More ATF abuses, this time in TN

[mfree]

This is ongoing, so I'll just link: http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2006/03/24/scoot_update_-_2/

[TarpleyG]

We are frogs in a pot of water and the heat is slowly coming up.  I am starting to break a sweat now...how 'bout ya'll?

Greg

[Kharn]

He's now accused of being a convicted felon that manufactured 0%/80% recievers into functional rifles. Not a good sign.

I've actually run into this kind of thing a few years ago when I was more into building 0%/80% receivers, some guy (Rahimiv/Rahimiii, something like that? he used a couple similar screeen names, including on THR) kept wanting to know how to convert his 7mm Rem Mag to .308 at home. Every time we replied "trade it, its not worth it", he insisted it had to be possible and would go to any lengths to do it.  Finally, I flat out asked if he was unable to purchase firearms from an FFL on the 0% board we frequented and he went off on THR, asking if it was socially acceptable for one gun owner to ask another gun owner that question.

Well, his thread didnt seem to help him much: He was apparently picked up by the FBI for something a couple months after Sept 11, with the gossip being it had to do with his faith (Muslim) and his firearms. He never did get that 7mm converted to .308.

Quite frankly, whenever I talk to people that're into 0%/80% firearms, if they do not own any FFL-bought firearms, I'm pretty cautious about my association with them.

Kharn

[mfree]

Nobody who was spreading the word knew about the felony aspect until well after the furor had risen to fever pitch. For that, I'm sorry.

[Spec ops Grunt]

Whats a 0%/80% firearm?

[brimic]

From the disjointed blog ramblings all I could get about the story was that a guy with felony conviction has been arrested for possession of firearms. Its nothing that I'm going to lose sleep over.

[Gewehr98]

Yeah, unfortunately this tempest in a teapot got out before all the facts were known.  His lawyer will be what saves his bacon now, convicted felon status and all.

[Kharn]

Spec Ops Grunt:

Whats a 0%/80% firearm?

The ATF has said a chunk of metal is not a "firearm" until 80% of the machining operations needed to complete it have been conducted.  The 80% figure is arbitrary, and decided on a case-by-case basis by the ATF for each firearm reciever design, but it usually requires ~8+ hours to make it functional.  0% is a forged blank, basically just a chunk of metal in the shape of the reciever, without any machining operations complete.  

Until you hit the 80% mark, its just a chunk of metal and you can do whatever you want with it (sell it, etc), but after that mark, its a firearm and must be treated as such in compliance with all laws.