To what extent can you modify a machine gun? ?

Question

I was thinking about buying a machine gun legally and I want to know would it be legal to give it a different barrel or lower?

Answer 1

The reciever is tha serial numbered part of any weapon... thats the part that gets tracked by the BATF.

Just about any other part can be changed, replaced or modified.

Based on the way you asked this question about the only thing you cant do legally is modify a semi-auto receiver to full auto specs. In fact it's against the law to own the parts to do so without paying class 3 taxes on those parts.

There are some fine points in state laws (pre and post ban parts in the wrong combo) that can get you in trouble . Good question.

Answer 2

if u can find the part as long as u keep the part with the ID number on it

Answer 3

you absolutely can switch barrels and lowers, however the receiver (or upper receiver) or basically whatever part where the serial number is found, must be left alone.

in some cases, you can register a 'lightning link' where the small bit of metal is considered the machinegun, and it can be put into any AR-15 to make it full auto capable totally legally, as long as the AR-15 in question is present with the owner of the lightning link

You'd not be able to loan out an AR-15 containing the lighting link, or just the lightning link, any more than you'd be able to loan out an uzi or a M-60  

Answer 4

you can modify a machine gun to the extent than it becomes a coffee table.

There are a few exceptions in the US gun laws where a person can legally own a machine gun. Most people cannot qualify. One of the simplest, though, is for use in making a movie.

Since a semi auto is a modified machinegun- one which has been altered to not fire consecutive rounds without releasing the trigger each time- that's what you can get away with.

So many characteristics are used to classify a weapon as an assault rifle and make it illegal to own. To work these onto a gun that wasn't made with them is to invite a felony conviction on youeself.

Shop for a legal machine gun and when you find one, let us know. This will take a long time- time enough for you to go to the depository library and look up the most recent laws on gun ownership.

A funny aside: Back in the 1960's my highschool owned a .50 cal machinegun on a tripod. This was a public high school in California. I remember carrying it. We also had 178 M-1s, 24 M1-A1 carbines, 12 Remington match grade .22 boltaction rifles ,10 High Standard .22 semiautomatic pistols and an 81 mm mortar. Marksmanship was a sport.

Answer 5

Where are you going to buy one to modify?  In the USA?  You have to find one that was manufactured prior to 1986 and an owner willing to part with it.  You're looking at $10,000 to $20,000.  Are you willing to modify something that cost you that much?  Also, you have to pay the government $200 bucks just to own one and that's if you pass the background check.  After that the local Sheriff or Chief of Police has to give you a letter of recommendation in order to finalize the purchase.

So good luck with that.

H

Answer 6

As long as you do not change the markings on the receiver you can modify the gun any way you want, change barrel length, stock configuration, caliber, whatever.

Answer 7

Unless things have changed since last I talked to a C3 dealer, on an M16 type rifle anyway, the Lower Reciever is the registered Machine gun. How you set it up should make no difference.

This is how transferrable M4's came to be. The M4 model was unheard of back in May of 1986 when the moritorium on civilian machine gun production was enacted. Transferrable M4's are M4 uppers on pre-May 86 lowers.

Answer 8

many people buy M-16's and buy different uppers in other calibers so that can  have a 9mm sub-machine gun and an assault rifle with one NFA purchase. this is legal. the lower is usually the part of the gun that has the serial number, and therefore is the machine gun according to law. you would be unable to change that part, but everything else if fair game.