12-29-2013, 02:34 AM
Wow, a few pictures sure stirred up a bunch of attitude.
To the best of my knowledge, NO ATF regulations, Federal or State laws were violated with the Cerakote on the weapon in the first post. The weapon never traveled anywhere by common courier.
There are some "more than gray" areas regarding painting, Cerakoting, and dipping of firearms, and I suspect that the ATF and some other Federal and State laws may actually be in contradiction. You may have noticed that even people with the correct licenses might not completely understand the laws relating to it. Having heard talks on this, I am comfortable that depending on who you talk to, you might get different answers at the ATF, just like you would if you ask a tax question at the IRS. Simply put, the laws are so stupidly complex that no one actually understands them.
There is some advice here on this thread that is incorrect, at least as it has been explained to me by various sources. (Once again, take anything you hear from an ATF spokesman with a grain of salt.) The only portion of a weapon considered to be a firearm is the serialized portion. This may be the lower receiver (as it is in the AR15), the upper receiver (as it is in some other semiauto firearms), the trigger group itself (some pistols), the sear itself, (which is a special case), etc.
Barrels are just fancy pipes, they don't constitute a firearm. They can be shipped USPS without any issues, just like AR grips, magazines, forearms, AR trigger groups, butt stocks, extensions, etc. ANY and all of these parts can be shipped to and from anyone. (Interestingly, I've been told that even convicted felons can deal in these parts, so long as NO serialized portions are ever present.) As it has been explained to me, all those parts can be dipped, painted, taped, or Cerakoted without any license whatsoever. You can buy many of these parts on Amazon, and I have done so from time to time. If no FFL is required to receive if from Amazon, or Midway, or Sinclair, etc., then you can send and receive at will to anyone.
The serialized portion requires more detail. As it has been explained to me, if someone is performing this as a service for profit, on a serialized receiver or other serialized part, then appropriate licenses must be obtained. A dealers license will generally suffice, though a manufacturers license might be necessary depending on assembly, reassembly, parts modifications, etc.
If someone is doing this service for friend, then the area becomes somewhat gray, because you are still allowed to loan Non-NFA items to friends who otherwise would be allowed to legally possess them. (Yes, I know that California, New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, etc. have some special regulations and laws, I am referring to states that are still FREE otherwise.)
Sometimes friends do nice things for each other, and if that friend were to decide to paint, tape, blue, or Cerakote your weapon for you as a gesture, then I strongly suspect that ATF would not have an issue with it. (Unless you were to do something stupid otherwise!)
Now, we are done discussing the ATF in my thread!
LOOK AT MY PURTY GUN!
To the best of my knowledge, NO ATF regulations, Federal or State laws were violated with the Cerakote on the weapon in the first post. The weapon never traveled anywhere by common courier.
There are some "more than gray" areas regarding painting, Cerakoting, and dipping of firearms, and I suspect that the ATF and some other Federal and State laws may actually be in contradiction. You may have noticed that even people with the correct licenses might not completely understand the laws relating to it. Having heard talks on this, I am comfortable that depending on who you talk to, you might get different answers at the ATF, just like you would if you ask a tax question at the IRS. Simply put, the laws are so stupidly complex that no one actually understands them.
There is some advice here on this thread that is incorrect, at least as it has been explained to me by various sources. (Once again, take anything you hear from an ATF spokesman with a grain of salt.) The only portion of a weapon considered to be a firearm is the serialized portion. This may be the lower receiver (as it is in the AR15), the upper receiver (as it is in some other semiauto firearms), the trigger group itself (some pistols), the sear itself, (which is a special case), etc.
Barrels are just fancy pipes, they don't constitute a firearm. They can be shipped USPS without any issues, just like AR grips, magazines, forearms, AR trigger groups, butt stocks, extensions, etc. ANY and all of these parts can be shipped to and from anyone. (Interestingly, I've been told that even convicted felons can deal in these parts, so long as NO serialized portions are ever present.) As it has been explained to me, all those parts can be dipped, painted, taped, or Cerakoted without any license whatsoever. You can buy many of these parts on Amazon, and I have done so from time to time. If no FFL is required to receive if from Amazon, or Midway, or Sinclair, etc., then you can send and receive at will to anyone.
The serialized portion requires more detail. As it has been explained to me, if someone is performing this as a service for profit, on a serialized receiver or other serialized part, then appropriate licenses must be obtained. A dealers license will generally suffice, though a manufacturers license might be necessary depending on assembly, reassembly, parts modifications, etc.
If someone is doing this service for friend, then the area becomes somewhat gray, because you are still allowed to loan Non-NFA items to friends who otherwise would be allowed to legally possess them. (Yes, I know that California, New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, etc. have some special regulations and laws, I am referring to states that are still FREE otherwise.)
Sometimes friends do nice things for each other, and if that friend were to decide to paint, tape, blue, or Cerakote your weapon for you as a gesture, then I strongly suspect that ATF would not have an issue with it. (Unless you were to do something stupid otherwise!)
Now, we are done discussing the ATF in my thread!
LOOK AT MY PURTY GUN!
You seek escape from pain. We seek the achievement of happiness. You exist for the sake of avoiding punishment. We exist for the sake of earning rewards. Threats will not make us function; fear is not our incentive. It is not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live. - John Galt