More on ATF Seizing Airsoft guns
Some more discussion on the issue of airsoft guns that can be converted to machine guns. Seems to me that you cannot possibly get a fire control group into that lower receiver. And, according to my sooper seekrit sources, a standard AR-15 magazine will not fit into the air soft receiver.
February 26th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
At SHOT Show we were looking at all of the airsoft offerings with an eye towards tactical training purposes. We talked to the guys at KWA extensively concerning some of their higher-end guns which were very, very realistic. Literally when breaking them down the resemblance to an actual AR rifle was incredible right down to the bolt and recoil system. That said, they assured us that they had to have their lowers approved by the ATF and that while everything looked very similar, it would be nearly impossible to alter the lowers to accept an AR upper and that the materials certainly were not rated to withstand live fire stresses. The magazine well is too small, the holes are in the wrong location, and the take pin holes are not even close (we all know that even a few hundredths of an inch is a HUGE difference for something like this.)
With the amount of work involved it would be FAR easier and FAR cheaper (the high-end airsofts can run $600+) to buy an 80% receiver and simply do the work if that were one’s inclination…and anybody with the skills and knowledge to do the work would KNOW that!
February 26th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Here is what the importers say on their webiste:
http://airsoftoutletnw.com/index.php/20100226156/Airsoft-News
“Now we at Airsoft Outlet Northwest, being the rational individuals we are, went out and had a gunsmith check the true compatibility of these replicas and found the following information:
* The upper receiver of an AR15 fits onto the lower of the WE TTI M4
* The stock trigger pack in the WE TTI cannot strike the firing pin of a AR15 bolt
* The body of the WE TTI lower is several mils thinner than an AR15 lower, and shims would be needed for any AR trigger pack to work
* The trigger pack of an AR15 appears to be able to fit onto the lower receiver of a WE TTI M4, one of the AR15 trigger pack retaining pins is impossible to insert without major modification, and the hammer isn’t operable with the WE TTI lower.
So essentially these Airsoft replicas cannot even operate an AR15 trigger pack without heavy modification with a precise tooling system operated by someone who knows the specific measurements to drill and tap the WE TTI lower receiver.”
March 4th, 2010 at 2:08 am
like this!