Transferable/Registered M2 Carbine slide - mythical NFA weapon?

[RenegadeConservative]

I ran across a ***supposedly** transferable M2 Carbine slide for what I think is a fair price. Only problem is, most people seem to believe that no such transferable device exists. The consensus seems to be that only certain parts of an M2 Carbine could be registered - receiver, conversion kit, or individual full auto part (rocker, selector switch, et al). What I'm led to believe is that since an M2 Carbine slide can be used on either an M1 (semi-auto) or M2 (select fire), ATF would not register it as the actual machine gun.

I've written to the manufacturer to see what he has to say on the matter.

Do any of you guys know if there is such a thing as a transferable M2 Carbine slide? Was the ATF pretty selective about what parts could be registered as a machine gun before the 5/19/86 freeze?

[ExecDirector]

I'll ask around...

[RenegadeConservative]

I'll ask around...

Thanks! Appreciate it.

Curtis Higgins said he wasn't with S&H Arms at the time these slides were supposedly registered by their company. I really have no clue as to its status.

[ExecDirector]

And the answer is... it depends! The tricky part is in how it was registered. ATF deems any part or combination of parts intended to convert a weapon into a machine gun to be a machine gun. So, although your slide could be used in a variety of full auto and semi auto configurations, if it was registered with the intent of being a conversion device, then it is.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/national-firearms-act-firearms.html

Q: Are parts which would convert a firearm into an NFA firearm subject to registration?Yes. Examples:


An M-2 conversion kit (See lso What is a “conversion kit?” (http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/national-firearms-act-firearms.html#conversion-kit);
Any part designed and intended solely and exclusively to convert a weapon into a machine gun. See “The types of firearms that must be registered in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record are defined in the NFA and 27 CFR, Part 479. What are some examples?” (http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/national-firearms-act-firearms.html#nfa-firearms) for examples.

[sillycon]

I have to wonder if this might be a situation (similar to what happened in HK and AK land) where, although registered, the part cannot in fact be used on a firearm not registered as a MG because doing so would constitute the creation of a NEW MG.

[RenegadeConservative]

I have to wonder if this might be a situation (similar to what happened in HK and AK land) where, although registered, the part cannot in fact be used on a firearm not registered as a MG because doing so would constitute the creation of a NEW MG.

This has been playing on my mind as well. The dealer has stated that the slide is brand new, has never been installed on a weapon, is registered and fully transferable, and is currently (I assume) on a Form 3 in Idaho. The price is right but until I know for sure that it is legit and can be installed on an non-Title II M1, I don't want it. No sense in having a paper machine gun.

Sometimes I think the whole M1/M2 Carbine situation is a huge gray area, kinda like the situation with the G series FAL and HK41/G3 in the 1960's.

...

Thanks, Jeff. You da man!

[ExecDirector]

Having a look at the current form might shed some light. If it says "installed in ser #xxxxxx rifle" or some such, you'll know that it is "married."

[sillycon]

If it's simply a slide and not in of itself a F/A part (or a part that makes the gun F/A), then I'd almost have to think that it would be one of those situations where it (pre-86) could have been used on a gun in conjunction with an unregistered conversion device (e.g. trigger assy).

Though, perhaps by applying the logic used on the H&K type weapons, if doing the F/A conversion would in no way leave extra parts around that would facilitate the creation of a new MG, perhaps you could install it in an M1 without issue and have yourself an M2.

I hate to suggest it, but perhaps (in this specific case) a determination letter may in fact be appropriate if ATF hasn't already issued other clarification with regards to M2's.