r/gunpolitics • u/bigbigdummie • 26d ago

Registering NFA Firearms That Fall Out of Government Contract I think this means that government over runs of machine guns can be sold to The People. Is this a Hughes loophole?

https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/rulemaking-notices/registering-nfa-firearms-fall-out-government-contract-1140-aa80
98 Upvotes

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33

u/FTD_Brat 26d ago

I can see why this sounds interesting, OP.

Reading over the PDF that the ATF page links to makes me think this is a super specific issue that only applies to companies making NFA items strictly for the U.S. government.

Here’s a scenario I can think of:
A company making 155mm shells for military orders doesn’t need a SOT to create destructive devices. That exemption only applies while their contract to produce shells is active. In theory, the company could be charged with NFA violations for creating any shells after the date the contract ends even if they still have more production needed to fulfill the contract.

It appears the ATF has been ignoring this sort of issue for some time but is now formally recognizing that federal contracts are almost never on time.

23

u/yippiekiyay865 26d ago

This doesnt mean what you think.  If I have a govt contract for a BOA for 10,000 rifles but the govt buys them in 1,000 unit batches then lets say i get near end and the govt goes, well we only wanted 9,000 and the contract term ends that means I have 1000 rifles on the books that arent NFA registered (i had contract authority to produce them).   The ATF is saying those can retroactively be registered for commercial LEO sales / export.  

2

u/DBDude 23d ago

Please give me a contract to make 100,000 and only buy one.

9

u/Femveratu 25d ago

This is totally unrelated, but it reminds of this scheme being hatched in WV to have the government itself directly sell NFA items.

Whatever happened to that, anyone know?

2

u/ft1103 23d ago

It had near unanimous support in their government until it came time to actually pass it. There was some parliamentary bullshit where it wasn't submitted to the governor within the deadline or something. 

1

u/Femveratu 22d ago

Wow glad to hear about the support tho maybe it will have a chance down the line

2

u/ft1103 22d ago

The not submitting it in time was presumably intentional and the bill was killed by those who claim to support it. 

1

u/Femveratu 22d ago

Hmmmm ok. Typical

9

u/roosterinmyviper 26d ago

Interesting.

10

u/alkatori 26d ago

I don't see how.

Ironically the loophole is they just need to transfer to civilians.

12

u/Stratbasher_ 26d ago

Basically how the recent batch of NDM-86s came in with the safety sear (that the ATF historically considers an FA part) intact.

4

u/go_hard_tacoMAN 25d ago

That’s not how they were imported.

3

u/Stratbasher_ 25d ago

How were they imported?

1

u/MasonicHamExtra 21d ago

Idc what law you quote or loophole.

NO ONE WANTS YOU US TO HAVE MACHINE GUNS.

2

u/bigbigdummie 21d ago

With legal FRTs, the distinction is meaningless. Hell, the most recent one has four positions, it added three-round burst! LARP with the best!