Franklin Reformation now a SBS?

[Milsurp1]

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/open-letter/franklin-armory-dec2019-open-letter-franklink-armory-reformation-firearm/download

[Lonestargrizzly]

Very... interesting?
ATF is just all over the place with their interpretations.

[NoHeavyHitter]

Damn.. That's gotta be really painful for Franklin after having spent so much in developing the product only to have them re-class it after the fact. It's difficult not to think the BFTA did that intentionally.

[pancakes go]

should be called the Deformation

[RickD427]

Damn.. That's gotta be really painful for Franklin after having spent so much in developing the product only to have them re-class it after the fact. It's difficult not to think the BFTA did that intentionally.

I gotta give Franklin Armory credit for testing the limits of ambiguous law, but at the same time you gotta remember that when you poke the bear, the bear gets pissed and has a tendency to swat back.

[golfish]

I gotta give Franklin Armory credit for testing the limits of ambiguous law, but at the same time you gotta remember that when you poke the bear, the bear gets pissed and has a tendency to swat back.

Indeed! They've poked the bear more then once. Keep it up and thank you

[Quiet]

Basically, BATFE FATD has determined a barrel with "straight lands and grooves" to be a smoothbore barrel.

Which then makes the firearm meet the Federal definition of a "shotgun".

And since the barrel length is less than 18", it then meets the definition of a "short barrel shotgun".

[one9kilo]

Doesn't make sense! They said its NOT a shotgun but chose to classified it as a shotgun? Not sure what the complete federal definition of a shotgun is but it's hard to believe that the only criteria is dependent on the barrel alone.

But then again, I didn't think changing the rifling of the barrel alone would "justify" a new category of firearms. Kudos for Franklin for trying though. Title 1 looks promising, but they're now piggybacking off the grey area definition of pistols.

[colossians323]

Damn.. That's gotta be really painful for Franklin after having spent so much in developing the product only to have them re-class it after the fact. It's difficult not to think the BFTA did that intentionally.

NO it is not, they're filled to the brim with anti 2A peeps, sad but true

[RickD427]

Doesn't make sense! They said its NOT a shotgun but chose to classified it as a shotgun? Not sure what the complete federal definition of a shotgun is but it's hard to believe that the only criteria is dependent on the barrel alone.

But then again, I didn't think changing the rifling of the barrel alone would "justify" a new category of firearms. Kudos for Franklin for trying though. Title 1 looks promising, but they're now piggybacking off the grey area definition of pistols.

Please go back and re-read the letter. It would also be helpful if you understood the difference between the CGA and NFA.

The letter states that the "Reformation" is not a NFA Shotgun. But it goes on to conclude that it is a CGA Shotgun (that's where understanding the difference between NFA and CGA is important).

But the letter is kinda "twisting" the CGA definition of a "Shotgun" by equating the "Straight Rifling" with "Smooth Bore."

[Quiet]

Doesn't make sense! They said its NOT a shotgun but chose to classified it as a shotgun? Not sure what the complete federal definition of a shotgun is but it's hard to believe that the only criteria is dependent on the barrel alone.

18 USC 921 or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of an explosive to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

[franklinarmory]

18 USC 921 or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of an explosive to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

I still don't believe it should be considered a smooth bore, but until or unless we get it changed, Reformation is regulated by ATF as a NON NFA SBS. (E.G. a GCA SBS.)

[Quiet]

I still don't believe it should be considered a smooth bore, but until or unless we get it changed, Reformation is regulated by ATF as a NON NFA SBS. (E.G. a GCA SBS.)

I agree that it should not be considered a smoothbore.

What I think is interesting is the different definitions of "shotgun" under Federal laws/regulations.

GCA SBS would be under 18 USC 922(a)(5)&(6) and NFA SBS would under 26 USC 5845(a)(1)&(d).

But what about the definitions under 27 CFR 478.11, which came about because of the GCA?

Queue lawsuit in 3... 2... 1...?



18 USC 922
(a) As used in this chapter—
(5) The term “shotgun” means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of an explosive to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.
(6) The term “short-barreled shotgun” means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun (whether by alteration, modification or otherwise) if such a weapon as modified has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches.

26 USC 5845
For the purpose of this chapter—
(a)Firearm
The term “firearm” means
(1) a shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;
(2) a weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;
(3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length;
(4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length;
(5) any other weapon, as defined in subsection (e);
(6) a machinegun;
(7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and
(8) a destructive device.
The term “firearm” shall not include an antique firearm or any device (other than a machinegun or destructive device) which, although designed as a weapon, the Secretary finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector’s item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.
(d) Shotgun
The term “shotgun” means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of projectiles (ball shot) or a single projectile for each pull of the trigger, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed shotgun shell.

27 CFR 478.11
Shotgun.
A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.
Short-barreled shotgun.
A shotgun having one or more barrels less than 18 inches in length, and any weapon made from a shotgun, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches.

[franklinarmory]

Interesting point. That is a rift between the regulation and the statute.