Was he legal?

[221 Fireball]

Was at the Bill Goodman show yesterday and saw a guy with a Thompson Center Contender slung on his shoulder.

What caught my attention was that he had a carbine stocked receiver with a Super 14" barrel. Would that not be a no-no within ATF rule?

With the swapping ability of these and even more so, those cool 'pistol' AR uppers, to rifle lowers, I'd bet some folks do it, not realizing they'd be in deep kimche when an ATF agent taped on their shoulder.

[Dolomite_supafly]

He was in violation of the law.

Dolomite

[Alleycat72]

He may have a stamp for it, making it a legal SBR.

[DaveS]

If the contender stock is removable (as I remember some being that way years ago) would that not be legal? Those handguns, 14 inch bullbarrels and clamp on carbine stocks were awesome in rifle calibers back a couple years ago.

Dave S

[DaveTN]

That situation has been to the SCOTUS (United States v. Thompson-Center Arms Company) and the BATF has written interpretations available on it.

[DaveS]

After further research, BATF regulations (if applicable) must be followed. Imagine that....

Dave S

[221 Fireball]

US vs Thompson Arms, really? Heh, heh ... if the ATF was worried about switching around stock/barrel combinations on a single shot rifle back then (I seriously doubt a Contender was ever used in a crime scene), I bet they're really concerned about those shorty AR barrels!

[DaveTN]

[quote name='221 Fireball' timestamp='1354470117' post='853820']
US vs Thompson Arms, really? Heh, heh ... if the ATF was worried about switching around stock/barrel combinations on a single shot rifle back then (I seriously doubt a Contender was ever used in a crime scene), I bet they're really concerned about those shorty AR barrels!
[/quote]
What are you trying to say? Do you think if you walk past an ATF agent with an illegal gun thrown over your shoulder and he sees you trying to sell it; he will just let you go with a warning?

That’s a pretty big risk someone is taking if they are wrong.

[221 Fireball]

[quote name='DaveTN' timestamp='1354473106' post='853835']
What are you trying to say? Do you think if you walk past an ATF agent with an illegal gun thrown over your shoulder and he sees you trying to sell it; he will just let you go with a warning?

That’s a pretty big risk someone is taking if they are wrong.
[/quote]

Not at all. If you're a lawbreaker, you should have to pay the price. I'm talking about the court case of U.S. (BATF) vs Thompson Center, makers of singleshot rifles and muzzleloaders (at that time). If they took the company to court (I would like to read those details) for the concern of the possible violation of people assembling their single shot rifles/pistols, stocks and barrels incorrectly, I can only imagine they really have a headache now with so many manufacturers of AR rifles, parts, barrels, etc. Lots of people today are building their own rifles. I doubt there was a lot of that going on 20-30 years ago.

[gregintenn]

Legal or not, they make a great first deer rifle for a child.

[Murgatroy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Thompson/Center_Arms_Company

Good read.

Happened in 1992. TC was selling a kit of the gun that included pistol and rifle components. The BATF sent them a cease and desist.