Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Bees living in their heads. Calling the ATF on an insane rule. Manufacturer takes ATF letters to Len Savage seriously and creates a "bird's head grip" for the Mossberg 500 Cruiser that is consistent with ATF rulings. "Danger, Will Robinson!"

"Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But, there they are." -- The Honorable Chester Cadaver on "I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus," Firesign Theater, 1971.
National Firearms Act Definitions
Any Other Weapon
26 U.S.C. § 5845(E)
For the purposes of the National Firearms Act, the term “Any Other Weapon” means:
* Any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive;
* A pistol or revolver having a barrel with a smooth bore designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell;
* Weapons with combination shotgun and rifle barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading; and
* Any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire.
Such term shall not include a pistol or a revolver having a rifled bore, or rifled bores, or weapons designed, made, or intended to be fired from the shoulder and not capable of firing fixed ammunition.
Holy NFA, Batman!
The 14″ 12-Gauge That ISN’T NFA!
I get a lot of questions from customers about the “new” ATF ruling regarding pistol-grip-only (PGO) firearms with 14″ barrels that aren’t considered NFA items.
Well, first off, let me say, it’s not a new ruling. It’s the same position that ATF has always taken regarding PGO firearms that fire a fixed shotgun shell that have NEVER had a buttstock attached to them — they’re NOT shotguns! They’re simply firearms. As such, they don’t necessarily need to have 18″+ barrels on them to remain out of the purview of the NFA.
You see, the very definition of a “shotgun” requires that it be “designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder…” Without a buttstock ever having been fitted to the PGO firearms in question, they can’t be fired from the shoulder and are therefore not shotguns. Hence, with a 14″ barrel, they can’t be considered short-barreled shotguns, as they aren’t shotguns to begin with.
Mossberg 500 Cruiser as it came from the factory.
Let me see if I can explain what this fellow has just done. With the production of a grip that replaces the factory pistol grip of a Mossberg 500 Cruiser, he has just forced the Destructive Device provision that has never been enforced on AOWs out of the closet, because SOMEBODY at ATF won't let this trot-out of a sawed-off to go unchallenged, and it will totally screw with sawed-off shotgun cases in the minds of the sensible people who sit on juries rather than the brain-copulating parsing ATF does with the law.
If ATF declares this item to be a Destructive Device, the fear will quake amongst the pistol-grip shotgun owning hoi polloi about the AOWs with bore diameters exceeding 1/2" --- and ATF will have quite the mess on its hands owing to the anger of the Elmer Fudds who own said "pistol grip" firearms.
The beauty of it from the manufacturers point of view? He's not an FFL. This is an aftermarket part which, even if the ATF decides that, contrary to their own diktats, that use of said pistol grip on a "non-shotgun" with a short barrel violates the law. (Even though it still manages to comply with the law as it stands now.) The part will still be sellable to other folks who decide not to use a short barrel, but rather just mount it on their 18" barrel Mossberg. Q.E.D., it cannot be banned and the manufacturer will still not lose money, no matter how the ATF rules. I love it.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Check your e-mail for a strong of videos under the heading DallasGoldbug, The Truth Exposed, The Third Day of Christmas, Ed Chiarini, etc. Watch themall and take notes; make your own assessment.

Allen said...

I'll keep the 18" barrel on my IBSG (Itty Bitty Shot Gun) for now. I've already got the bird's head grip.

Anonymous said...

mebbe they'll need to go after nail guns (paslode, etc) and powder actuated fastener guns now.

Anonymous said...

Why do we even have the NFA?

Its a stupid law that does little for public safety and creates government bloat and often incarcerates otherwise honest people.

Oh wait, answered my own question. Never mind.

Were there not state level laws vs them in my state I'd be tempted by one, especially if I could get a 20 gauge double shotgun made like that without NFA rules.

. I always wanted an Ithaca Auto and Burglar

Paul W. Davis said...

And Wayne Fincher went to prison why?????

There is no legitimacy here.....

ParaPacem said...

@@ Paul Davis:
How about a gentleman at Ruby Ridge?

Bryan Reavis said...

Hrmm... Sounds Like I just might be able to get that updated LeMat I want after all...

Marty said...

Thank you for your thoughtful--and thought-provoking--comments regarding the Shockwave Technologies Raptor Grip 500 for the Mossberg 500.

-Marty Ewer, Owner of Shockwave Technologies

Marty said...

Three years later and we have sold thousands of Raptor Grips. Hundreds and hundreds of customers have built 14-inch-barreled 12-gauge firearms legally. There are hundreds of positive opinion letters from ATF Tech Branch on the subject now. Thank you for your original blog write-up on the subject.

Marty Ewer