FA-10 when change caliber?

[Chuck]

This part has been hashed out a bunch: If a buy an AR lower, the federal forms get filled out. But no FA-10 for "registration" till I mate it with an upper. I guess I do have a question here, do I just have to own the upper in order to register to or it, or does the weapon have to be ready to fire?

But the real question I had tonight, what if I change uppers, going to a different barrel length and/or even a different caliber?

Is another FA-10 required?

thanks,
-= chuck

 

[Scrivener]

No.

Would you file an FA-10 every time you bought a Contender barrel?

 

[bfm]

Would you file an FA-10 every time you bought a Contender barrel?

Maybe, I often get bored.

 

[vellnueve]

No need to file a new FA-10. That'll probably just confuse the scanner database thing.

 

[JonJ]

No need to file a new FA-10. That'll probably just confuse the scanner database thing.

Would that be a bad thing?

 

[Half Cocked]

This part has been hashed out a bunch: If a buy an AR lower, the federal forms get filled out. But no FA-10 for "registration" till I mate it with an upper. I guess I do have a question here, do I just have to own the upper in order to register to or it, or does the weapon have to be ready to fire?


I believe that a FA-10 gets filled out on the lower regardless of having a upper attached. There is no paperwork needed for an upper!! Uppers are not serialized.

 

[Chuck]

I believe that a FA-10 gets filled out on the lower regardless of having a upper attached. There is no paperwork needed for an upper!! Uppers are not serialized.

Not how I understand it. The FA-10 is the state form required for firearm. In MA a lower is not a firearm. Only when it is mated with an upper is it a firearm. The FA-10 form requires caliber and barrel length to be filled out. That's why I wonder if a mate a different upper on the lower in the future, changing both barrel length and caliber, would I have to re-register it.

The lower is a firearm according to the federal regs so that paperwork needs to be filled out.

-= chuck

 

[Half Cocked]

Chuck, just as an FYI, no rifle or shotgun is a firearm in Massachusetts. Whenever the term "firearm" is used in Ma Law it is referring to a handgun.

 

[vellnueve]

As a addendum to the above post, it is still required that an FA-10 be filed for rifles and shotguns. See MGL 140/128b

 

[Scrivener]

Chuck, just as an FYI, no rifle or shotgun is a firearm in Massachusetts. Whenever the term "firearm" is used in Ma Law it is referring to a handgun.

But the Federal definition is far broader, which is why even a bare receiver must be transferred by a dealer on a 4473.

Thus, what MA requires and the Feds require are different.

 

[Half Cocked]

Agreed, I was just addressing his reference to an AR being a "firearm" under Ma law.

Many get confused when reading Ma Law and seeing the term "firearm" and thinking it refers to rifles and shotguns as well.

 

[drgrant]

Scriv, while we're at it....

Let's posit this for a minute...

Guy buys an AR lower, from an FFL, who (in your estimation) likely
didn't have to file an FA-10, but did anyways....

Given that, will the owner still have to file an FA-10 when they build
it out into a rifle? I would guess the answer to this is "yes" because
the FFL's filing doesn't really represent it as a functioning gun, but the
builders, however, does. (because it lists caliber, bbl length, and maybe
the end-finish, if the builder applies a different one. )

-Mike

 

[vellnueve]

Well, I'd have to say yes just because the first FA10 didn't reference a firearm, rifle, or shotgun, just a gun part, and thus wasn't really reporting the acquisition of a firearm, rifle, shotgun as is requried by MGLs. The first FA10 would have been extraneous and would have had no standing.

 

[Scrivener]

The first FA-10 was a nullity, pointlessly filed by some misinformed, overly-obeisant FFL. It did not contain the necessary information and its filing served no intelligent purpose.

Once the lower becomes a functioning gun (completed lower and acquisition of a complete upper), an FA-10 must be filed.

 

[vellnueve]

The first FA-10 was a nullity, pointlessly filed by some misinformed, overly-obeisant FFL. It did not contain the necessary information and its filing served no intelligent purpose.

 

[kevin9]

The first FA-10 was a nullity, pointlessly filed by some misinformed, overly-obeisant FFL. It did not contain the necessary information and its filing served no intelligent purpose.

Once the lower becomes a functioning gun (completed lower and acquisition of a complete upper), an FA-10 must be filed.

Thanks Scrivener, I learned 2 new words today.

Obeisant: Ready to obey; reverent; deferential; also, servilely submissive.
servile: Abjectly submissive; slavish. Of or suitable to a slave or servant. Of or relating to servitude or forced labor.

 

[gws1063]

It did not contain the necessary information and its filing served no intelligent purpose.

As opposed to the ones filed containing the necessary information which still serve no intelligent purpose?

But seriously, folks, has the state ever done anything marginally useful based on data collected via FA-10?


-Gary

 

[FPrice]

But seriously, folks, has the state ever done anything marginally useful based on data collected via FA-10?

They probably gave employment to the otherwise unemployable.

 

[wheelgun]

The first FA-10 was a nullity, pointlessly filed by some misinformed, overly-obeisant FFL. It did not contain the necessary information and its filing served no intelligent purpose.

Once the lower becomes a functioning gun (completed lower and acquisition of a complete upper), an FA-10 must be filed.

So what happens when I start swapping uppers and lowers after filing my FA-10(s) ? For instance if I had two lowers, one 20" barrel upper, and one 16" barrel upper. The FA-10 is meaningless once I swap uppers.

And how many people actually file an FA-10 for the complete rifle after assembling it anyway? What if I store the rifle disassembled? Who can prove I EVER assembled it? The whole FA-10 concept in this regard just doesn't make sense.

Consider the Glock 27 - I can swap its .40 cal barrel with a 9mm or (?) 357Sig. Many people do that on a daily basis. Am I to file a new FA-10 daily?

 

[Scrivener]

So what happens when I start swapping uppers and lowers after filing my FA-10(s) ? For instance if I had two lowers, one 20" barrel upper, and one 16" barrel upper. The FA-10 is meaningless once I swap uppers.

And how many people actually file an FA-10 for the complete rifle after assembling it anyway? What if I store the rifle disassembled? Who can prove I EVER assembled it? The whole FA-10 concept in this regard just doesn't make sense.

Consider the Glock 27 - I can swap its .40 cal barrel with a 9mm or (?) 357Sig. Many people do that on a daily basis. Am I to file a new FA-10 daily?

Did you:

1. NOT read the thread (see Post #2);

2. Not GRASP what was written; or

3. Decide to ignore everything already written on this done-to-death subject just so you could post a rant?

 

[wheelgun]

Scriv, I did read the thread and I see what appears to be (forgive me for I am not worthy) a conflict between your two posts

Your first response (2nd post on page1):
"Would you file an FA-10 every time you bought a Contender barrel?"

Your other response (4th post on page 2):
"Once the lower becomes a functioning gun (completed lower and acquisition of a complete upper), an FA-10 must be filed."


That's what prompted my post here. Either I'm misinterpreting the context of these two posts or I'm just dumb.

How do I file an FA-10 when I routinely swap two uppers onto the same lower ? Just pick one barrel randomly and file with that info?

ETA: OK, I see now. Just file with the barrel of choice.

.

 

[Scrivener]

Scriv, I did read the thread and I see what appears to be (forgive me for I am not worthy) a conflict between your two posts

Your first response (2nd post on page1):
"Would you file an FA-10 every time you bought a Contender barrel?"

Your other response (4th post on page 2):
"Once the lower becomes a functioning gun (completed lower and acquisition of a complete upper), an FA-10 must be filed."


That's what prompted my post here. Either I'm misinterpreting the context of these two posts or I'm just dumb.

How do I file an FA-10 when I routinely swap two uppers onto the same lower ? Just pick one barrel randomly and file with that info?

ETA: OK, I see now. Just file with the barrel of choice.
.

Enlightenment!

It begins with the realization that the gun laws do not make much sense - other than to criminalize the honest citizens because it's easier than fighting real crime.