[ARCHIVED THREAD] - ATF changes the rules again! (Page 1 of 4)
Posted: 7/13/2005 8:22:38 AM EDT
See text from ATF letter received today:  (Click here) for link to letter on ATF's website.) U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Director -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Washington, DC 20226 www.atf.gov July 13, 2005 OPEN LETTER TO FEDERALLY LICENSED FIREARMS IMPORTERS AND REGISTERED IMPORTERS OF U.S. MUNITIONS IMPORT LIST ARTICLES The purpose of this open letter is to provide important information to importers concerning the lawful importation of certain frames, receivers and barrels. Importation of Frames, Receivers or Barrels of Firearms Under Title 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3) Section 925(d) provides standards for the importation of firearms and ammunition into the United States. In particular, section 925(d)(3) provides that the Attorney General shall authorize a firearm to be imported if it meets several conditions: (1) it is not defined as a firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA); (2) it is generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes; and (3) it is not a surplus military firearm. However, the subsection further provides that “in any case where the Attorney General has not authorized the importation of the firearm pursuant to this paragraph, it shall be unlawful to import any frame, receiver, or barrel of such firearm which would be prohibited if assembled.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has determined that the language of 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3) permits no exceptions that would allow frames, receivers or barrels for otherwise non-importable firearms to be imported into the United States. Accordingly, ATF will no longer approve ATF Form 6 applications for importation of any frames, receivers, or barrels for firearms that would be prohibited from importation if assembled. No exceptions to the statutory language, for example for “repair or replacement” of existing firearms, will be allowed. ATF recognizes that importers have, in the past, obtained import permits authorizing the importation of barrels and receivers for non-importable firearms for "repair or replacement" and may have entered into contracts in reliance upon such authorizations. In order to mitigate the impact of ATF’s change in import policy and to allow importers a reasonable period to come into compliance, ATF will forgo enforcement of this import restriction for 60 calendar days and allow importers holding existing permits to continue to import barrels and receivers for a period of 60 calendar days. ATF believes this time period is adequate for importers who have entered into binding contracts for the sale and shipment of such barrels and receivers to complete the process of importing the items into the United States. ATF will advise Customs and Border Protection that in no event should these permits be accepted to release these items for entry into the United States after September 10, 2005. Importers are reminded that ATF previously approved permits for non-importable barrels and receivers for repair or replacement only, and this restriction was stamped on the face of the permit. Importers who import such components for any purpose other than repair or replacement of existing firearms, e.g., for assembly into new firearms, will be exceeding the scope of the import authorization in violation of law. If ATF determines, through inspection or otherwise, that an importer willfully violates the import provisions of the GCA, the importer's license is subject to revocation pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 923(e). Importers holding approved import permits for non-importable barrels and receivers will receive a letter prior to September 10, 2005, advising them that their permit has been suspended. This determination affects importers as follows: IF YOU SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION TO IMPORT FRAMES, RECEIVERS AND BARRELS ON OR AFTER THE DATE OF THIS LETTER, AND THE PERMIT IS FOR NONSPORTING FIREARMS, SURPLUS MILITARY FIREARMS, OR NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT FIREARMS, ATF WILL DENY YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU HAVE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO IMPORT FRAMES, RECEIVERS AND BARRELS THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN DENIED OR APPROVED BY ATF AND THE PERMIT IS FOR NONSPORTING FIREARMS, SURPLUS MILITARY FIREARMS OR NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT FIREARMS, ATF WILL DENY YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU ALREADY HOLD AN APPROVED PERMIT TO IMPORT FRAMES, RECEIVERS AND BARRELS “FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT,” ATF WILL BE SENDING YOU A LETTER EXPLAINING THAT YOUR PERMIT WILL BE SUSPENDED AFTER SEPTEMBER 10, 2005, AND PROVIDING YOU WITH INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR RIGHT TO SUBMIT ARGUMENTS WHY YOUR PERMIT SHOULD NOT BE REVOKED. Maintaining open lines of communication is vital to the successful future of ATF’s partnership with the import community. The Firearms and Explosives Imports Branch staff is available to answer your questions about the issues addressed in this letter. You may reach us by phone at 202-927-8320 or by fax at 202-927-2697. Additional information regarding this issue will be provided on our Website at www.atf.gov. Sincerely yours, Lewis P Raden Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services) |
It goes way beyond milsurp. For example AKs cannot be imported...the new ruling means no more AK receivers or barrels can be imported. When this first took effect there was a clause that said those items could be imported for repair of existing firearms. The new ruling eliminates that clause. So no more AK, FAL...ect parts kits. Thank you President Bush and your new attorney general! |
Congress abolishing 922 is like Michael Moore taking back everything he's ever said and appologizing for it. 
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That is what i am thinking, but this is just another slice off the freedom salami. They are going to slooooowly take them away unless we take a stand now and say no more. No goddamn law on the books will stop violence. Gun Laws doubly so, because we can no longer STOP violence. This needs to STOP. |
Well AK's will be harder to get and more expensive more people will look to ARs. The issue here is barrels and recievers. Recievers are not the problem as many good ones are made here. Chrome lined AK barrels are a serious issue now. |
Thats what I mean. I can still get an MP5 or a M16 too, not gonna though. |
Yeah you can still make them here...but most of the "US Made" AKs still use imported barrels. Do you know of anyone that is making AK barrels here in the US? There is no guarantee quality would go increase. |
Yep, and a lot of folks on ARFCOM criticized John Ashcroft for not being 2nd Amend friendly. Gonzalez is definitely not close to Ashcroft. The old saying of be careful of what you wish for, because it may just come true. |
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this is just such fuckin bullshit. isnt there 1000 more things to be worried about here in the u.s. and what if they imported barrels for sar-1's. those as of now are importable rifles. arent they??? they just keep kickin us tax paying law biding citizens in the face every day. while 1000's of illegals cross the border every day, with no regard for LAW. dont worry ill keep working so i can pay my healthcare and taxes. and who says they wont say you cant build barrels and recievers for non- importable rifles |
wrong agency. the batfe are the political brownshirts of the democrat party. their raison d'etre is to erode our 2a rights to the point of impracticality and uselessness. so, guys will keep saying "well, it's not my gun they're banning" or "well, we can get u.s. barrels" until it comes down to "what are 'guns'???" 
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| OK guys here the short shrift of it. I figured out the legalese!! This will NOT prevent importers from getting Milsurp kits!! This is basically a WARNING LETTER!! according to the law it states that these part kits are for replacement ONLY, no building a new gun from scratch. But lets fact it, open up shotgun news and you can see many "new" guns like krinkov AK's etc. made from parts kits. Technically this is illegal. If i buy a new receiver (us made) i cannot put a krinkov parts kit on it to make a new gun. But if i own a SAR-1 i can "replace" the parts with a Krinkov. So basically they are saying "cut it out!" followed up by a warning to suspend your liscence if you continue to do so. At least that is what i got from the letter, anyone care to correct anything i got wrong? |
that's not the way I read it....... "Accordingly, ATF will no longer approve ATF Form 6 applications for importation of any frames, receivers, or barrels for firearms that would be prohibited from importation if assembled. No exceptions to the statutory language, for example for “repair or replacement” of existing firearms, will be allowed." to me it sounds like they are closing that loophole that allowed parts kit to be imported......for any reason |
You are incorrect. Read this part again
The "statutory language" does not list "repair or replacement" so what this letter is saying is that the exemption which was previously used is no long valid. They are slamming the door shut on all foreign barrels and recievers of "non-sporting" firearms. Here is 18 U.S.C. 925(d)(3) (3) is of a type that does not fall within the definition of a firearm as defined in section 5845(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes, excluding surplus military firearms, except in any case where the Attorney General has not authorized the importation of the firearm pursuant to this paragraph, it shall be unlawful to import any frame, receiver, or barrel of such firearm which would be prohibited if assembled |
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This can't be right? Republicans hold all the power in Washington! This can not happen with republicans in office! I imagine someone will eventually license and produce the desing domestically, AKs especially I'd think. After the ass-rape starts on AK prices surely someone will see an oppertunity. Fuck Alberto, I didn't like him from day one. Anyone who honestly didn't see this coming had their head up their ass though. Glad I got my FAL ordered this year. ETA: Still think the 'Sporting clause' is not a big deal to get tossed? |
MY BAD!  I finnally figured it out, this will essentially ban barrels and recievers. NOT actual "parts" meaning triggers, bolts, etc. So basically you'll have to go with US barrels and Receivers. So when you now get a parts kit it will be minus the receiver AND barrel. Woop-dee-do! most milsurp barrels are rust tubes anyway! though i still think it stinks! Except for Krinkovs i don't see this as really affecting anything that much, never mind that we also have a 2 month extension. So all you krink builders out there get workin'.
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those so call "rust tubes" you say, will probably be more better then the US barrels that will be coming out.......apparently you never had a rifle built on US made receivers of foreign design, AK, FAL etc..........not one company can even make those correctly or of the right material. what makes you think they will be able to make a true replacement barrel with the right .310 barrel, for a AK. man they can't even make a decent AK trigger group that doesn't cost 100 bucks. |
Your attitude is waaaaaay too happy for this thread. |
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For all of you who are frustrated over this go here to see how we are trying to getting them to repeal the "sporting" clause. www.jobrelatedstuff.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=351089 |
Supply / Demand - Not instantly but why would anyone make what can be so cheaply imported? It's not a certainty but I assume that people will step up to meet demand and if everything else is crap then you certainly can make a name by producing better-than-crap. |
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This only applies to non-sporting weapons though. Arsenal Inc. I believe imports complete rifles from Bulgaria with mag wells only able to take 10 round magazines. Then when the rifles arrive in the US they add compliance parts needed to legally convert the magwell to take normal magazines. It'll raise the cost but i'm sure pretty much anything will still be importable one way or another. |
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Copied from another board, with this signature pic. http://www.azexarms.com/Wscrape/Wscrape5.jpg "There I was, happily drinking my Kool-Aid..." ...and this ****-Loving greasy piece of ****, named Gonzales who just happens to be the AG, knocks my cup from my hand. I'VE ****ING HAD IT! MY EYES ARE NOW OPEN! Anyone with any memory (I know that they fade over time) can recall the eerie similarity between this latest Bush-administered butt****ing by one of his lackies and the one his DADDY did to us back in 1989. When a Bush gets comfy, he ****s his base. In this case he's used a useless ***** ***k-lover who is helping to facilitate the next terror attack as well as send our National Soveriegnty down the river like an uppity slave, by ignoring our border issues and making excuses for the Lawbreakers. I predict some angry gun owners going to the polls "en masse" like we did in 1994, unfortunately for the GOP, the party who "takes from your front pocket while sticking it in the back door" I don't think that they will come out so good this time. I don't know what makes me more angry. That the ATF/DOJ followed a Klintoonian edict to "re-interpret" existing EO to include certain components, or that the mother****ing ASSHOLES at the ATF LIED IN OUR FACES about it for the last two weeks. Personally, This may turn out to be a boon. US made bbls and receivers, made to MY exacting standards will surely make me some money. But this isn't about Profit, this is about Principle. And my Principles have had about enough of Bush and his lackeys as they can stand. D. AZEX PS. I've not forgotten the facilitators of the FIRST 89 ban. So a hearty **** YOU to Bill Bennett (You Gambling Junkie **********), AND Barbara Bush (You googly-eyed old hag) Someone told me I should be thankful for the 89 ban as my biz wouldnt exist without it. I said "I'd rather have 800 dollar new production HK91/93/94, Galils, Uzis, FALs, Sig 55x's and work in a cubicle, it's about Freedom" (For those of you who don't know, Gonzo the ***k, the USAG, has just implemented a new policy, following a "re-interpretation" request from 2000 by Klintler, which denies all new Form 6s (Import forms) and cancels all pending Form 6s (Importers who are backordered, like TDW's Imbel recievers) and prohibits new FAL receivers, new FAL, HK, AK, etc.. etc... parts kits from being imported WITH BARRELS. So, No more barrels, no more FAL receivers.) |