Newbie AR question

[SigLady]

Please forgive my ignorance (I don't know ANYTHING about ARs), but I have a question regarding their legal status. They ARE legal in NYS, just not all of them? Is that correct? A gun shop down the street advertises them... but the AR15 is not allowed? Yes? Thank you smart gun folks.

 

[atc250r]

There are NY compliant ones. In order to be NY compliant it must either have a fixed magazine or if it has a removable one it must have no scary, evil features like a pistol grip, a foregrip, a brake or flash suppressor or a bayonet lug. There might be more banned features but that's all I can think of. A NJ compliant one can be made NY compliant by simply switching the pistol grip to a stub grip. There's a place up by Canastota that sells the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 that way. Oh, and of course we're limited to a low capacity 10 round magazine.

 

[Saltwater60]

The ar-15 is allowed, but can not have any evil features or the magazine has to be fixed. Look at the safe act web site it details it actually pretty well.

 

[Saltwater60]

There are NY compliant ones. In order to be NY compliant it must either have a fixed magazine or if it has a removable one it must have no scary, evil features like a pistol grip, a foregrip, a brake or flash suppressor or a bayonet lug. There might be more banned features but that's all I can think of. A NJ compliant one can be made NY compliant by simply switching the pistol grip to a stub grip. There's a place up by Canastota that sells the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 that way. Oh, and of course we're limited to a low capacity 10 round magazine.

Also no adjustable or folding butt stock either. Also for the flash suppressor you can't even have the threads.

 

[atc250r]

Collapsible stock. knew I was forgetting something. Thanks.

 

[SigLady]

Oh dear, the legislators really thought this one out! Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone happen to know the PA laws pertaining to ARs?

How does a folding stock make a gun more dangerous? What does that have to do with the price of bread? Just a military feature?

 

[swilliams]

Also no adjustable or folding butt stock either. Also for the flash suppressor you can't even have the threads.

You're faster than I am by a couple minutes!

SigLady - you getting an AR-15!? I'm going to build one. I've slowly been getting the parts for it. So far, I have the complete upper (barrel, barrel shroud - that evil thing - charging handle, bolt carrier group... I forget what else is in there, I'm a newb, too), the trigger, the lower parts kit (trigger guard, and a bunch of pins and screws that I'll have to figure out), some lovely 30 ROUND MAGS and a pistol grip (couldn't resist a little gloat), and I finally got my check sent to Bullet Guy for one of his lowers once they come in. I think that should be in another month or two, so I'll start doing my prep research seriously in a couple weeks. The guys here have already provided some great videos and how-to's. I still need to get a stock for it, and some type of sights.

 

[SigLady]

You're faster than I am by a couple minutes!

SigLady - you getting an AR-15!? I'm going to build one. I've slowly been getting the parts for it. So far, I have the complete upper (barrel, barrel shroud - that evil thing - charging handle, bolt carrier group... I forget what else is in there, I'm a newb, too), the trigger, the lower parts kit (trigger guard, and a bunch of pins and screws that I'll have to figure out), some lovely 30 ROUND MAGS and a pistol grip (couldn't resist a little gloat), and I finally got my check sent to Bullet Guy for one of his lowers once they come in. I think that should be in another month or two, so I'll start doing my prep research seriously in a couple weeks. The guys here have already provided some great videos and how-to's. I still need to get a stock for it, and some type of sights.

A sewing machine and an AR? I love it!

 

[swilliams]

A sewing machine and an AR? I love it!

I'm a weird girl. I love design - my background is in fashion design, but I love all aspects (textiles, graphic design, and I have a strange love of printed paper) - but I hate shopping, could care less about my own clothes, other than whether they fit, I cut and color my hair once a year, and I only own two pair of earrings. I put every item of clothing I owned, including coats, on the bed to pack up when we moved last year, and they only took up 1/3 of a queen-sized bed.

But machines, tools and guns... yes! I have three sewing machines, and would love to have a couple more. I have various pneumatic nailers, and saws (lots of saws), and drills. Only one router. Maybe because they scare me after I broke my nose using one. (I will admit I was using it the wrong way - climb cut.) Anyway, you get the picture.

 

[SigLady]

I'm a weird girl. I love design - my background is in fashion design, but I love all aspects (textiles, graphic design, and I have a strange love of printed paper) - but I hate shopping, could care less about my own clothes, other than whether they fit, I cut and color my hair once a year, and I only own two pair of earrings. I put every item of clothing I owned, including coats, on the bed to pack up when we moved last year, and they only took up 1/3 of a queen-sized bed.

But machines, tools and guns... yes! I have three sewing machines, and would love to have a couple more. I have various pneumatic nailers, and saws (lots of saws), and drills. Only one router. Maybe because they scare me after I broke my nose using one. (I will admit I was using it the wrong way - climb cut.) Anyway, you get the picture.

Kindered spirits of sorts then the only power tools i use are in the kitchen but I love design, too (particularly stationery), and French baking, i'm an incorrigable bookworm. My contradictions are a bit subversive. Most people (who don't know me) would peg me as a liberal: I try to eat organic, own stock in Whole Foods, holistic health is a big thing with me and my family, yoga, i was vegan for a spell, went on vacation to a hippie commune one summer to take an organic gardening class ( i only ended up staying 1.5 hours but that's another story.) i don't know what else... i had dreadlocks, and i drive a subaru.

Then the topic of politics is broached and it's all over! Gods, guns, country, and family I love shooting, I support conservative groups and I hang out with nuns on occassion. I have never in my life voted for a democrat (well except that one time on the county level- he was very moderate.) Nothing makes me more upset than to see someone burning the flag.

It was a lot of fun in college... the other kids didn't quite know what to think.

Here's to keeping them guessing!

 

[Calculon]

Like swilliams said there's a lot of good info on this site with links to how to build an AR/MSR. I've taken to calling it a Modern Sporting Rifle cuz it doesn't sound so scary .

Brownell's has some good videos on how to build the rifle (each step has a video and a downloadable PDF file which is really convenient) if you want to go that way and there are countless videos on YouTube that walk you through the build. There are quite a few parts you need so build a checklist and buy stuff when convenient.

If you go the build route consider building it with all milspec parts to start. This way you know everything about your rifle and you can decide what to upgrade as you go forward. Some folks will advocate a few upgrades off the bat (drop in trigger cuz milspec is pretty gritty, enlarged charging handle, adjustable gas block, etc.) which enhance usability.

Otherwise get an unSAFE compliant rifle off the shelf and head to the range.

 

[Magnus]

In liberal terms, you can have it but you can't buy it.

 

[Frankly]

Build your own or work with someone to build one the way you want it, not only will you save money but you'll get a far better gun than anything mass-marketed to hit a low price point. The best thing to do is to find someone local who has a few different ARs you can try out and see what works best for you.

The saddest thing is seeing these $800-$900 ARs that are really $400 ARs.

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

Oh dear, the legislators really thought this one out! Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone happen to know the PA laws pertaining to ARs?

How does a folding stock make a gun more dangerous? What does that have to do with the price of bread? Just a military feature?

In PA the goal is to get a fully automatic AR wit all da fixinz.

 

[SigLady]

In liberal terms, you can have it but you can't buy it.

Guess they didn't want to run the risk of trying to confiscate them?

 

[Bananabandit]

Im still trying to build my lowers. Im pretty incapable of using tools, so if I can pull it off, Ill be surprised

 

[meketrefe]

All the AR15 and AKs are legal. The question is what is compliant or not based on the so called assault weapon classification.
Everything functionally in the AR is compliant other than a few cosmetic features like pistol grip, muzzle brake, collapsible stocks, etc.. like others pointed out.
Any shop is free to sell or not sell whatever they want but compliant ARs, AKs just like mini 14s and others are being sold all over the state as we speak.
Thousands of them have been sold since the implementation of the senseless and useless SAFE act.
In fact there are countless classic auto-loading hunting rifles with 10 times the fire power of the AR or AK this is just one more reason
why this law makes no sense.

 

[Frankly]

Once you build one lower the next one will only take 20 minutes. Find a friend to show you how.

Also know that there are no prohibitions about parts other than silencers and magazines over 10 rounds. If you chose to assemble parts into something illegal and are caught that is on you but you can buy all the muzzle devices, grips, and collapsible stocks you want.

Roughly non-lawyerly speaking to be NYS Safe Act compliant you can have a full featured rifle with muzzle devices, pistol grip, collapsible stock provided it is set with a "permanently" fixed in place magazine so that you must "open up the rifle" to top load by pulling the rear pin that holds the upper and lower receivers together. In practice this isn't difficult ~ they sell special pins that have extensions you can grip and pull with normal finger strength ~ but it is not fun to do while standing in a field and it is certainly not fast.

To use interchangeable magazines properly the rifle must be featureless. This means using a non-threaded barrel or "permanently" fixing a cap on a threaded barrel so it is impossible to screw any muzzle device on. The stock must be "fixed" to the length you want it, permanently (you can "pin" a collapsible stock). And you must not have a pistol or forward grip. There are options like the Thordsen FRS-15 stock and an epoxied barrel cap. Or a Spur Grip with a Patrick Henry trigger guard. And so on.

The law is vague and has not been tested.

Ironically none of the restrictions make us safer. A rifle that doesn't fit proper length of pull or allows a firm hand grip is harder to control. Muzzle devices give the shooter more control. Silencers protect hearing. Any mass shooter could probably find "high capacity" magazines illegally since there are billions in circulation. Or with a little practice they could learn how to quickly change mags on the fly... competitors do it all the time.

It's almost as if Cuomo wanted to punish Republican voting legal gun owners. Imagine that.

 

[easyspeak]

Oh dear, the legislators really thought this one out! Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone happen to know the PA laws pertaining to ARs?

How does a folding stock make a gun more dangerous? What does that have to do with the price of bread? Just a military feature?

The folding stock makes the rifle easy to hide under a coat, etc. making it more "dangerous" to John Q. Public.

 

[dwa12479]

A rifle in NY is consider an "Assault Weapon" if it is...

1)Semi-Automatic AND...
2) Accepts a detachable magazine AND...
3) Has at least one of the following features
* Folding or Telescoping Stock
* Pistol Grip
* Thumbhole Stock
* Forward Hand grip
* Bayonet mount
* Flash Suppressor
* Muzzle Brake
* Threaded Barrel
* Grenade Launcher

If you remove the semi auto part OR the detachable mag part, then you can't have an AW. If you keep those two, then to avoid an AW, you simply set it up without any of the banned features. Voila! NY legal AR15. FUAC!!

 

[Jem45472]

This is the best tutorial I have found for building a lower. It's easier to follow than a video.

How to build an AR-15 Lower Receiver: A Step by Step Visual Guide

 

[Acer-m14]

@SigLady watch out for @swilliams AW sewing machine .. its black AND gold .. hehehehe

 

[stuck in ny]

All the AR15 and AKs are legal. The question is what is compliant or not based on the so called assault weapon classification.
Everything functionally in the AR is compliant other than a few cosmetic features like pistol grip, muzzle brake, collapsible stocks, etc.. like others pointed out.
Any shop is free to sell or not sell whatever they want but compliant ARs, AKs just like mini 14s and others are being sold all over the state as we speak.
Thousands of them have been sold since the implementation of the senseless and useless SAFE act.
In fact there are countless classic auto-loading hunting rifles with 10 times the fire power of the AR or AK this is just one more reason
why this law makes no sense.

Question: can you have an ffl order you, say, an m70 Century Arms Zastave, perm the thread protector, replace the pg with an ar15 "spur", and tranfer the "featurless" end poduct to a new york peasant such as oneself? Or do you have to go out of state, buy the ak , mutilate the ak, and bring in back instate?

 

[meketrefe]

@SigLady watch out for @swilliams AW sewing machine .. its black AND gold .. hehehehe

WOW. I have not seen one of those in a long time. My mom used to make things in one of those.
My grandpa who sold watches and jewelry was also a dealer of those.
That is a work of art!

 

[dubleuhb]

WOW. I have not seen one of those in a long time. My mom used to make things in one of those.
My grandpa who sold watches and jewelry was also a dealer of those.
That is a work of art!

I have one to sell if you really love it.....

 

[Saltwater60]

Oh dear, the legislators really thought this one out! Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone happen to know the PA laws pertaining to ARs?

How does a folding stock make a gun more dangerous? What does that have to do with the price of bread? Just a military feature?

Have fun. PA does not really care. 30 round mags might be the limit.

 

[Saltwater60]

Question: can you have an ffl order you, say, an m70 Century Arms Zastave, perm the thread protector, replace the pg with an ar15 "spur", and tranfer the "featurless" end poduct to a new york peasant such as oneself? Or do you have to go out of state, buy the ak , mutilate the ak, and bring in back instate?

You can do that. Some may do it some may not do it.

 

[Gunright]

This thread got me thinking. Assuming I have relatives in a free state (like PA), could I do an evil build (partially), i.e. complete the lower with a non-compliant upper but do not mate the two (thus I don't create a non compliant firearm) and take said build to my free state relatives for storage (and use while I am there)? I'm asking this as if I try to buy a non-compliant rifle in the free state (to remain there and never to come to New Yorkistan) most/all shops won't see it because it is illegal in my home state.

A related question: I know I can have a featureless build (already have one in an Ares SCR and also have the parts (lower, LPK, Thordson's stock, featuresless upper to complete another featureless build), and I can have an evil featured build (normal upper, collapsible stock) with a fixed mag setup. Are there any issues with having both in your premises, i.e. any issues with constructive intent?

[A few years ago I bought a Mossberg Flex 500 shotgun which allows for a variety of quick attach stocks (e.g. collapsible) but since it is pump there is no safe-act issues. However, they later came out with a flex .22LR semi-auto which comes in both a non-evil take down version (I love take down's) as well as an 'evil' tactical version. I didn't buy it because I was worried that since my Flex 500 shotgun evil parts could be used on the .22LR semi-auto take down, that again there was possible issues with constructive intent.] https://www.mossberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/MOSSBERG_INTL---_FLEX-22---_RIFLES.pdf
and
Mossberg FLEX System | O.F. Mossberg & Sons

 

[Marine Cpl]

NYS Penal Law 265 which is the Law that covers all firearm related offenses does not have "Constructive Intent" in it like other offenses do in other NYS Penal Laws. IE drugs for example.

So technically, you can have both legally until you mate them. The safe way is to build one with a T-nut bolt through the magazine release to make a fixed magazine and then take it out and add a standard magazine release when you get to PA.

I built one with a Thordsen Stock and no muzzle device. When I go to PA, all I do is remove one screw, take off the stock and replace it with a standard grip, put back the screw, and slap on the stock on the naked buffer tube. Before I go back home, I do the same thing in reverse.

I do not miss the muzzle device one bit.

 

[dwa12479]

This thread got me thinking. Assuming I have relatives in a free state (like PA), could I do an evil build (partially), i.e. complete the lower with a non-compliant upper but do not mate the two (thus I don't create a non compliant firearm) and take said build to my free state relatives for storage (and use while I am there)? I'm asking this as if I try to buy a non-compliant rifle in the free state (to remain there and never to come to New Yorkistan) most/all shops won't see it because it is illegal in my home state.

A related question: I know I can have a featureless build (already have one in an Ares SCR and also have the parts (lower, LPK, Thordson's stock, featuresless upper to complete another featureless build), and I can have an evil featured build (normal upper, collapsible stock) with a fixed mag setup. Are there any issues with having both in your premises, i.e. any issues with constructive intent?

[A few years ago I bought a Mossberg Flex 500 shotgun which allows for a variety of quick attach stocks (e.g. collapsible) but since it is pump there is no safe-act issues. However, they later came out with a flex .22LR semi-auto which comes in both a non-evil take down version (I love take down's) as well as an 'evil' tactical version. I didn't buy it because I was worried that since my Flex 500 shotgun evil parts could be used on the .22LR semi-auto take down, that again there was possible issues with constructive intent.] https://www.mossberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/MOSSBERG_INTL---_FLEX-22---_RIFLES.pdf
and
Mossberg FLEX System | O.F. Mossberg & Sons

Buy a stripped lower here, buy all the parts you want here. Take them all to PA and assemble to your hearts desire. Transfer to your family according to PA law.