Legal AR-15 Uppers in Maryland

93confirmedkills · Apr 9, 2013

So based on what I'm reading on here, as long as the barrel is 16+ inches and has HBAR stamped in its legal? What about flash hiders? None, Pinned or welded?
If Im wrong, can someone point me to which companies uppers are legal? I was leaning toward a 7.62x39 upper but cannot find anything with HBAR...help

MadCat0911 · Apr 9, 2013

Uppers are not regulated firearms. The Lower Receiver is regulated. When bought as a whole, an HBAR is unregulated. Some dispute remains as to if it has to be a colt sporter HBAR or if any HBAR will do. Your mileage may vary depending on what the MSP say.

Also, modifying an HBAR rifle to no longer be an HBAR should make it a regulated firearm needing registration and all that jazz, though I'm no legal expert on SB281.

93confirmedkills · Apr 9, 2013

MadCat0911 said:
Uppers are not regulated firearms. The Lower Receiver is regulated. When bought as a whole, an HBAR is unregulated. Some dispute remains as to if it has to be a colt sporter HBAR or if any HBAR will do. Your mileage may vary depending on what the MSP say.

Also, modifying an HBAR rifle to no longer be an HBAR should make it a regulated firearm needing registration and all that jazz, though I'm no legal expert on SB281.

So if I purchase an HBAR upper and place it on a stripped lower receiver that I already own Im good to go. Correct?

dlmcbm · Apr 9, 2013

As of right now most all of them are legal. After Oct. 1st just look to see what is on the gun shop shelves. I am sure there are going to be a lot of lawyers looking into this to advise the shop owners.

93confirmedkills · Apr 9, 2013

dlmcbm said:
As of right now most all of them are legal. After Oct. 1st just look to see what is on the gun shop shelves. I am sure there are going to be a lot of lawyers looking into this to advise the shop owners.[/QU

Are flash hiders legal? I realize no one really knows what is going on but I guess im just looking for some sound guidance.

MadCat0911 · Apr 9, 2013

93confirmedkills said:
So if I purchase an HBAR upper and place it on a stripped lower receiver that I already own Im good to go. Correct?

If you purchased a stripped lower receiver in MD, it's already registered. You don't have to worry about it being an HBAR or not or having a flash hider or not. It's already a regulated firearm.

93confirmedkills · Apr 9, 2013

MadCat0911 said:
If you purchased a stripped lower receiver in MD, it's already registered. You don't have to worry about it being an HBAR or not or having a flash hider or not. It's already a regulated firearm.

Are we sure that a stripped lower must be registered like handguns? In MD anyway?

CosmicP25 · Apr 9, 2013

Stripped lowers are regulated and have to be registered.

MadCat0911 · Apr 9, 2013

93confirmedkills said:
Are we sure that a stripped lower must be registered like handguns? In MD anyway?

Uh, quite sure. A stripped lower is technically an AR, and without an HBAR sold attached to it, it would not qualify as an HBAR to exempt it from regulation.

Either that or every gun dealer in the state hates me and wants me to go through the whole regulated firearm process for them.

dlmcbm · Apr 9, 2013

93confirmedkills said:
Are flash hiders legal? I realize no one really knows what is going on but I guess im just looking for some sound guidance.

The only thing that is in the bill about flash hiders is in the feature test for "copycat" guns. Even then it is a 2 feature test.

Threeband · Apr 9, 2013

93confirmedkills said:
So if I purchase an HBAR upper and place it on a stripped lower receiver that I already own Im good to go. Correct?

You can put any upper on your lower.

matt · Apr 9, 2013

Threeband said:
You can put any upper on your lower.

Almost- so long as the upper is not a NFA item......

BigCity · Apr 9, 2013

You should know this. After all, you have 93 confirmed kills... :innocent0

vballbach · Apr 9, 2013

Threeband said:
You can put any upper on your lower.

At thispoint, you can not put any upper less than 16". If so you will need to register it as SBR.

MadCat0911 · Apr 9, 2013

vballbach said:
At thispoint, you can not put any upper less than 16". If so you will need to register it as SBR.

I thought 14.5" were good, I thought the cutoff was 14"

NM. Just googled it, you're right.

Marksman · Apr 9, 2013

I feel very uncomfortable with this line of questioning...

93confirmedkills · Apr 9, 2013

BigCity said:
You should know this. After all, you have 93 confirmed kills...

A tribute to whitefeather

MadCat0911 · Apr 9, 2013

Marksman said:
I feel very uncomfortable with this line of questioning...

I admit, I thought maybe he was O'Malley and he wanted to ask this before signing the bill.

There's no need to be uncomfortable though. If he currently owns a stripped lower like he stated, then it's already a regulated firearm in MD and he's allowed to put an upper on it that would match said regulations.

Any questions of are all HBARs regulated or are stripped lowers regulated even if you throw an HBAR on them come October are for MSP to figure out and inform us of.

ColonelHurtz · Apr 9, 2013

All uppers are legal in MD, including those subject to federal regulation.

honda53s · Apr 9, 2013

MadCat0911 said:
I thought 14.5" were good, I thought the cutoff was 14"

NM. Just googled it, you're right.

As long as the 14.5" is pinned to 16" and cannot be removed without your lovely $200 tax stamp... Hence the welding.

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