Are we allowed to convert an existing registered SBR lower to FA? If so, what’s the cost & procedure? Or is it possible to purchase an already registered FA if manufactured prior to '86? Thanks.
no sir you are not. The only machine guns us peasants can own must have been manufactured and registered prior to the 1986 ban.
Actually, you can convert one, but you need a Registered Drop in Auto Sear (which also has to have been made prior to 1986). They are running over $12k these days last time I checked.
I did not want to start a new thread for this question and this was the only related thread I could find that has not been closed and locked.
The option of a registered drop in auto sear was presented in another forum and I thought this was bad advice as I assumed(flame suit on) that this would be tantamount to modifying a post ban lower. after a bit of google fu I found several references to this option but no real explanation as to how it is different from modifying or manufacturing a full auto weapon.
How is installing a RDIAS into a post ban lower not “modifying” or “manufacturing” a post ban full auto weapon?
I’m not able to wrap my head around this.
An RDIAS is a machine gun in the eyes of the infinitely wise BATFE.
Owning one means that you can have a host in any configuration. SBR… whatever… the Sear is the machine gun and can wear anything it wants.
Now technically if you remove the sear and just take an unregistered SBR to shoot, you’re in illegal territory.
The auto sear is classified as a machine gun. Here is the pertinent ATF ruling:
http://www.atf.gov/files/regulations-rulings/rulings/atf-rulings/atf-ruling-81-4.pdf
I can… 
So, adding a RDIAS to my 21st century AR is modifying the RDIAS not modifying the lower receiver. I get it. I don’t follow the logic but I get it. It is Bureau-speak legalese we’re talking about after all.
Where can one find an RDIAS these days anyway?
You might post this question on ARFcom. They have a broader base of people who would know if someone was selling.
I’d be curious as to what they’re going for these days. Over $20,000 maybe? 
Mark, since you can make a machine gun an sbr. You can put a RDIAS in a lower that is not registered as an sbr and put a short barrel upper on this lower legally until you remove the RDIAS? That’s kinda what I got from the last part of your first post.
That’s why I was asking, curious about price of an RDIAS vs actual rifle. I am not a member of ARFcom anyways.
That’s exactly right. I haven’t heard too much about what Registered Lowers and RDIASs are going for.
One memeber here commented that he SOLD his RR (registered receiver) because prices got so crazy high.
I heard from a friend that a registered sear sold for $18,000 recently. He lives a block away from another friend who I haven’t talked with lately that keeps up with that market.:blink:
That is way to much (IMO) for a little piece of metal.
youre not paying for the piece of metal, youre paying for the right to legally own a fully automatic rifle.
but yes, I understand what you mean. I’ll just stick with my semi-auto rifles and be happy.
I agree. But it’s a few pieces of metal and a spring. 
The thing is… an RDIAS offers great flexibility… and should you get a bad round and blow up a gun, the RDIAS would likely survive whereas a registered lower is gone.
You’ll also need to add the cost of ammo into that full auto as well. You’ll be going through mags in 2 sec. With the current prices, you would be looking at around $18 a mag for 2 seconds of “fun” on top of the the $12K price tag :suicide2:
I realize what you are actually paying for, but for that amount of money I would rather hold out for a lower. The only benefit of the RDIAS is what Mark stated.
I was told the RDIAS was prone to wear and you cannot modify it if the high points get rounded, bent, etc and will not function…this was some time ago when the sear was substantially less $$$ than a registered AR lower.
Have always wanted an auto AR but dropped the rdias options with this info…do they indeed have a limited life span compared to a registered or even converted legal AR lower??
The pricing being stated above sounds about the same a fully converted gun??