AR-15 options in maryland

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  • bigalf

    Active Member
    Apr 1, 2012
    539
    Fort Meade
    You can get away with a small hammer, and a few punches and a selection of screwdrivers, and allens head. Most "mechanic" tool sets will have enough of a selection. Just watch Youtube some great detailed builds on it. I just built my firs complete AR. Its was easy, needed some help on the barrel but other than that easy.

     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    So I basically should assume I can't but AR lowers unless they came off a hbar AR or are found in a gun store. That kinda sucks cause I was thinking of buying a PSA or RRA lower

    You could not buy a lower directly since 1968. A lower is a firearm (according to Federal law) and must transfer from state to state through an FFL.

    Don't hold your breath on PSA. they won't ship legal rifles to an MD FFL. Rock River also screwed MD buyers last fall.
     
    Apr 26, 2014
    16
    You could not buy a lower directly since 1968. A lower is a firearm (according to Federal law) and must transfer from state to state through an FFL.

    Don't hold your breath on PSA. they won't ship legal rifles to an MD FFL. Rock River also screwed MD buyers last fall.

    Do you think they'd sell me a complete lower I'm looking for a medium tier lower under $200. If they don't got any other suggestions?
     

    silanehead

    Sarcastic Member
    Oct 24, 2012
    532
    Dundalk
    Stripped, complete, no difference. Except:
    You pick the small parts and you install them.
    The only difference is what upper you pin to it.
     

    Calengor

    wishes he were spike
    Apr 13, 2009
    2,158
    Frederick, MD
    Stripped lowers are OK. Just take a look at some of the industry partners on this site, a bunch of them are selling stripped lowers under $200.
     

    Zibner

    Active Member
    Aug 15, 2013
    316
    Lexington Park Md
    Mags

    Magazine - you can only buy 10 rounders in MD, but you can go out of state, and buy them as large as you like and bring them back totally legally.

    Larger mags were grandfathered in last October; while you could bring them in I would make sure there isn't a manufacture date stamp or new production type.
     

    Stevie Boy

    Ultimate Member
    May 2, 2011
    1,059
    Naples, FL and Ocean Pines, MD
    Do you think they'd sell me a complete lower I'm looking for a medium tier lower under $200. If they don't got any other suggestions?

    I'm sure you can find a complete lower to buy but like others have said, give serious thought to at least building your own lower. You can buy the pre-built upper as that takes somewhat more expertise (and tools) to assemble. But he lower is quite straightforward, easy really. You can find videos on youtube and instructions on arfcom to help you step by step. That way, you'll know the workings of your gun and sooner or later you're going to need to take it apart anyway. I assembled my lower on my very first AR; piece of cake. If I can do it pretty much anyone can.

    Just buy a stripped lower, lower parts kit, and stock/buffer and build away. Good luck.
     

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    So complete lowers are perfectly legal but stripped lowers are kinda iffy?


    Both are fine, and MD gun stores that are doing transfers (like Shooters Discount in Mt Airy) are currently requiring completion of 77R paperwork and a one week wait before pickup. It's the advisement, right or wrong, that the state police have provided them.

    Remember, if you go the complete lower route, if it has a rifle stock pre-installed, it can only be built into an HBAR. If you want to build a pistol, because it had the rifle stock, it would be illegal to do so without federal paperwork for an SBR.

    If you get a stripped lower or partial lower without the stock, it can be coded as an "other" in the 77R paperwork which would allow an AR pistol build without federal approvals, tax stamps, etc.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,769
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Magazine - you can only buy 10 rounders in MD, but you can go out of state, and buy them as large as you like and bring them back totally legally.

    Larger mags were grandfathered in last October; while you could bring them in I would make sure there isn't a manufacture date stamp or new production type.

    Where does this come from? There was nothing in the law regarding grandfathering in already possessed mags because it never became illegal to possess 11+ mags. It merely became illegal to purchase, transfer, sell, etc. the 11+ mags in Maryland. A date stamp alone on a mag wouldn't get you into trouble. You would have to dig your own hole with your mouth.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Do you think they'd sell me a complete lower I'm looking for a medium tier lower under $200. If they don't got any other suggestions?

    NO company can sell you a lower directly from out of state. All lowers MUST go through a MARYLAND FFL (at least at this time) as the paperwork required to buy one makes it s a regulated firearm (yes, I know that technically the only regulated firearms are handguns now, but this is how they are being treated).

    And since 1968, all firearms (and a lower is a FIREARM according to Federal law) must be sent to an FFL. Not directly to the purchaser.

    But PSA has refused to sell even MD legal rifles to MD FFLs. So I doubt that they will sell a lower. But who knows. Personally, I will not give them the business due to their stand on sending rifles to MD. The same with Rock River. There are PLENTY of companies that take the time to learn the law and will sell to MD. My local shop has Del-ton, Anderson, and Spikes lowers in stock. I bought from them.
     

    RoboRay

    Active Member
    Oct 16, 2013
    379
    Larger mags were grandfathered in last October; while you could bring them in I would make sure there isn't a manufacture date stamp or new production type.

    There is no grandfathering provision for magazines greater than 10 rounds in the law. There doesn't need be, since neither possession nor import of magazines greater than 10 rounds is addressed in the law; only the buying, selling, transferring or manufacturing of magazines greater than 10 rounds.

    You can buy whatever mags you want, whenever you want (at least until another idiotic law is passed), in the USA and bring them back into the PRM with no legal issues whatsoever.
     

    ansky26

    Member
    Feb 2, 2009
    19
    Anne Arundel Co
    Can somebody explain to me how you are supposed to build a lower into an SBR? I have already had a Form 1 denied (pre-October lower, eForm submitted post-October, 30" OAL on paperwork), with the ATF helpfully explaining to me that the reason was that my intended SBR would be an illegal assault weapon according to Maryland law. I got that rejection right around Memorial Day.

    So, while I have keenly read all these references to AR SBRs, has anybody successfully gotten a Form 1 submitted after SB281...?
     

    swinokur

    In a State of Bliss
    Patriot Picket
    Apr 15, 2009
    55,376
    Westminster USA
    There was a ton of confusion early on with BATFE and MSP causing rejections of any and all applications. I think it may be straightened out between BATFE and MSP. My pre Oct 1 lower was just approved on a Form 4 an an OAL > 29". They wanted a proof of pre Oct 1 purchase which Engage provided them.

    IMO call the examiner and find out what' the latest is.

    My .02 IANAL
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,769
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Can somebody explain to me how you are supposed to build a lower into an SBR? I have already had a Form 1 denied (pre-October lower, eForm submitted post-October, 30" OAL on paperwork), with the ATF helpfully explaining to me that the reason was that my intended SBR would be an illegal assault weapon according to Maryland law. I got that rejection right around Memorial Day.

    So, while I have keenly read all these references to AR SBRs, has anybody successfully gotten a Form 1 submitted after SB281...?

    Go to the NFA, ClassIII forum and look at the most recent threads. MSP is allowing the purchase/transfer of lowers now as long as they are built into compliant firearms, which would be an AR pistol, an AR SBR which is considered a handgun, or a AR HBAR. Happy times.

    The issue has also been cleared up with the ATF and the ATF is approving the forms for an SBR > 29". Not sure about SBR , 29" on a pre 10/1/2013 lower. Maybe somebody can help me out on this last issue.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    There was a ton of confusion early on with BATFE and MSP causing rejections of any and all applications. I think it may be straightened out between BATFE and MSP. My pre Oct 1 lower was just approved on a Form 4 an an OAL > 29". They wanted a proof of pre Oct 1 purchase which Engage provided them.

    IMO call the examiner and find out what' the latest is.

    My .02 IANAL

    Do you mean greater than (as posted) or LESS THAN?

    Less than 29" requires a pre-Oct lower or rifle. Post-Oct, it has to be greatter than 29".
     

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