Co-owning 80% tools

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Has there been anything clear cut or definitive in terms of guidance or ruling for co-owning/sharing/loaning 80% completion tools (jig/router, etc.)?

A few points to frame the discussion:
- This would be in a non-AWB state where all parties are non-PP, can own firearms legally, etc.
- There would be no assistance provided in terms of actually cutting/drilling/machining on the lower itself.

I seem to be finding inconsistent statements regarding "loaning" or "co-owning" 80% tools.
Basically, this is the scenario: two private citizens decide they want to complete some 80% lowers. They find a package online for all the stuff needed to complete them. They decided to divvy up the costs 50/50. One party takes the tools and completes his lower. Then the next party take his tools and completes his own lower, etc. At no point do they "assist" each other or have any involvement in the process other than having split the costs and taking turns making separate lowers.

Is this legally OK?

I've seen some companies that sell lowers/kits touting this as a "fun thing to do to save costs and bond." I've seen others state that even giving someone a hex key (if you know they're going to use it to make a lower) is illegal and constitutes helping them manufacture.

My gut tells me the ATF's original statements were to prevent people from renting out their shops and wallhacking the manufacturer license, and/or the simply "press a button on a CNC machine" method.
 
I would think intent and substance would be what any law enforcement agency would look at with great care. If two people are simply sharing the cost, and offering no further assistance, then I don't see how this is different from me buying wads and #9 magnum lead for shotshell reloading. There was a group of 8 or so and we bought in volume to get a bit of a discount (10-15%). When it arrived, we all met at the club we were all members of, put 1/8th of the stuff in each car, and drove to our respective houses and loaded away for a while. This was in FL though.

If you were posting ads on CL and opening your garage to the general public to build lowers, then I'm guessing a couple of guys in crisp black suits with badges would want to have a chat with you. However, IANAL.
 
I seem to be finding inconsistent statements regarding "loaning" or "co-owning" 80% tools.
Basically, this is the scenario: two private citizens decide they want to complete some 80% lowers. They find a package online for all the stuff needed to complete them. They decided to divvy up the costs 50/50. One party takes the tools and completes his lower. Then the next party take his tools and completes his own lower, etc. At no point do they "assist" each other or have any involvement in the process other than having split the costs and taking turns making separate lowers.

There's nothing wrong with that idea but the less you talk about your plans with 80% stuff in public, the better.

-Mike
 
keep selling the stuff back and forth and around and around, problem solved. Here is the bill of sale, he paid a dollar, I sold it back to him later for a dollar fifty
 
keep selling the stuff back and forth and around and around, problem solved. Here is the bill of sale, he paid a dollar, I sold it back to him later for a dollar fifty

That just reeks of something shady. Keep money out of it except for the purchase price.
 
it's best to
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IMHO if you were to be jacked up for passing tools back and forth, I think that qualifies as the lesser problem tacked onto a much bigger charge. Otherwise I can't see it ever being a problem and would be a real stretch anyway. IANAL, of course. And speaking of jacked up...

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I can't delete thread as far as I know or else I would; for the record wouldn't do bill of sale since to me that seems too formal and too much like an "association" (ATF term used in ruling on build parties).

If a mod wants to tactically nuke this thread, go for it.
 
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