Semi-auto MG42 legal in MA?

[calsdad]

All this conversation that seems to point towards it being legal yet no bids. Hmm. Technically the onus would be on the FFL for selling it to you, would it not...?

It seems like the real sticking point in the legality of this would be the flash hider (or is it a "booster") combined with the pistol grip. One or the other is ok - but not both together.

That is why I was curious if this was covered under some sort of C&R provisions. The receiver is new manufacture - which probably rules out the C&R angle - but the rest of the components are old from all I have been able to read up on these.

Also the "booster" appears to be the device just before the cone at the end of the barrel that has holes around it's circumference. I have seen the cone referred to as a flash hider - although I have also seen a few videos of these on Youtube -and they still have a pretty prominent flash when firing. So if it's a flash hider - it isn't hiding much.

I have seen kits for building these and a few completed one's for sale over the last year or so. I have somewhat of an interest in getting one - but I wanted to try and figure out if it was MA compliant. I haven't seen any dealers in MA selling anything like this - I bet a dealer from outside MA probably isn't going to care much about MA regulations - since this will have to get shipped to an FFL inside MA.

 

[JuergenG]

"It seems like the real sticking point in the legality of this would be the flash hider (or is it a "booster") "

It IS a recoil booster.
Reference: HDv (Army Manual) 245/11
The same is described in the actual Bundeswehr Manual ZDv 3/14
(see link) "Das Maschinengewehr" (MG3), which is the successor
of the MG42.
It always describes the part as "Rückstossverstärker" = recoil booster
http://www.rk139doebeln.de/Neu/downloads/ZDv/ZDv 3_014.pdf

 

[securityboy]

All this conversation that seems to point towards it being legal yet no bids. Hmm. Technically the onus would be on the FFL for selling it to you, would it not...?

There are no bids because it is over priced, not due to its legality...

 

[jdubois]

Technically the onus would be on the FFL for selling it to you, would it not...?

Yes, the FFL would be responsible if they sold you a gun you could not legally own. However, in AWB situations, you would also be responsible for possessing the gun illegally, and you would get a much worse spanking than the FFL would.

 

[WillyJP]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I am really thinking about picking one of these up.

To recap: This firearms is not considered an AW because 1) the belt feed system is not considered a detachable magazine 2) the booster is not a) considered a flash suppressor b) screws onto the receiver and not the barrel. So this only has one evil feature (the pistol grip)?

 

[calsdad]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I am really thinking about picking one of these up.

To recap: This firearms is not considered an AW because 1) the belt feed system is not considered a detachable magazine 2) the booster is not a) considered a flash suppressor b) screws onto the receiver and not the barrel. So this only has one evil feature (the pistol grip)?

I talked with a dealer up at the Manchester gun show a couple of weeks ago who had an MG42 in display in his area. He said he has sold a few of them to MA residents and they were considered legal. The only piece of the puzzle I wasn't sure was legal was the "booster" and whether that was considered a flash hider or not. If it threads onto the receiver and not the barrel - I believe you are correct: it is not a problem.

Where are you thinking of getting one of these from?

 

[WillyJP]

I talked with a dealer up at the Manchester gun show a couple of weeks ago who had an MG42 in display in his area. He said he has sold a few of them to MA residents and they were considered legal. The only piece of the puzzle I wasn't sure was legal was the "booster" and whether that was considered a flash hider or not. If it threads onto the receiver and not the barrel - I believe you are correct: it is not a problem.

Where are you thinking of getting one of these from?

Either build using one of the BRP receivers and a parts kit (which would be a very ambitious project) or pick one of the Century clones up. I'm a bit wary of anything that comes from Century but at least would have some sort of warranty. BRP puts out a nice product but very $.