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Tommy Built gets hammered by ATF

“In the T36 instance they literally hammered a FA carrier into a receiver in order to proclaim it a MG. They permanently modified a receiver, permanently modified a grip housing, added the FA catch, and added a FA carrier in order to enable FA. If the test is what is readily convertible then the KG99 open bolt guns that are identical to their later banned as MG twins don't pass such a test - the exact same gun is a MG and yet it is not a MG.”

Do you have a link to the details ?
 
Speculating on the details here... but from what is presented in the letter from Tommy Built, they are using a feature to prevent use of an auto-sear that already exists in the H&K SL8 rifle. The SL8 is the semi-auto version of the G36. The SL8 was imported to the US, and sold to the gen.pop without issue. How is it now that the same feature set is considered NFA? Is a manufacturer supposed to submit EVERY design for approval/determination prior to manufacturing? Even when there is an established track record of its use in other firearms? Then there's the whole matter of the ATF tech branch not issuing any determinations any more.

I assume the ATF letter was in response to a query, as it makes no mention of revocation of an existing approval ?

I suspect if you're manufacturing something under your own design, (even if it's a copy), you'd be responsible for approval ?
 
I assume the ATF letter was in response to a query, as it makes no mention of revocation of an existing approval ?

From that same linked HKPro thread:

"As of 2018 ATF approved the making of the T36. Prior SL8 are fine as is but any future imports will require blocks where the sear trips would extend upwards."

So they're literally changing their stance on a prior approval. Not slapping someone for not asking.
 
If they did the conversion at no charge I'm fairly certain it would bankrupt them. They are a small shop, this is really their only "large" production item they have ever made. They did everything they were supposed to and the atf just said screw you and changed their minds.
 
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