Legality of Building AR Variant during Murphy administration(8-2-2020)

[SIGUY1234 1]

Greetings All 

  I am having trouble finding contemporary posts about my question on Reddit and the like.  I am aware of laws about flash suppressors being no good, having the muzzle device pinned and the other "evil features"   So my  question is can you legally build your own AR in NJ with a stripped lower.  If the firearm in the end complies with the law can you build it.  I had a shop tell me it is not. It has to be a NJ compliant rifle from the manufacture or it will never be okay. Since I am not a manufacture I can never make it legal.   I am just looking for any information on this subject. Your knowledge will be greatly appreciated!

Edited August 2, 2020 by SIGUY1234
I cant do English(Damn public schooling)

[JohnnyB 4,321]

20 minutes ago, SIGUY1234 said:

can you legally build your own AR in NJ with a stripped lower.  If the firearm in the end complies with the law can you build it.

Absolutely YES!  Totally legal.

No 80% receivers though! They do consider that manufacturing!

Have fun with your build.

[InFamous 311]

IANAL but I would build one right now if I had the parts without worrying about the legality. Meaning...yes still legal with a serialized lower. 

[SIGUY1234 1]

Thank you guys for your speedy replies. I thought as much.  Yeah I am excited for the build. I have always been into firearms but finally became a firearms owner Memorial day weekend of 2019.  I am thinking of trying to do a build that allows me to use .556 and .223. But ultimately  I just want a rifle that can defend my house.  I am fairly well armed aside from lacking an AR, so I might wait till prices come down a bit, and for me to learn more about best options/how to build. IDK how much AR parts have risen among the COVID and the I am privileged kid from the suburbs so I have to protest to prove my self riots but i assume its gone up at least a little. Thanks again!

[InFamous 311]

My first lower was about $100, my second was $49.99 plus $45ish transfer/NICS so if you get around that you're good to go. I go with complete uppers which will run you $250-$300, rest of that parts shouldn't be inflated too much. You should still be able to build a rifle under $700 I would think, as long as you can find the parts. 

[JohnnyB 4,321]

Just now, InFamous said:

as long as you can find the parts. 

You will find the parts......The ammo is another story!

[SIGUY1234 1]

Yeah I kinda lucked out.  I had bought an Anderson lower for 50 bucks plus a 41 transfer/Nics check like 2 weeks before Covid got into full swing.  I also got a lower parts kit for 50. So yeah I intend to get a complete upper and I guess after that I only need buffer tube/stock.  I am lucky I have a pretty okay income even during this whole crazy time, so intend to keep doing build after build for both fun and to perfect building.  I have never found a hobby I have been so passionate about. I love shooting so much. Its a shame some people are so against it.  While I just started I know I am going to find awesome people along the way, such as your self to enjoy it with/help me.

[InFamous 311]

Magpul milspec carbine fixed stock and a Bravo buffer tube, spring, buffer is what I went with my first build. Like Johnny said...ammo will be hard to come by. 

[JohnnyB 4,321]

8 minutes ago, SIGUY1234 said:

Yeah I kinda lucked out.  I had bought an Anderson lower for 50 bucks plus a 41 transfer/Nics check like 2 weeks before Covid got into full swing.  I also got a lower parts kit for 50. So yeah I intend to get a complete upper and I guess after that I only need buffer tube/stock.  I am lucky I have a pretty okay income even during this whole crazy time, so intend to keep doing build after build for both fun and to perfect building.  I have never found a hobby I have been so passionate about. I love shooting so much. Its a shame some people are so against it.  While I just started I know I am going to find awesome people along the way, such as your self to enjoy it with/help me.

When you build the lower, double check the hammer spring.  It's easy to put it in backwards on your first build and will result in lite primer strikes! I know, I did it once!

[JohnnyB 4,321]

2 minutes ago, InFamous said:

Magpul milspec carbine fixed stock and a Bravo buffer tube, spring, buffer is what I went with my first build. Like Johnny said...ammo will be hard to come by. 

Thank goodness I got into reloading long ago.  .223 was my main reloading caliber so I should never have to buy .223 ever again! I still have .223 ammo I reloaded 20 years ago!

Same for .45, 9mm, .40 .357 magnum and .38. I reload those as well!  You need patience to reload but I actually enjoy it and find it very relaxing! I also trust my own reloads more than ANY factory ammo!

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

2 hours ago, JohnnyB said:

Thank goodness I got into reloading long ago.

You and me both, brother

I'm outta Hoodbury after my 9am walkthru on Monday

I am quite likely the best armed resident in the new building.

[YankeeSC 1,204]

18 hours ago, SIGUY1234 said:

I am thinking of trying to do a build that allows me to use .556 and .223.

For clarity, you mean 5.56 (note the decimal place) as this caliber allows you to shoot both.  You can shoot .223 in a firearm chambered for 5.56 but not vice versa, so then it's 5.56 you want to build here.

[Shepherd9 215]

On 8/2/2020 at 6:06 PM, SIGUY1234 said:

...I had a shop tell me it is not. It has to be a NJ compliant rifle from the manufacture or it will never be okay. Since I am not a manufacture I can never make it legal...

Crazy someone in the industry is telling you that.  They probably just want to get you to purchase from them.

[RUTGERS95 890]

On 8/2/2020 at 9:33 PM, JohnnyB said:

Thank goodness I got into reloading long ago.  .223 was my main reloading caliber so I should never have to buy .223 ever again! I still have .223 ammo I reloaded 20 years ago!

Same for .45, 9mm, .40 .357 magnum and .38. I reload those as well!  You need patience to reload but I actually enjoy it and find it very relaxing! I also trust my own reloads more than ANY factory ammo!

good man, smart move.  I stacked deep when cheap but need to get into the reloading at some point.  I have a buddy that's been reloading for years and he too is swimming in it

[Nam Le 19]

On 8/2/2020 at 9:33 PM, JohnnyB said:

Thank goodness I got into reloading long ago.  .223 was my main reloading caliber so I should never have to buy .223 ever again! I still have .223 ammo I reloaded 20 years ago!

Same for .45, 9mm, .40 .357 magnum and .38. I reload those as well!  You need patience to reload but I actually enjoy it and find it very relaxing! I also trust my own reloads more than ANY factory ammo!

I too want to explore this some day soon...

What do you think is the cost to entry? like tools, machinery, etc...?

And when you say "reloading" I assume that you pick the spent brass and reload them, right? Does it help during this shortage period if I just want to make my own ammo from brand new brass?

[raz-0 1,259]

1 hour ago, Nam Le said:

I too want to explore this some day soon...

What do you think is the cost to entry? like tools, machinery, etc...?

And when you say "reloading" I assume that you pick the spent brass and reload them, right? Does it help during this shortage period if I just want to make my own ammo from brand new brass?

Massive demand like this hits everything. 

Last big shortage even dies got scarce, but for reloading the choke point tends to be primers. For cases we can buy once fired and a lot of bulk comes from military and police surplus/scrap so that can get pricey, but it never really dries up completely. 

Powder, bullets, and primers can get scarce as commercial production can interfere in that supply chain and compete for supply. 

Las BIG shortage, we had some panic buying but we also had a big powder plant down, $4 a pound copper, near $2 a pound lead and a lead shortage, a military order equivalent to about half a year's market supply trying to be fulfilled in 6 months, and a few other bits of nastiness. 

Now we have upscaled production capacity from then, and a more robust supply chin it seems. Or at least we aren't running into bizarre shit like fiocchi buying out all the 9mm bullets precision delta can make. Which is like not as absurd as say federal buying back primers at retail prices from cabelas, but it is the same kind of whatthefuckery in that you have a major manufacturer sitting in line with me the reloader to buy the same stuff at the same point of sale.  

We may get there, but not yet. I suspect the industry also learned some lessons in that if you shit all over your regular customers for a simpler bigger sale, you will not have regular customers anymore. It's partly why we have WAY more bulk bullet suppliers these days, and they are generally more customer focused. The old guard fro last time around were kind of jerks and not the best business people. 

If you get into reloading today, presses will cost a premium, 9mm dies are getting scarce, and small pistol and small rifle primers are GONE. 

(hint: I don't expect small pistol to be back soon. Because if you know what you are doing you can use small rifle for both rifle and pistol.)

 

 

[Nam Le 19]

10 minutes ago, raz-0 said:

Massive demand like this hits everything. 

...

 

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Chuck 1]

On 8/2/2020 at 9:14 PM, SIGUY1234 said:

Yeah I kinda lucked out.  I had bought an Anderson lower for 50 bucks plus a 41 transfer/Nics check like 2 weeks before Covid got into full swing.  I also got a lower parts kit for 50. So yeah I intend to get a complete upper and I guess after that I only need buffer tube/stock.  I am lucky I have a pretty okay income even during this whole crazy time, so intend to keep doing build after build for both fun and to perfect building.  I have never found a hobby I have been so passionate about. I love shooting so much. Its a shame some people are so against it.  While I just started I know I am going to find awesome people along the way, such as your self to enjoy it with/help me.

Just finished my 1st build. Anderson lower OTD for $85.00 almost everything else from Davidson Defense www.davidsondefense.com

Assembled upper 5.56  (no foward assist)

Stock, buffer tube kit, BCG and Charging handle

Anderson Lower Parts kit from AIM Surplus $49.00

Just have to pin stock and break and I'm done.

[antiriad 10]

On 8/2/2020 at 6:32 PM, JohnnyB said:

Absolutely YES!  Totally legal.

No 80% receivers though! They do consider that manufacturing!

Have fun with your build.

Do the 80% receivers have serials on them?

[JohnnyB 4,321]

7 hours ago, antiriad said:

Do the 80% receivers have serials on them?

No.

[10X 3,296]

On 8/21/2020 at 11:03 AM, Nam Le said:

And when you say "reloading" I assume that you pick the spent brass and reload them, right? Does it help during this shortage period if I just want to make my own ammo from brand new brass?

Yes, pick up spent brass and reload it.  Start saving your brass now, and if others are shooting and not saving it (and the range isn't claiming it), pick it up and save it as well.  It's the first step in reloading, and it's free!

Buying new brass to reload can yield very high quality reloads--you benefit from the consistency of the cases being from not just the same manufacturer, but probably also the same production lot--but it adds a lot of cost.  People will more typically do it for precision rifle loads, and less often for precision pistol loads where every bit of consistency matters.   For plinking or informal practice loads, you'll be fine picking up, or buying, mixed brass, and you'll save a good bit of money.

Pistol brass, in particular, can be loaded a LOT of times if you aren't cranking out maximum loads...and there is rarely a reason to do that.   Rifle brass is more life-limited.  Any good reloading book will tell you and show you what to watch out for, so that you don't load a case one too many times...

[JeepGunner 109]

If it wasn't legal, how could they allow FFLs to sell stripper lowers in NJ?  People don't want to pay $70 + NICS + complete/ sign all the paperwork + drive away +drive back for a nice aluminum paperweight. Anytime a FFL tells you something that doesn't make sense - call him/her out on it.   In my limited experience, I find that what some FFLs say is "restrictions due to the law"  is really just company policy.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

25 minutes ago, StarGazer said:

If it wasn't legal, how could they allow FFLs to sell stripper lowers in NJ?  People don't want to pay $70 + NICS + complete/ sign all the paperwork + drive away +drive back for a nice aluminum paperweight. Anytime a FFL tells you something that doesn't make sense - call him/her out on it.   In my limited experience, I find that what some FFLs say is "restrictions due to the law"  is really just company policy.

Well.. legality is in what you build.. not a stripped lower itself. 

[JeepGunner 109]

 

13 minutes ago, JackDaWack said:

Well.. legality is in what you build.. not a stripped lower itself. 

That goes without saying.  You must build a compliant AR in NJ ; namely the pistol grip being the one "evil feature" allowed.  The OP however was told that he couldn't build anything because he was not a manufacturer.  That is false.

[Gabesdad 24]

Looking at building one for son for birthday.  What is the minimum barrel length?  See some say 16” and there 18”.  Thanks.

[JeepGunner 109]

16" is the minimum legal requirement for rifle barrel length.  You can go shorter on the barrel and permanently add a muzzle brake to make that length; e.g. 14.5" barrel plus 1.5" brake (pinned and welded).

29 minutes ago, Gabesdad said:

Looking at building one for son for birthday.  What is the minimum barrel length?  See some say 16” and there 18”.  Thanks.

 

[Gabesdad 24]

7 hours ago, StarGazer said:

16" is the minimum legal requirement for rifle barrel length.  You can go shorter on the barrel and permanently add a muzzle brake to make that length; e.g. 14.5" barrel plus 1.5" brake (pinned and welded).

 

Thanks StarGazer!

[1LtCAP 4,262]

with all of this....is it not illegal now to even possess a non-serialized firearm in pfrnj?

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

1 hour ago, 1LtCAP said:

with all of this....is it not illegal now to even possess a non-serialized firearm in pfrnj?

Possibly:

 

[Gabesdad 24]

After following this thread, I am getting nervous of muffing this build up in regards to the law.  Are CTR stocks legal?  Looking at a lower with a magpul ctr stock.  I think it is, but you never know in this state.