LaneC Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Talking to a friend about him having his M1A converted to an auto-sear ready rifle by a C3 dealer. After he gets this done, and without the registered auto-sear, is this an NFA weapon from that point forward? Or can it be sold like any other semi-auto M1A rifle? I told him it would be an NFA weapon, so, may have to eat crow here. Ha. Thanks. Did a search here, but didn't find that question addressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximized Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 In general, any modifications to fit a legitimate, registered drop in sear would not make the underlying weapon subject to the NFA. However, this very much depends on the details of the conversion. Can you share them? I've never heard of an autosear for an M1A (doesn't mean they don't exist). If done improperly, the base rifle could be ruled a post-sample MG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaneC Posted March 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Maximized, I don't have any details, as it's not my rifle and not my interest to do this. His C3 gunsmith told him he could convert his rifle to full auto. I told him that's been illegal since 1986. Only MG's registered prior to that date were legal to own. Conversions from semi-to-auto might be legal for PD's or Gov't outfits, but they fall under some other set of laws. He then told me it's a "registered drop-in sear" conversion for his M1A. Anyway, I told him that couldn't be sold a a regular Semi-Auto M1A any more. But, guess I'm wrong on that one. And like you not sure I am aware of an auto-sear conversion for that rifle. Thanks for your input. Now, how do I like my crow served? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sardo_67 Posted April 2, 2016 Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 Ummmmmm. No, just no. Any NEW machine guns or drop in Sears or conversion parts are illegal for non FFL people to own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cincylance Posted April 2, 2016 Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 Are you sure he's not talking about converting a M1 carbine to an M2 carbine? That's what immediately came to mind and there are M2 parts that are technically the registered part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaneC Posted April 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 I know what I was told, but not sure my friend does! haha. He definitely said M1A. Maybe his gunsmith told him wrong. Who knows? The whole conversation was strange to me, that's why I questioned it. I suggested for him to buy a transferable M16 and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted April 2, 2016 Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 If he gets an AR-15 he could buy a DIAS since there is no where to "drop in" an "AS" in an M1A.....totally different design. Or he could buy a registered M16 and drop in an auto sear in there too, but that would be kind of crazy, however it has been done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad40965 Posted April 5, 2016 Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 That would make it a Post 86 MG.....the same as drilling the dreaded third hole on an AR receiver. As Sardo_67 Said......ummmmm no......just no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FNP90 Posted April 5, 2016 Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 It may be one of the faux selectors that fill the void in the stocks. This is a relatively common accessory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike todd Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 STAY AWAY!! no paper DONT PLAY! unless you plan to give up firearms and want to start eating rice pudding with bubba your cell mate on sat val cooper at E+L has several M1A trigger groups (m14) with a registered auto sear installed and several extra loose registered sear's. not sure but some may be post samples, i didn't ask they don't require any receiver mods so don't effect the weapon unless installed. HOWEVER, considered a machine gun by itself (per atf tech exam) same as the carbine parts. its been years since ive seen them but i believe they used the firing pin tail as the trip mech and an altered safety as the selector. i know another individual that has a standard m-14 selector on a tab like the factory ear on the rec with a standard trip lever attached. the tab is numbered and registered. it slides in the factory selector hole in the stock . did it back in early 80's and i have installed several barrels for him so i know it works. it was on a devine texas gun first. changed to poly tech when they arrived , as they had forged receivers and were full auto and converted to semi for importation (another story and fact!) enough is enough don't know why anyone would want to put holes in the sky anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaneC Posted April 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 I think this has gotten off to the idea that someone is going to illegally create a machine gun. This is not the case at all. The person that is suggesting the conversion to the M1A owner is a licensed C3 guy who runs a legitimate business. Based on what I was told, the end result was unclear to me, but, there's lots of things about the NFA world I am ignorant of, to be sure. My main question was, what would category would the rifle be in AFTER any such modification for a so-called registered auto-sear. I feel sure that we all know such items (auto-sears) are NFA controlled and one better have all the paperwork to possess one. But, could the rifle (by itself) still be sold as any other semi-auto rifle or would it require some NFA papers to be sold? Or, would it require papers to even modify before hand such as SBR conversion? Personally, I refuse to enter into the NFA world because of all the sticky wickets such as this, as a "little" knowledge is dangerous. Besides, my pockets aren't that deep! ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XR Ordnance LLC Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 2 hours ago, LaneC said: But, could the rifle (by itself) still be sold as any other semi-auto rifle or would it require some NFA papers to be sold? Or, would it require papers to even modify before hand such as SBR conversion? Generally speaking, yes, it could still be sold as a Title 1 gun once the drop in sear is removed. That's the whole appeal of registered drop in sears, trigger packs, ect., it's not married to one specific gun and once your registered part is removed the host gun is no longer considered an MG. This can also be an issue if your host guns have short barrels, in this case many guys will, wisely, register their host guns as SBRs so there's no issues when the MG pack/sear is removed. That being said, what you have here could go either way, without having details on what "modifications" his C3 dealer had in mind it's hard to say. Not to oversimplify but look at it like this, either the modifications would be so minor they're a non issue or by doing the modifications they have created a post sample MG, there's really no middle ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike todd Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 the problem with the thread is the term " modification" with no explanation. of course you can do mod's with out changing the status. you can also do mod's and get in trouble. in the past atf tech has informed me any receiver mods to accept sears / trips/ discon etc. puts the weapon under the NFA. drop in means drop in NO ALTERATIONS to the rec. everywhere else to be determined on an individual exam.. just b4 the deadline in 86 i did form ones on 25 FAL auto sears. tech denied the registration after the fact. reason ," the receiver must be altered to accept the auto sear". i appealed and provided pic's of the early G series and later steyr guns , along with a copy of the "exempt serial # list i provided pic's clearly showing the drop in application. all paperwork was returned along with the form one's stamped in red "denied". shortly following i was visited by appointment and had to demonstrate the alterations, show sears etc for the other 60+ form ones which were approved after all the smoke cleared i first heard the term "married sear's" what a blessing that was as it kept a lot of transferable's that could have been made samples , due to the receiver's being modified to accept the registered parts. cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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