What makes a firearm FUlly-auto? (question to convert to Semi-auto)

[Quiet]

Folks, I have read before that the BATFE have ruled previously along the lines of "once a machine gun, always a machine gun". Once an item is amnesty'ed or registered as a machine gun, the item cannot be converted back.

Turby

What Turby said.

[Jpach]

What other shady stuff has come your way over the years? Just genuinely curious?

[Max-the-Silent]

I have an opportunity to grab another FAL from a friend in Georgia, but the issue is that it is Fully-automatic.

How would I go about converting it to semi-automatic only so that way it would be able to be legal here in good old California?
WHat parts would i need to purchase? I would think it has something to do with the trigger mechanism, should I just buy an entire semi-auto lower?


Thanks in advance.

Tony

Assuming that you just don't know what you're talking about, I'll keep it short.

A registered transferable (or pre or post sample) FAL rifle can not be "converted" to semi-auto only and disposed of to an individual outside of the National Firearms Act. The rifle could be destroyed (three cuts through the receiver, torch or industrial shear, including a cut through the magazine well) and the parts disposed of, but there is no legal way for the complete functioning rifle to be transferred outside the NFA.

Let's assume that the rifle is not a NFA weapon:

The rifle, if it's not on the banned by name on the original AW list, or banned by features, could be transferred to a CA resident if the rifle was equipped with a mag lock, or the magazine was permanently affixed to the rifle, or the rifle was disassembled and transferred as a separate barreled receiver with the trigger housing separated from the upper.

[gtmmark]

For a FAL to be full auto the receiver needs to be cut for the auto/safety sear. Most FAL's the selector will rotate into the auto position but will no fire full auto, the hammer will just follow the bolt home and not fire after the first shot. The picture below will help you identify a sear cut receiver.

[tankerman]

Send me out there and I'll get it straightened out. Worst case we put a new OLL on it and were good to go. I'll dispose of the old parts.

WTF are you talking about?

[savageevo]

Whats wrong with a civic kicken the arse of a super car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE6X5AX_wN8

Anyways, stay away from that fal. Support your local FFL. Try enterprise arms. They can make you one and it will come with a warranty.

[God Bless The Mauser]

An ATF agent and a pen can make any firearm a full-auto

[Pthfndr]

There are 7 parts that make a semi auto into a full auto (if you count an altered receiver). I assume the part that is registered is the lower receiver. As pointed out in earlier post this and the other auto parts need to be destroyed.

I don't see why (maybe someone can set me straight) the upper receiver (less the bolt carrier) along with the stock, mag catch, and pistol grip, can't be salvaged??

On a FAL type rifle the UPPER receiver is the firearm. Not the lower like on an AR. On a FAL, the lower is "just a part", like the upper receiver on an AR is "just a part".

[gtmmark]

For a FAL to be full auto the receiver needs to be cut for the sear, a ejector block cut for a sear and the full auto/safety sear needs to be present. All of these modifications and parts are on the "upper" receiver, all of the other parts in the lower, trigger group, bolt and bolt carrier are the same as a semi.

[ke6guj]

Vader, you are talking about an AR15/M16, the OP is talking about an FN-FAL, a completely different type of firearm.

[VaderSpade]

Never mind.