I was thinking some more about that recent ATF airsoft seizure and came up with the following…

For your information, per provisions of the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, an unlicensed individual may make a “firearm” as defined in the GCA for his own personal use, but not for sale or distribution.

The GCA, 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3), defines the term “firearm” to include the following:

… (A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may be readily converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive: (B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon; (C) any firearm muffler or silencer; or (D) any destructive device. Such term does not include an antique firearm.

Source – ATF.gov

Another paragraph of interest…

Individuals manufacturing sporting-type firearms for their own use need not hold Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs). However, we suggest that the manufacturer at least identify the firearm with a serial number as a safeguard in the event that the firearm is lost or stolen. Also, the firearm should be identified as required in 27 CFR 478.92 if it is sold or otherwise lawfully transferred in the future.

Source – ATF.gov

So… According to the ATF’s citations of the Gun Control Act and U.S. Code, you can make your own firearm and you do not need a FFL.

The ATF does not specify what material you have to use, and it does not put any restriction on making a firearm out of an object that previously had another use.  Hell, if you wanted to make a firearm out of a toaster, from what I understand you definitely could.

By that rationale, if you buy an airsoft gun that “Needs Machining” to complete its transformation to fit an AR-15 lower parts kit, is it not only considered a firearm once you complete it?

If you cannot drop a lower parts kit in those airsoft receivers without any machining then I think that is a VERY good argument that they are not firearms, and should never have been confiscated.

Looks like that might actually work!  If I had a Wii i’d definitely try it.

Source AR15.com – HERE

Hat Tip: SayUncle

Ever since the military and law enforcement started using m16’s and m4’s produced by Colt, the company developed an elitist status because they chose largely to turn their nose up at civilian market.

Now they seem to want a piece of the market, with the new AR6720.

The fact the pricing for the Colt 6720 is being based on serial number just goes to show that you can’t shake old habits. I don’t know if the tiered pricing was decided by Colt or by Clyde Armory (the exclusive retailer of the 6720).  The serial number in itself obviously only has extrinsic value… meaning no one really cares what it is, unless you can find someone pretentious enough that “NEEDS” a certain serial number that you possess.  Unless of course for this model, Colt doesn’t clean or calibrate their machines after the first parts are made.  I guess that would make the later ones less valuable? heheh

Here is how the pricing goes…

• The least expensive guns are serial # 400 and up – $1200
• Most expensive serial # 11 – $3000

#1 – #10 are apparently “spoken for”

I’ll admit $1200 isn’t TOO terrible…  like Solomon at SNAFU! mentioned though, it is still quite a bit higher than similar offerings from Bushmaster, Rock River Arms, Armalite etc…

I don’t ever like telling people what to do with their money, but in my opinion if you even pay $50 more for a #300 to #399 serial you’re making a big mistake. No matter what, you are better off buying a different brand name AR-15 such as the ones mentioned above, and spending the left over money on ammo or a red dot optic.

Clyde Armory for purchase info on the guns – HERE

I didn’t report on this story when it first surfaced because I thought it was stupid, and would go away quickly.  But It didn’t.

TACOMA, Wash. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipment of 30 machine guns that arrived in an ocean container at the Tacoma Seaport last October.

Officials say the shipment of M-4 automatic rifles, manifested only as “Toys and Parts,” was valued at nearly $10,000 and was shipped from a manufacturer in Taiwan.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms found that the rifles were tooled to shoot plastic balls, but replacement of internal components with original machine gun components would render the rifles capable of firing live ammunition.

“These rifles could have had far-reaching and potentially devastating ramifications if they had gotten into the hands of individuals who wanted to do harm in the American population,” said Customs and Border Protection Area Port Director, Rolando Suliveras, Jr. “This was a good interception by our officers.”

The guns will be destroyed.

Source – King5 News

Here is a news story on the incident:

Special agent Kelven Crenshaw has a bit of trouble with the magazine at 1:18   I guess they only teach the operation of the m4 platform in “extra” special agent school.

Interesting info from the company who got their guns seized, AirsoftOutletNW:

Now we at Airsoft Outlet Northwest, being the rational individuals we are, went out and had a gunsmith check the true compatibility of these replicas and found the following information:

• The WE TTI M4’s lack any sort of functional gas tube which is integral to an AR15’s operation
• The upper receiver of an AR15 fits onto the lower of the WE TTI M4
• The stock trigger pack in the WE TTI cannot strike the firing pin of a AR15 bolt
• The body of the WE TTI lower is several mils thinner than an AR15 lower, and shims would be needed for any AR trigger pack to work
• The trigger pack of an AR15 appears to be able to fit onto the lower receiver of a WE TTI M4, one of the AR15 trigger pack retaining pins is impossible to insert without major modification, and the hammer isn’t operable with the WE TTI lower.

The full article, Airsoft: An Industry Without Standard, is actually a really good read if you have the time, regardless of whether or not you are into airsoft.

The only real issue I would say may exist, is if you could put a REAL upper on an airsoft lowers and have it fire, either fully automatic or semi automatic.  The lower receiver of a M4/M-16/AR-15 is not subjected to any extreme pressures when a round is fired, so as long as the material the airsoft replica was made out of is semi rigid, it would likely hold up for a while at least.  That said, I highly doubt that any of the airsoft lowers would be able to accept a REAL upper, and fire without any modification.  Although the whole airsoft industry thrives on authenticity, it is not in their best interest to get attention like this, which is why I doubt the parts are exactly 1:1 interchangeable.

Basically, if the ATF claims these airsoft guns can be easily converted into real guns, they should just demonstrate the conversion, and put a couple of magazines through it.  There needs to be some accountability and burden of proof placed on these government organizations.

For generations, rifle models first used by soldiers have become profitable sellers in the domestic market. The 1903 bolt-action Springfield adopted by the U.S. Army in World War I begat the wooden-stock rifle carried by generations of deer hunters. The higher-capacity Garand issued to troops in World War II also spawned versions used to hunt big game.

Full Article at BusinessWeek – HERE

Hat Tip: SnowflakesInHell

It’s always good to see the AR-15 get some coverage that isn’t negative!

Hopefully if we keep on top of them, they will take due diligence seriously and start getting their facts and terminology correct on a regular basis.

I’m always down for some pro gun material in cartoons:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1198792/

I’m sure Magnum Research sells a lot of Desert Eagles in general, and probably even a lot of this model (TG-TS Titanium Gold Tiger Stripes):

The Desert Eagle just doesn’t do it for me.  It’s bulky, incredibly heavy, and very expensive.  Yea you can get it in the big boy .50AE caliber, but I don’t really see the purpose of that either.  You are supposed to be using your handgun as a first method of defense, or as they say to “get to your rifle”.  I know it’s a good gun, but I just think that there are better options for most applications.

I saw this the other day on the internet and I thought, what a perfect companion for owners of a tiger striped desert eagle:

Yea it’s just a photoshop… but really, “if you build it they will come” I think definitely holds true again in this case.

You can check out the Desert Eagles over at Magnum Research – HERE

Being a Minnesota company as well, I definitely support Magnum Research and would like a few of their other guns.  That new .380 Micro Desert eagle is intriguing, and they have some nice looking rifles based off the Remington 700 platform which I am definitely interested in.

The artistic photographic series you never wanted to see:

“Yes, I was told that the gun had to match the mixer.”

valheru21 off AR15.com built the above AR-15 for his wife.  Apparently the color is “lavender” not purple.

If that’s what it takes for some girls to enjoy shooting, it’s a small price to pay!

Source – HERE

If life gives you no money for a rail mounted laser:

Improvise!

Is this an actual donkey? Or a donkey edition cornershot?

*shrug* They made a cat one so who knows

One can never be too careful…

A military themed Rihanna video where she is in skimpy clothing, shooting guns, playing in the mud, standing on tanks etc…

Seriously what’s not to like?

For those that like rap I recommend her album. There are a ton of good songs on it.

For $8 with free shipping you can’t go wrong.

From AR15.com user ObsoleteMan:

It started with some inspiration from the video game “Army Of Two”.
The main characters use weapons equipped with shields.
I thought these gun-shields were an innovative, if not entirely practical, idea.

The functional components: A railed AR, Havoc 37mm Flare Launcher, Beta C-Mag

Extra components: Molded plastic grip with horizontal & vertical gripping points.

Read the rest of this entry »

Of Eugene Stoner Guns…

Awesome video from AmericanRifleman.org

Hat Tip: ShoulderThing

What you are looking at is a weapon platform that can shoot around corners with the aid of a hinged receiver, video camera, and monitor.  This particular model is fitted with a stuffed cat in order to disguise it as a weapon.

Check out the YouTube video:

AR-15 pistol, 40mm grenade launcher, and Glock corner shots are also available.

I’m not saying the CornerShot isn’t cool.. because it definitely is.  It wouldn’t have much utility for the recreational shooter, and judging by the price tag ($7000 – $7500 according to an article on their site) I doubt there are too many out there that would buy one for fun.

CornerShot website – HERE

Hat Tip: Theo Spark

Glock with suppressor

Read the rest of this entry »

The Kid From A Christmas story… seriously, how could you not find him creepy?  He looks like a serial killer.

Here is a picture of him opening up his Red Ryder BB gun:

In the uncut version he gets an AR-15:

With an ACOG, and a quadrail too! wow…

Hat Tip: SayUncle

I don’t like how it doesn’t appear to be as customizable as the AR-15.  The entire lower is molded, so you can forget about changing out the grip or trigger guard.  The stock can be changed, but it appears complicated, which will no doubt add to the cost of any aftermarket versions that will come out.

Looks like with this gun you can forget the days of buying a stripped upper, lower, barrel, parts kit etc.. and assembling your own.

I still am not quite sold on the whole piston driven system either.

Check out TheFirearmBlog for the whole set.

Lower receivers CNC machined from certified 7075 aluminum forgings and anodized per Mil-A-8625. Lower receivers are marked with “multi-use” for use of different calibers.

I had never heard of SI Defense until now.  I’m sure after this deal they will be a lot more well known, especially if the lowers are quality.

$500 for a custom logo though? LOL that seems a touch excessive!

$10 extra for clear anodizing, or $40 for colors is definitely reasonable though.

Too bad I already have more lowers than uppers   I’m sure they will have enough orders to keep them busy, without one from me.

SI Defense Webpage – HERE

Hat Tip: SayUncle