Multi Caliber Designated Lowers and The Law

[imschur]

I was reading this is one of the area's the government is looking at closely and considering clamping down on. They want a caliber specified.

We all know how far reaching an action in this area can be. Could put an end to caliber conversions, 22 kits multiple slides and barrels on handguns. It just goes to show once again how little these morons understand firearms they seek to regulate and eliminate.

Anyhow a few weeks ago when I was picking up my MA-TEN set I had to decide caliber on the spot while my dealer was on the phone with the CT dept of public safety getting my "Authorization Number".

[Matt.Cross]

Honestly, if I had to put up with that crap, I'd be VERY motivated to find a gun-friendly state. Maybe you love where you live and I understand that, but what they put you through to own a firearm is just frankly pathetic. How have we as american citizens let ourselves give up so much ground when it comes to our right to keep and bear arms?

[imschur]

The thing I worry about with stuff like this is will the BATFE just make decisions as they see fit. They are the ones looking into this Multi Cal stuff. The asses in my home state are just jumping on the band wagon

[Madhouse]

Yeah, this is a national issue, for sure.  The BATFE is a runaway train wreck, they need to be leashed in a big way.  But I fear it will not happen, there are far too many people who buy into the notion that groups like them are protecting us and as long as those groups can play on that sheep philosophy, they will.

[survivalshop]

Unfortunately the spec's on how a firearm receiver or the serial numbered part of the firearm is already in writing & is law & has to show Caliber .

Its not new, its already in writing on how its lay-ed out for identification & caliber specific is one of them .

I don't know why BATFE has turned a blind eye on it for so long , but they most probably will enforce it now that we have BO's gang in there.

I have one Mutical lower .

Background

Section 923(i) of the Gun Control Act

of 1968 (GCA), as amended (18 U.S.C.

Chapter 44), requires licensed importers

and licensed manufacturers to identify,

by means of a serial number, each

firearm imported or manufactured. The

serial number must be engraved, cast, or

stamped on the receiver or frame of the

weapon in such manner as the Secretary

of the Treasury prescribes by regulation.

With respect to certain firearms subject

to the National Firearms Act (e.g.,

machine guns), 26 U.S.C. 5842 requires

each manufacturer and importer and

anyone making a firearm to identify

each firearm by a serial number. The

serial number may not be readily

removed, obliterated, or altered. Section

5842 also requires the firearm to be

identified by the name of the

manufacturer, importer, or maker, and

such other identification as the

Secretary may prescribe by regulation.

Regulations that implement section

923(i) are set forth in 27 CFR 178.92. In

general, this section requires each

licensed manufacturer or licensed

importer of firearms to legibly identify

each firearm by engraving, casting,

stamping (impressing), or otherwise

conspicuously placing on the frame or

receiver an individual serial number.

The serial number must be placed in a

manner not susceptible of being readily

obliterated, altered, or removed.

Section 178.92 also requires licensed

importers and manufacturers to

conspicuously place the following

identification markings on the frame,

receiver, or barrel of each firearm

imported or manufactured in a manner

not susceptible of being readily

obliterated, altered, or removed:

1. The model, if such designation has

been made;

2. The caliber or gauge;

3. The name (or recognized

abbreviation of same) of the

manufacturer and also, when

applicable, of the importer;

4. In the case of a domestically made

firearm, the city and State (or

recognized abbreviation thereof) where

the licensed manufacturer maintains its

place of business; and

[6132expert]

Unfortunately the spec's on how a firearm receiver or the serial numbered part of the firearm is already in writing & is law & has to show Caliber .

Its not new, its already in writing on how its lay-ed out for identification & caliber specific is one of them .

I don't know why BATFE has turned a blind eye on it for so long , but they most probably will enforce it now that we have BO's gang in there.

I have one Mutical lower .

Background

Section 923(i) of the Gun Control Act

of 1968 (GCA), as amended (18 U.S.C.

Chapter 44), requires licensed importers

and licensed manufacturers to identify,

by means of a serial number, each

firearm imported or manufactured. The

serial number must be engraved, cast, or

stamped on the receiver or frame of the

weapon in such manner as the Secretary

of the Treasury prescribes by regulation.

With respect to certain firearms subject

to the National Firearms Act (e.g.,

machine guns), 26 U.S.C. 5842 requires

each manufacturer and importer and

anyone making a firearm to identify

each firearm by a serial number. The

serial number may not be readily

removed, obliterated, or altered. Section

5842 also requires the firearm to be

identified by the name of the

manufacturer, importer, or maker, and

such other identification as the

Secretary may prescribe by regulation.

Regulations that implement section

923(i) are set forth in 27 CFR 178.92. In

general, this section requires each

licensed manufacturer or licensed

importer of firearms to legibly identify

each firearm by engraving, casting,

stamping (impressing), or otherwise

conspicuously placing on the frame or

receiver an individual serial number.

The serial number must be placed in a

manner not susceptible of being readily

obliterated, altered, or removed.

Section 178.92 also requires licensed

importers and manufacturers to

conspicuously  place the following

identification markings on the frame,

receiver, or barrel of each firearm imported or manufactured in a manner

not susceptible of being readily

obliterated, altered, or removed:

1. The model, if such designation has

been made;

2. The caliber or gauge;

3. The name (or recognized

abbreviation of same) of the

manufacturer and also, when

applicable, of the importer;

4. In the case of a domestically made

firearm, the city and State (or

recognized abbreviation thereof) where

the licensed manufacturer maintains its

place of business; and

So a mulit cal lower would be ok, or anything else as long as the cal is on the frame or the barrel

[hobbesgunner]

We used have multi cal. registrations for TC Contender, Encore handguns.Several yrs.back they informed us we had to register every barrel we owned or it would be considered an unregistered handgun if it was attached to frame and you'd be subject to arrest and prosecution ....There was a period of almost a year that you couldn't buy a TC in NY state because no one would ship them here....That started when they went to a ballistic fingerprint program.All new handguns needed a spent shell shipped with firearm to be sent off to a data center when purchased ...last I knew this multi million $$ fiasco hasn't helped to solve a single crime....couple other states have had this and dropped it as a waste of time and money..not here..rule is, if you keep throwing $$$$ and manpower at a problem it will get better.....even if it's an imaginary one..

[survivalshop]

So a mulit cal lower would be ok, or anything else as long as the cal is on the frame or the barrel

Yes & no . It all depends on where they designate where the information is supposed to be . On some of the .22 LR rifles , all the info is on the bbl. ,but the AR's because of the ability to quickly change the barrel ,it may not be on the barrel but on the receiver .

It may be what is considered the FFL transferable component.

[SWshooter]

I've never seen a bolt action rifle with the caliber on the receiver, it's always on the barrel. ditto for lever actions.

[6132expert]

Well I just got 2 Multi cal lowers and I hope its not going to be a problem. I dont know but I really dont think it will here in GA we are simple southern folks. I dont even have to register a handgun or any gun for that matter. We have no private sales laws heck guys set up at the flea market and sale hand guns,shot guns,rifles( ARs and SK/AKs) to just whoever.

I feel for you guys with the strict laws.

[survivalshop]

I've never seen a bolt action rifle with the caliber on the receiver, it's always on the barrel. ditto for lever actions.

Yes ,but where is the serial # on those type rifles ? How easy is it to change a bbl. on those type of rifles ? There is a lot of fitting to replace a bbl. on those type rifles. I think we all know it makes no sense.

I'm not backing up the BATFE , its just how & where they require that info on what type of firearm .

We all know they are pricks  & they pretty much do what ever suits them at the time or who's in office telling them what to do .

Facts of life working around Government agency's.

[Madhouse]

So is the issue also with mating a non-matching upper to the lower.  There must be millions of 6.8 uppers that have been put on 5.56 lowers.  And think of the millions of .22lr conversions.

<dontknow>

[survivalshop]

Yep , just makes you wonder ,how they will deal with it . From experience ,I can tell you we won't like it .

[Matt.Cross]

They won't like it either, having to determine what kind of chambering a weapon has in order to deem it incorrectly marked, will turn out to be a logistical nightmare. I wish them luck implementing it.

[308reloaded]

I am sometimes mentally  challenged , could someone please tell me if this means my 3 multi cal lower receivers are no good?  my spikes tactical lower/upper complete weapon that keeps me warm and safe at night is no good anymore. 

AND... Does this mean that the companies that sold us those multi cal lowers were breaking the law / ignorance is no excuse.

will  I Have to decomission these terrible things and buy new with Cal. laser etched on them

my barrels do say 5.56  1-9 twist 

Can  we have the cal. laser etched on them?

[Madhouse]

308 - I think it's too early to know if any of those questions can be answered definitively

[98Z5V]

You're fine.

Some states already require it - like CT where Drew lives.  If you were in a state that required it already, you wouldn't have been able to pick yours up from the FFL with it marked "Multi."

The law hasn't changed, it's not the law yet, but they're trying.  At the point that they pass it, they can't go back and say "You have to get rid of that."  It'll be another national law made up by idiots, and there will be a whole lot of Multi Cal lowers out there (the ones out there now) that will be "pre-ban" items on a list.  Manufacturers of these have the serial number range of everything they manufactured by what date, so you'd be safe down the road. 

Making stupid laws like this just makes it a pain in the ass for those of us that build these "adaptable" things and still want them adaptable...  My $0.02...  <dontknow>

[308reloaded]

but::  the ATF is known for doing stupid things, so this could be just another law that will be used against gun owners.

could the white house do something like this with presidential order?

worst case for me is I no longer buy multi cal lowers, as everything I build is in NATO caliber anyway.any  The multi cal receivers I already have can be replaced easy enough .

if this type of law is enforced, it will be just to harass legal gun owners as I cant see how it should be useful and serve a real purpose.  what real good does it do for something like this to be enforced, other than control the masses.  I wonder how many LEO weapons are marked Multi-Cal.  I am betting more than just a few.

the whole idea of this type of law just gets me mad,

[98Z5V]

Multi Cal lowers are already marked appropriately, i.e. Cal: Multi.  The law requires caliber to be marked, and it is - as Multiple Caliber. 

The law won't change - caliber will still have to be marked, just as it is required now.  The law might have to be clarified, as in "Caliber must be specifically marked, and 'Multiple' isn't specific enough..." or something along those lines.

The BATFE's job is the clarification.  No law needs passed to change the Cal: Multi markings, but the current law needs to be specifically clarified in regards to caliber markings in order to enforce such a change.  They still won't be able to take away something in the future that you can legally own right now.  Right now, it's 100% legal to own such a firearm.

Example:  You can currently legally own a Pre-Ban rifle in almost all states now, as long as you're complying with the federal/state/local laws of such a Pre-Ban rifle.

Again, just my humble opinion, but I don't see it going any other way.