A local police officer in my area carries an issued Ar-15 in his patrol car. The department, not the officer, put full auto M-16 internals into the gun. Is this legal? I would assume so since it is a police department and they can buy full auto M-16s anyway. Is this safe? Is there any difference in an AR-15 reciever and an M-16 reciever that would put the officers in danger?
AR-15 converted to m-16?
- Thread starter TCman
- Start date
Well, and it can get deep....
the easiest thing to assume is that the police dept knows what they are doing both legally and mechanically.
To go backwards... I think the only danger is the dern rifle not working... seems like somewhere I read they changed the bolt on semi-auto ARs to make them different than the fully auto... as well as the trigger works... I would presume the armorer at the police dept would know about all this and do what needed to be done, right. I would also presume they shoot the heck out of the rifle in practice... heck it's 'free' ammo.
As for the legal part... i think police depts. have to 'register' their NFA weapons with the ATF too. Just paper work, I'm not sure if they have to pay for a tax stamp or not...
the easiest thing to assume is that the police dept knows what they are doing both legally and mechanically.
To go backwards... I think the only danger is the dern rifle not working... seems like somewhere I read they changed the bolt on semi-auto ARs to make them different than the fully auto... as well as the trigger works... I would presume the armorer at the police dept would know about all this and do what needed to be done, right. I would also presume they shoot the heck out of the rifle in practice... heck it's 'free' ammo.
As for the legal part... i think police depts. have to 'register' their NFA weapons with the ATF too. Just paper work, I'm not sure if they have to pay for a tax stamp or not...
the bolts are different, but there are many AR 15 rifles that were sold with M16 bolts. that was a central issue with the Olafsen case and he's in prison right now for not sending his rifle back to the factory to get it repaired.
M16 recievers are different inside than post ban AR recievers. M16 fire control parts won't fit in a new AR reciever. they will in an old preban, but it would be completely illegal.
M16 recievers are different inside than post ban AR recievers. M16 fire control parts won't fit in a new AR reciever. they will in an old preban, but it would be completely illegal.
Does it have a FA sear installed? Some guns can simply have a the hole drilled for the sear, while other lowers have a sear block that has to be machined out before a sear will work. Assuming this is the case, it is not illegal. In fact, there are transferable copies of converted AR's available to those in Class 3 friendly locations. Of course, you are going to spend around $10-12k for it, unless you are referring to a post dealer sample. These guns generally run around the same price as a regular AR, but you have to be a Class III dealer or exempt (Govt, LEO, etc). Now, that doesn't mean any LEO or Govt type can go out and buy one.
To answer your question, there is very little difference in a standard AR lower and that of an M16. The main difference is the M16 will have a hole drilled through the lower for the sear pin, while an AR will not. Plus, as I mentioned, some AR lowers have a shelf inside which prevent even adding a sear even if there is a hole drilled. This shelf also prevents the use of a drop in auto sear, which are also legal to buy (if you can find a transferable/registered model).
It is completely safe to do, assuming the job was done correctly.
To answer your question, there is very little difference in a standard AR lower and that of an M16. The main difference is the M16 will have a hole drilled through the lower for the sear pin, while an AR will not. Plus, as I mentioned, some AR lowers have a shelf inside which prevent even adding a sear even if there is a hole drilled. This shelf also prevents the use of a drop in auto sear, which are also legal to buy (if you can find a transferable/registered model).
It is completely safe to do, assuming the job was done correctly.
FYI
The bolts are the same, it is the bolt carriers that are different.
Very early model AR-15s were exactly the same as the M16 except that they lacked the auto sear. Shortly after, they changed to different parts (hammer, disconnector, trigger, selector lever, bolt carrier) for the semi auto gun.
Several years later they changed the lower reciever opening to prevent the installation of the auto sear.
A fair number of AR-15s have been converted to select fire using M16 parts. If done correctly, it is perfectly safe.
Police departments can make "new" full auto guns and register them under the law. The 1986 ban on new full autos only applies to guns in the civilian registry. Police can make as many as they want for their own use, they just can not be sold to civilians under existing law.
The officer you mention can carry and even keep his "M16" at home (if allowed by his department), but he does not legally own the gun, his PD does. This satisfys Fed law.
The bolts are the same, it is the bolt carriers that are different.
Very early model AR-15s were exactly the same as the M16 except that they lacked the auto sear. Shortly after, they changed to different parts (hammer, disconnector, trigger, selector lever, bolt carrier) for the semi auto gun.
Several years later they changed the lower reciever opening to prevent the installation of the auto sear.
A fair number of AR-15s have been converted to select fire using M16 parts. If done correctly, it is perfectly safe.
Police departments can make "new" full auto guns and register them under the law. The 1986 ban on new full autos only applies to guns in the civilian registry. Police can make as many as they want for their own use, they just can not be sold to civilians under existing law.
The officer you mention can carry and even keep his "M16" at home (if allowed by his department), but he does not legally own the gun, his PD does. This satisfys Fed law.
1) the bolt carrier is different, not the bolt. I mispoke.
2) converting a preban AR to full auto isn;t dangerous to your safety, only to your freedom. It is illegal without a NFA regestration letter, which an individual CANNOT GET under any circumstances since 1986.
3) A cop can't legally convert an AR into an M16 on his own just because he's a cop anay more than a soldier can do it just because he's in the military. Military and law enforcement M16s don't belong to the people that carry them. They belong to the agancy that owns them. Any privately owned weapon converted to full auto without approval from ATF is illegal. Period.
4) the ARs that were legally converted to full auto that are in the NFA registry were done so prior to 1986 or are registered to an agency that is exempt from the NFA limitations.
5) It seemed like the OP was talking about an officer that was either issued an AR 15 or purchased an AR 15 and then took it upon himself to acquire the FA parts and install them. If that is the case he is committing a felony and opening himself and his department up to a huge liability issue if it is ever used in a shootout.
2) converting a preban AR to full auto isn;t dangerous to your safety, only to your freedom. It is illegal without a NFA regestration letter, which an individual CANNOT GET under any circumstances since 1986.
3) A cop can't legally convert an AR into an M16 on his own just because he's a cop anay more than a soldier can do it just because he's in the military. Military and law enforcement M16s don't belong to the people that carry them. They belong to the agancy that owns them. Any privately owned weapon converted to full auto without approval from ATF is illegal. Period.
4) the ARs that were legally converted to full auto that are in the NFA registry were done so prior to 1986 or are registered to an agency that is exempt from the NFA limitations.
5) It seemed like the OP was talking about an officer that was either issued an AR 15 or purchased an AR 15 and then took it upon himself to acquire the FA parts and install them. If that is the case he is committing a felony and opening himself and his department up to a huge liability issue if it is ever used in a shootout.
ranger dave
New member
m 16
there the cops whos going to bust them the real question is why does barney need a m 16
They're the cops. Who's going to bust them? The real question is why does Barney need an M16?
there the cops whos going to bust them the real question is why does barney need a m 16
They're the cops. Who's going to bust them? The real question is why does Barney need an M16?