At what point an AK receiver is no longer considered 80%?

[beanz2]

So I have a Henderson 80% receiver on hand and I want to play a home gunsmith LOL. AFAIK it has no holes drilled, but the rails and X and Y dimples are in place. I'm still not sure if I want to build on it eventually, and if possible I still want to keep my option of selling it as an 80%.

When does an 80% receiver turn into a "firearm"?
Are there any guidelines as to what constitutes an 80% receiver vs. an 81% or more?

• I am thinking of having selector markings engraved. Does that make it more than an 80%?
• Does drilling a couple of holes in it make it a "firearm"? Thinking of drilling out the trigger pin holes. I need to test out some trigger modifications without taking a working AK apart.
• Does the above and installing the center support make it a "firearm"?

[Don Vito]

beanz2,
To make a long answer very short as soon as you start doing any work to your
80% blank it is now considered a receiver. I do not think that the engraving is
a completion factor though.

[valley82]

beanz2,
To make a long answer very short as soon as you start doing any work to your
80% blank it is now considered a receiver. I do not think that the engraving is
a completion factor though.

This ^
Otherwise the manufacturer would do those steps before selling them.

[kcstott]

the term 80% was coined by us the builders maybe a paper weight manufacturer but it is not a term recognized by the ATF.

The FTB (Firearms Technology Branch) of the ATF determines what is or is not a firearm.
Now based on cases that have went to court and letters from the ATF FTB we can surmise that ANY work done beyond what the ATF FTB approved as a non firearm then instantly creates a firearm.

I can also surmise that the only work that would be exempt from this would be something like deburing, abrasive blasting, painting or anodizing.
But as soon as you even scribe out the hole locations you're done.

So there is no such thing as anything in between a non firearm and a firearm.

As for engraving well thats a true gray area. I had a customer bring me a flat that was engraved. and under federal law that is now technically a firearm as it is now a serialized part. Selector marking should be fine as it is no where near steps to completion.

Fold flat. = Firearm

drill holes in blank = Firearm

Weld rails = Firearm

Lay out hole locations on blank = Firearm

[beanz2]

Thank you for the quick answers, gentlemen.

I shall now leave the 80% alone until I am ready to build or to sell.

[ar15barrels]

As soon as the receiver can accept trunions of fire control parts, it's a receiver.
Basically, once you drill a hole in it, it went from "not a gun" to "gun".

[beanz2]

Thanks, makes a lot of sense. There is a reason the 80% maker stopped where they did, right?

[kcstott]

Thanks, makes a lot of sense. There is a reason the 80% maker stopped where they did, right?

Yeah it's because they have to.

The manufacturer needs to get approval on the item they are going to make. If they make it exactly the same as the approved part they are good to go. If they make a change to the part they need to seek a new approval, simple as that.

so they are required to do no more work to the part then the original approved part. They can do less but they can not do more.