Making your own firearm

[Rotate]

I'm a complete gun neophyte.

Is it legal to make your own gun/rifle in US/Canada for your own use (i.e. not for sale), and do you have to register it?

I'm asking this question here because I think many of you have experience in gunsmith.

Albert

[old sass]

Al, from what little I understand about Canadian law, You will be in a HEAP of trouble making a breech loading (cartridge type) Firearm. Canada's law have grown VERY restrictive in the past ten years. You could put in a querry to the RCMP (" Mounties" to us south of the border). Don't expect a warm reception. You may even get a 'visit' to your workshop. Sorry.

[bdarin]

But here in the good ol' redneck US you CAN make your own gun. Certain restrictions apply, such as a working M16 or Uzi, otherwise it's mostly legal....check with the BATF for details.

[This message has been edited by bdarin (edited 03-07-2002).]

[Thrud]

Albert
Canadian Firarms Center:
1-800-731-4000 www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca
email:[email protected]

Calling is faster, email take a weeks for a reply. Get confirmation in writing and then confirm with the Provincial and Federal Solicitor Generals office - get it in writing. Keep a copy handy and put another in a safety deposit box - "just in case".

You have been warned - I won't do any work like that in my home shop - I want to keep my tools...

[JimH]

You can make your own M16 or Uzi (full auto), as long as you pre-register it by paying the taxes and filing the appropriate paper work with the BATF (before building the "bad" parts). You also have to watch state regulations. For instance, don't build an AR-15 in California as state law doesn't like assault weapons.

As a note, you can pick up an AR-15 lower casting for around $25. The setup (and making holding fixtures) takes the most time. Drawings are available on Internet.

Jim

[1erful]

I seem to remember something about a change in the machinegun law back in 1986 that prohibits new machineguns.

[SGW]

Don't depend on anything we say here. The only opinion that matters is the opinion of the BATF.

You can certainly make a muzzleloader. Beyond that, it starts to get regulated pretty closely.

[JimH]

Ooops, I see I hit the send button too quick. I meant to also say that "As I remember . . " and "be sure to check the law before following my memory in regard to the legality of making a full auto . . . .".

Jim

[Rotate]

I have no intent to making anything shoot out an object at high velocity (except my chuck key of course). I was just curious since having lived in a big city all my life, the idea of owning a gun let alone machining one is quite foreign. Thanks for your input everyone.

Albert

[bluechipps]

in canada you can get away with making guns hat look old. ie black powder muzzle loaders.

make the gun look aged and worn. Then find punch set in russian or somthing, then punch some indeciferable code in it. the gun registry wont have record of anything like that and you should get away with it.

and be carfull. use the wrong metal and you could make a nice shrapnell bomb.

(it is still illegal though)

[This message has been edited by bluechipps (edited 03-13-2002).]

[Thrud]

You have to be careful even with paintball guns - they have to be Chrono'd and cannot be over 700fps or 213.36 mps or they become restricted (and sometimes prohibited) firearms. Check first before building or you may end up having to call the NFA to bail you out of a sticky situation!

This is why I still do not have a toilet paper roll launcher - I do not trust the Liberals...
(GET IT IN WRITING !!!!)

[SGW]

Me, I don't trust liberals OR conservatives! Each wants to restrict freedom -- just in different ways.

[JCHannum]

It is very interesting to note some of the comments posted regarding two very different, but similar issues. Namely gun control and metrification.

Take a look at comments by those who have had them imposed on them:

The Canadians are afraid to do anything that even hints of gun work in their shops for fear of impoundment of imprisonment.

The British and Canadians are less than enthused with Metrics. They seem to merely have added another dimension of confusion to life rather than simplify it.

Perhaps we know what is best for ourselves, in spite of what the Government may want us to believe.

[Dave the Nave]

The gunsmith hobby is one that I'd love to do someday ,perhaps when I retire.But by the time I do retire, gun laws will become so strict that just carving out a rifle stock out of a nice piece of cherry wood could land me some prison time.Especially here in my home town of Los Angeles.People here are so paranoid.I wonder if it's even legal to make my own wrist rocket sling shot?
Check out this website: www.pipersprecisionproducts.com
I could just eat my heart out in envy of Paul Piper's fine machining of that mini gun of his.

[Thrud]

Dave the Nave:
Wrist rockets are on the prohibitted list here. A crossbow is restricted (same as a handgun) - you have to take it to a license pistol range to shoot it. This is also true for all AR-15's and the AR-10 (because it looks like an AR-15). If you legally own a full auto FN, you can buy another (about $1000) BUT YOU CANNOT BUY THE SEMIAUTO OR SEMIAUTO-ONLY VERSIONS. The bolts for any Machine guns have to be locked up separately from the gun in a secure location and the RCMP will inpect your storage if you legally own a machine gun. They banned SPAS-12 shotguns because they look like an assault weapon (well, duh! - good reason - they think). And at the same time they do not penalize criminals - you get less time for robbing a bank with illegal firearms than you would if they charge you with "Improper storage of firearms". Politicians are truly brainless.