Building your own gun

     You'll want to research the laws in your city. county, state and the federal laws that we all must work within as well as any other laws that might apply to you where you live. We are posting links to the pages where we found this information but the links may change or become outdated. Be aware of that and do your own research if you plan to purse attaining a manufacturers licence or plan to build a gun for yourself.

     Here you'll find links and copies of the parts of the national laws that affect building of guns by both licensed and non licensed manufacturers. This is not everything you'll need to know and do. but it will get you started.

     If anyone heads down the path of becoming a licensed manufacturer and would like to document the process we'll be happy to post the results here for others to learn from.

    Basically you can become a licensed manufacturer and build guns for a living just like Colt, Winchester and Browning before us. Or you can build a gun or two on your own without a licence as long as you and the gun are legal and you don't sell it.

From the ATF website
Firearms > Legal > Licensing
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/legal/licensing.htm

    A license is required under the GCA to engage in business as a manufacturer, importer or dealer in firearms. 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(1), 923(a). A license application (except for collector of curios & relics) must include a photograph and fingerprints of the applicant.

   An application will be approved if the applicant --

(1) is 21 years of age or over;
(2) is not prohibited from transporting, shipping, or receiving firearms or ammunition in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce;
(3) has not willfully violated any provision of the GCA;
(4) has not willfully failed to disclose any material information or made any false statement;
(5) has in a state premises from which to engage in business; and
(6) certifies that the business will comply with State and local law and that local law enforcement officials have been notified of the application. 18 U.S.C. 923(d)(1).

   Licenses are issued for a 3-year period. Licenses may be revoked, or license renewal applications denied, if the licensee has willfully violated any provision of the GCA. 18 U.S.C. 923(e). Judicial review of administrative license denials and revocations may be obtained in Federal court. 18 U.S.C. 923(f)(3).

    A license is required under the AECA for the export, temporary import, and temporary export of defense articles, including firearms and ammunition. The license application must generally be filed by a person registered with the Department of State. The application must include specific information concerning the article being shipped, the destination, the end user, and the end use. An import authorization from the country of end use must also be submitted in support of the application. Licenses are approved for a four-year period and are subject to post-approval reviews and verifications to ensure compliance with the terms of the license.

THE GUN CONTROL ACT OF 1968, PUBLIC LAW 90-618
TITLE 18, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 44
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/2005/p53004/18usc_chap44.pdf

§ 922. Unlawful acts

(o)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a machinegun.
(2) This subsection does not apply with respect to -
(A) a transfer to or by, or possession by or under the authority of, the United States or any department or agency thereof or a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(B) any lawful transfer or lawful possession of a machinegun that was lawfully possessed before the date this subsection takes effect.

(r) It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble from imported parts any semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation under section 925(d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes except that this subsection shall not apply to -
(1) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Secretary.

(v)(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of the enactment of this subsection.
(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to -
(A) any of the firearms, or replicas or duplicates of the firearms, specified in Appendix A to this section, as such firearms were manufactured on October 1, 1993;
(B) any firearm that -
(i) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action;
(ii) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or
(iii) is an antique firearm;
(C) any semiautomatic rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine that holds more than 5 rounds of ammunition; or
(D) any semiautomatic shotgun that cannot hold more than 5 rounds of ammunition in a fixed or detachable magazine. The fact that a firearm is not listed in Appendix A shall not be construed to mean that paragraph (1) applies to such firearm. No firearm exempted by this subsection may be deleted from Appendix A so long as this subsection is in effect.
(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to -
(A) the manufacture for, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a transfer to or possession by a law enforcement officer employed by such an entity for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty);
(B) the transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials;
(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving a firearm, of a semiautomatic assault weapon transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or
(D) the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Secretary.

§ 923. Licensing

No person shall engage in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms, or importing or manufacturing ammunition, until he has filed an application with and received a license to do so from the Secretary. The application shall be in such form and contain only that information necessary to determine eligibility for licensing as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe and shall include a photograph and fingerprints of the applicant. Each applicant shall pay a fee for obtaining such a license, a separate fee being required for each place in which the applicant is to do business, as follows:

(1) If the applicant is a manufacturer -

(A) of destructive devices, ammunition for destructive devices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $1,000 per year
(B) of firearms other than destructive devices, a fee of $50 per year; or
(C) of ammunition for firearms, other than ammunition for destructive devices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $10 per year.

(2) If the applicant is an importer -

(A) of destructive devices, ammunition for destructive devices or armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $1,000 per year; or
(B) of firearms other than destructive devices or ammunition for firearms other than destructive devices, or ammunition other than armor piercing ammunition, a fee of $50 per year.

(3) If the applicant is a dealer -

(A) in destructive devices or ammunition for destructive devices, a fee of $1,000 per year; or
(B) who is not a dealer in destructive devices, a fee of $200 for 3 years, except that the fee for renewal of a valid license shall be $90 for 3 years.

[(C) Repealed. Pub.L. 103-159, Title III, § 303(4), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1546.]

From the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) FAQ page
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm

A7) Does the GCA prohibit anyone from making a handgun, shotgun or rifle?

    With certain exceptions a firearm may be made by a nonlicensee provided it is not for sale and the maker is not prohibited from possessing firearms.

   However, a person is prohibited from making a semiautomatic assault weapon or assembling a nonsporting semiautomatic rifle or nonsporting shotgun from imported parts. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and approval by ATF. An application to make a machinegun will not be approved unless documentation is submitted showing that the firearm is being made for a federal or state agency.

[18 U. S. C. 922 (o), (r), (v), and 923, 27 CFR 178.39, 178.40, 178.41 and 179.105]

Definition From THE NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT
TITLE 26, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 53
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE

CHAPTER 53 - MACHINE GUNS, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND CERTAIN OTHER
FIREARMS

SUBCHAPTER B:

PART I – GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 5845. Definitions
For the purpose of this chapter -

(10) The term "manufacturer" means any person engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition for purposes of sale or distribution; and the term "licensed manufacturer" means any such person licensed under the provisions of this chapter.

More Gun Building and Manufacturing Resources:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2005

ATF Firearms Program Information

National Licensing Center

    The National Licensing Center (NLC) is responsible for determining eligibility and acting upon applications for Federal firearms licenses, Federal explosives licenses, and Federal explosives users permits. Inspections of applicants are coordinated with regulatory field offices. Such applications are required to be filed by all persons who intend to engage in the business of manufacturing, importing, or dealing in firearms, and persons who intend to engage in the business of importing, manufacturing or dealing in explosive materials. Firearms licenses are also issued to persons who wish to be collectors of curio and relic firearms. Finally, the NLC issues permits to persons who intend to acquire or transport explosive materials in interstate or foreign commerce.