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Polymer80 and Serialization

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3.8K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  ihatemoney  
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#1 · (Edited)
I was recently picking up some ammo from Eastern Outfitters when an employee working in the firearms and ammo section told me you cannot complete more than ONE (1) 80% build (we were specifically talking about Polymer80s) without serializing them. Now I'm not at all inclined to believe this person based on previous encounters (and frankly, this encounter was no better) but I'm curious if anyone has heard anything regarding this.

From all my research I can't find anything that confirms this as true but there's nothing that inherently states it as false either. Most of the information I've found states in NC you do not need to serialize a class 1 firearm that is built at home and intended for personal use and not to be sold. I also have no intention of carrying one as I have serialized firearms for that purpose. I know nothing here should be considered legal advice but I'm curious if anyone knows anything about this.

Thanks in advanced. :)
 
#3 · (Edited)
You can build as many as you want, no SN required. The problem comes if you decide to get rid of them. The ATF suggests you serialize it before selling it. They also would look at you kind of funny ( manufacturing without a license) if you make a habit of selling guns you make.

https://www.uslawshield.com/ghost-guns-northcarolina/
 
#7 ·
It is not really any different than buying a used gun. You inspect it before you buy and If you can shoot it first. I carry and compete with my own builds. I have the same if not more confidence is my own creations than I do with factory stuff.
 
#9 ·
There's no law against making non NFA firearms at home. Shoot, you can make NFA items at home as long as you Form 1 it and it isn't considered an MG/Select fire. I'm not a lawyer, and with the way this state's politics are there might very well be a law coming in the future. Every state is different. Seems kind of stupid really. Anyone with two pipes and a nail can make a slam-fire, and a competent machinist with a mill and lathe can make just about anything you can dream up... provided you have the coin.

I agree that buying 80%s are a bit of a gamble... unless you know the person and know their competence with firearms assembly I wouldn't buy one. It isn't the factory-bought components, but their cutting of the receiver/frame. Once its gone you can't really put it back, especially on a polymer frame!
 
#10 ·
I have been doing my own machining on firearms since I got access to a mill and lathe back in '01 ... 20 years, now. From that experience, I would say that it is much more risky to buy rifle that was re-barreled buy an novice than it would be to buy an 80% receiver that was completed by a novice. The reality is that all of the 80% receivers I have seen (1911, AR, and Glock) are pretty hard to make work if you screw them up too much. Also, none of them actually contain the explosive forces of the cartridge, across the board, that is handled by the slide or upper receiver.

To the OP's question: remember, as of today, the government doesn't need to tell you something is OK to do, all they do in our system is tell you what you can't do. So, look very carefully for prohibitions, but don't waste your time looking for permission in the statutes ... it just isn't supposed to be there.

CC
 
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#12 ·
cookiecutter said:
I have been doing my own machining on firearms since I got access to a mill and lathe back in '01 ... 20 years, now. From that experience, I would say that it is much more risky to buy rifle that was re-barreled buy an novice than it would be to buy an 80% receiver that was completed by a novice. The reality is that all of the 80% receivers I have seen (1911, AR, and Glock) are pretty hard to make work if you screw them up too much. Also, none of them actually contain the explosive forces of the cartridge, across the board, that is handled by the slide or upper receiver.

To the OP's question: remember, as of today, the government doesn't need to tell you something is OK to do, all they do in our system is tell you what you can't do. So, look very carefully for prohibitions, but don't waste your time looking for permission in the statutes ... it just isn't supposed to be there.

CC
Click to expand...
Agree with you on the re-barrelling. I would personally find it more difficult to tell if it was a poor job versus a receiver since barrels aren't something I think most people pay an insane amount of attention to. Aside from any obvious gnarls or gashes in the rifling I would likely think to myself "it looks good."

As for the second half I definitely needed this reminder. It's easy to mentally trap yourself in the mindset that you explicitly need permission. Thanks!
 
#18 ·
That brings up one of the hardest parts of this hobby... educating the next generation and passing along the heritage! If your kids don't know about weird stuff like this... thats how grandma takes an STG-44 to a police buyback or sells it to a pawnshop for $100. There are so many horror stories of these beautiful museum pieces falling into the hands of a hapless person or very bitter widow...

When lefties turn in an 870 or ratty old 22 its unfortunate. When they throw treasures onto a tag sale blanket at least someone who appreciates it will get it. But when they panic and call the police it just grinds my gears! They have no idea what to do with it if the weapon wasn't involved with a crime... it just gets sent to a smelter somewhere after sitting in the evidence locker for a few years.
 
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