FAB10 (legal AR15 for CA)

[LDBennett]

As you may have seen my other post here I started to go forth on a quest to get a California legal AR15 look alike. In fact what you get is a lower receiver with a blind magazine rather than a hole for a magazine that, according to the distributor and a published letter from the CA Attorney General, is California legal. It uses AR15 uppers which are not controlled and are simply "parts".

One dealer claimed to have tried to buy this receiver and the distributor reportedly stopped the transfer because it was going to California (a supposedly CA legal receiver, so says the distributor's ad) and then the BATF supposedly threaten the dealer for trying to buy a California illegal gun (receiver). I had another dealer check it out and he says it is CA legal and he will get me one.

So today I started the process and we'll see how it goes. As the first dealer has since screwed me out of a pristine High Standard pistol that he promised to sell me (sold it to his buddy instead after agreeing to sell it to me), his story is very suspect. We'll just have to wait and see. You see, I really want to build a target AR15 type gun and the blind magazine that can only be loaded by breaking the gun between the upper and lower receivers is no real problem. I have always wanted an AR15 type gun but the prices seemed too high. So now I get to pay twice what I would have paid in the early 1990's. Dumb!

I'll keep all you California-ites informed as to how it goes. The new dealer checked it out pretty thoroughly so I really don't expect any problems.

LDBennett

[LDBennett]

Tomorrow is the big day when my dealer returns from vacation and I get to see if the FAB10 is really legal in California. He has been out of town so I have been unable to get more timely feedback.i get to pick it up starting Monday.

Interestingly, my son-in-law, stopped in a small gun store in Orange County(CA) and saw a Colt upper on a FAB10 receiver for sale as a used gun. If it was an assualt weapon it could never be sold in California according to the Calif. Assualt Weapons Ban Law. You can own them if you had them before the law but can never sell them. No one may purchase them after the date in the law. I can not believe the store owner would risk losing his license over the sale of this gun. He probably knows all to well that this combination or at least the receiver is legal for sale in Califonia. The legality hidges on the fact that the law prefaces the details by calling out the base specification of an assualt rifle: a semi-auto, magazine fed firearm with one of several features like bayonet mounts, protruding grip, flash hider, etc.. Since the FAB10 has no removable magazine (but a permanent blind one only accessable by breaking the gun open) it fails the base requirements. At least that is my take.

Can't wait for tommorrow evening when I call my dealer!

LDBennett

[Crpdeth]

LD:

Were following along with your story man...Hoping for the best, I'm really sorry, and disgusted that you have to go through all this trouble to obtain something that you should already have the right to own.

Good LUCK! I'm rooting fer ya.....


~Crp

[LDBennett]

I talked with my dealer last night and all is well. My FAB10 receiver has cleared all the California hurdles and is ready for pickup! As he is located nearly 1 1/2 hours away I'll work picking it up with a trip to visit my daughter, son-in-law , and the two grand kids on Friday and go to a gun show on Saturday near their house.

The next step is buying an upper. The type I am after is a flat top, tube handguard, match 24 inch barrel, either a 7 or 8 inch twist (don't intend to shoot bullets any longer than perhaps 70 grain non-VLD, but probably will stick to 53 grain match). I have been looking at American Spirit www.gunkit.com and their upper kits. They offer Wilson and another brand barrel that I have never heard of. This all needs more investigation. They normally attend the gun show that I'll attend Saturday.

I definitely think I'm over the hump on this!

LDBennett

[Crpdeth]

Yep, sounds like you got the hard part out of the way, now you can nit pick the rest of it.

Congrats...


~Crp

[LDBennett]

Got the receiver on Friday, no problem. Got the upper and the lower internal parts at the gun show Saturday. Ended up with American Spirit www.gunkits.com lower and internal parts. Again no problem.

So despite my crummy dealers "story" about none availability in California and BATF intervention in his attempt to purchase a FAB-10, I now legally own the FAB-10 Receiver and a flat top varmit upper. Now to put it togehter with a scope and go shooting!

That original dealer is pernmanently on my list, for his lie about the FAB-10 availability, and his selling the Hi Standard pistol out from under me when he gave his word that it was mine as soon as it came in. Lies, lies, all lies! Pxxx on him!

LDBennett

[wsmc667]

Aw, LD, shucks, I wish I had rediscovered this fine site sooner. FAB10 has been legal for a long while. One of my local shops keeps a few in stock. BTW, the BATF(e) has nothing to do with PRK laws. It would be CA AG who would care about the CA AW ban. BTW, I thought of an improvement to the FAB10 that would make it far more "attractive" but am too afriad of laws, etc, to manufacture it. I ran my idea past the AG's office and they saw no problem with my thoughts, too...

I've got a Bushy upper for the PWA lower I bought 10 days before the ban.



Pic taken Wednesday... more pics here

Chris

Originally Posted by LDBennett

Got the receiver on Friday, no problem. Got the upper and the lower internal parts at the gun show Saturday. Ended up with American Spirit www.gunkits.com lower and internal parts. Again no problem.

So despite my crummy dealers "story" about none availability in California and BATF intervention in his attempt to purchase a FAB-10, I now legally own the FAB-10 Receiver and a flat top varmit upper. Now to put it togehter with a scope and go shooting!

That original dealer is pernmanently on my list, for his lie about the FAB-10 availability, and his selling the Hi Standard pistol out from under me when he gave his word that it was mine as soon as it came in. Lies, lies, all lies! Pxxx on him!

LDBennett

[ryan_marine]

I seen one of these at the SHOT show.... IMHO they are not worth what they wanted for one.... But they are the only ones that are legal in that commie state.... good luck with your project.... It is worth moving to another state to get a real AR-15

Ray

[LDBennett]

While they are not "worth" the price they are the only game in town. None of the other receiver manufactures had to get their receivers through the California Attorney General's Office (the receiver comes with an official letter stating that they are legal in California). In dollars and cents, what's that worth?

I put a American Spirit Arms flat top upper with a Walther barrel on it. I have broken it in (shoot clean, shoot clean, etc). During that shooting I zeroed the scope and just shot it. It was making sub inch groups for ten shots at 50 yds and clover shaped groups for the first five shots of those groups and that is with no ammo developement, just some left over 52 gr non-match bullets and a middle level load from a manual. This gun is going to shoot when I get through with the load development!

I'll admit this is an expensive gun which is made more expensive by the FAB10 receiver but this is the only way I can have a semi-auto 223 Varmint gun that shoots sub inch groups at 100 yds. Thank you stupid California legislators!

LDBennett