made mags!  There is also an option for a one piece 19.25" bbl at addl cost.

This photo server will probably max out fast with the traffic on this site but heres a photo of the 19.25" bbl version.  It's actually fairly well balanced.  We have toyed with dozens of different versions, one bottom feed, one right feed, we have some with scope rails on top for red dot use, etc.  You name it and we probably made one...  Initially we will only offer the basic left feed, right eject version.

Quoted: Ive thought about it. A license to manufacture firearms is necessary since the receiver tubes are unfinished and therefore un-numbered. What does the license to manufacture cost? Lebrew

Not true you can manufacture firearms for yourself. No license is needed as long as your not selling them.

Quoted: I know the .50 cal kit seller ran into problems selling unfinished kits, and those who built them into rifles needed to contact the ATF to register the firearm. If thats what it takes, maybe I'd consider it.

...he ran into problems because the kits he was selling included receivers that ATF considered to be completed firearms as they were more than 80% completed in the opinion of the ATF technical gods...