I was having a discussion with my father in law the other day about AR15's and their equivalents (basically any nice EBR). If this has been posted before, then please feel free to point me to the correct thread and lock this one. But I am confused by what I see online on this subject (lots of contradictory information).
This question applies at the federal level only:
Obviously, it is illegal to have any full-auto weapon manufactured post 1986 (and only prior to that if you have the correct paperwork). The confusion arises because I can't seem to find any "safe" definition of what constitutes a "full-auto" weapon in the minds of the BATF (other than the obvious definition). Some web-sites say that the weapon is only "full auto" if it can fire more than one shot per trigger pull (the obvious definition). While others say a semi-auto with ANY full-auto parts is classified as "full-auto" - even though it can only fire one shot per trigger pull (in which case an old M16 with a semi-auto sear would be illegal). Even more confusing is that some sites go as far as saying a weapon modified from the factory will any full-auto parts is illegal, but if it came from the factory like that then it's fine (e.g. all full-auto parts except one).
See why I'm confused? Seems like an abstract legal minefield (maybe that's the intention).
This question applies at the federal level only:
Obviously, it is illegal to have any full-auto weapon manufactured post 1986 (and only prior to that if you have the correct paperwork). The confusion arises because I can't seem to find any "safe" definition of what constitutes a "full-auto" weapon in the minds of the BATF (other than the obvious definition). Some web-sites say that the weapon is only "full auto" if it can fire more than one shot per trigger pull (the obvious definition). While others say a semi-auto with ANY full-auto parts is classified as "full-auto" - even though it can only fire one shot per trigger pull (in which case an old M16 with a semi-auto sear would be illegal). Even more confusing is that some sites go as far as saying a weapon modified from the factory will any full-auto parts is illegal, but if it came from the factory like that then it's fine (e.g. all full-auto parts except one).
See why I'm confused? Seems like an abstract legal minefield (maybe that's the intention).