FA safety AR15 - legal or not?

HighVoltage

HighVoltage

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Does anyone have any experience with the legal status of an ar15 select-fire safety? Is the auto-sear the only prohibited device? It seems to me that the safety/fire control is integral to FA fire... is it subject to the same restrictions as the sear or like the bcg can it be installed in a SA gun and used simply as a safety.

Thanks
 
You can install EVERY full auto M16 part into an AR15 except the auto-sear and still be legal.

The selector is no problem - only the auto-sear can make the gun go full-auto.
 
One would think the only way to find out is have enough money for the lawyer's bill.
That would be after the Law has had their way with you.
Why temp fate?
 
You will be fine, there is no reason for it to be illegal. The safety moving one more notch to a third position is moot. It's the same as people having a 30 round mag pinned to 5, it looks like a prohib mag but it's not.
 
Claven2 said:
You can install EVERY full auto M16 part into an AR15 except the auto-sear and still be legal.

The selector is no problem - only the auto-sear can make the gun go full-auto.
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Mr.4x4 said:
You will be fine, there is no reason for it to be illegal. The safety moving one more notch to a third position is moot. It's the same as people having a 30 round mag pinned to 5, it looks like a prohib mag but it's not.
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Yep, the parts are understood to be essentially interchangeable. There are some applications for the semi-auto only parts, but quite frankly the origional full auto geometry sometimes fixes other issues.

For import purposes, CBSA have a memo to the effect that the auto sear is the only part specific to the full auto version that requires a specific import permit.
 
Onagoth said:
So, is the FA sear a prohibited device, or is it only the installation that is offside with the law?
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I believe it is

1. Any electrical or mechanical device that is designed or adapted to operate the trigger mechanism of a semi-automatic firearm for the purpose of causing the firearm to discharge cartridges in rapid succession.
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Onagoth said:
So, is the FA sear a prohibited device, or is it only the installation that is offside with the law?
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AFAIK, possesion of the FA sear isn't in itself a problem. Importation of one requires an import permit, which would be denied unless you owned one legally.

The DIAS however is I believe a prohibited device in it's own right.
 
I think I read a post on here not to long ago about someone buying the auto selector and he said it did not fit because the notches in the assembly did not line up.
I would look into that if you are considering buying one.

What is the point of putting one in anyway? Another accessory that does nothing to improve your gun in any way. Spend your money on ammo or spare mags.

Just my $0.02
 
Drilling the rifle to accept the sear is modifying the rifle to fire full auto, if it does or not is irrelevent, you modified it with that intent.

That is the rope you will hang from.
 
cr5 said:
What is the point of putting one in anyway? Another accessory that does nothing to improve your gun in any way. Spend your money on ammo or spare mags.

Just my $0.02
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The selector in question was purchased without examining it too thoroughly, but chosen and installed for its ambi capability. Upon closer examination, it was brought to my attention that it was notched for FA.... hence the original question. It fits fine and works perfectly in a plane jane lower with a boring old SA sear.;)
 
The problem comes when you least expect it. Having the police seize your guns over something minor and having 1 of the policemen find F/A parts inside is 1 way to make a lawyer richer and to loose a gun.
Having your AR "run on" while shooting beside a cop that happens to know a little about guns can also be a much harder to wiggle out of predicament if F/A parts are inside.
A F/A trigger sear and selector serve absolutely no purpose in a semi auto other than to be a potential source of aggravation if bad things occur in the company of the wrong people.
Technically the parts are legal to own and as long as you do not modify the lower are legal to install but why troll for greif?
 
alberta tactical rifle said:
Having your AR "run on" while shooting beside a cop that happens to know a little about guns can also be a much harder to wiggle out of predicament if F/A parts are inside.
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I won't pretend to have more than a fundamental understanding of how the AR platform functions... installing said selector should not increase the probability of the gun "running on", correct?

At the end of the day I don't need the headache and am leening towards punting the part if it falls into a "grey area" and then install something that I don't need to worry about.

Again, thanks for all the input.
 
A FA selector won't work any differently than a regular sear with an AR15 parts kit. I have two AR's with M16 selectors in them right now, the rest of the parts are semi-auto, and it works just fine.

Some manufacturers even ship new AR15's with M16 parts in them but no auto sear - perfectly legal.

A semi lower CANNOT go full-auto in a controlled manner without and auto-sear or other full-auto conversion device designed to bump fire the rifle. period.
 
It's not advisable to use the entire FA trigger mech. If you have a complete FA trigger mech in the rifle and you put it in the traditional auto position the hammer will not remain to the rear, rather it will follow the bolt home and create the potential for a slam fire. Supposedly the odds of this occuring are increased if you use some of the older semi auto carrier designs with the exposed firing pin. In order to alleviate this you must use the semi-auto disconnector, then even in the auto position it will operate like a regular semi and the hammer will remain to the rear until the trigger is pulled.

Disclaimer. I'm simple relating information that I've learned over the years from the dubious source of information known as the internet. It makes sense to me but I haven't tried it so please don't jump all over me if it turns out to not be 100% factual.

So, if all you do is install the selector and nothing else then you're good to go. Install the entire trigger mech and you could get a slam fire situation that can potentially result in an auto burst

BTW there is no such thing as a sear in a semi.
 
All of our guns ship will full auto parts kits (minus the sear obviously). We do however remove the 'tail' off the disconnecter to allow the trigger to properly reset as semi in the auto position. Because we make select fire weapons as well it makes sense to have as much crossover in terms of programming and parts supply. As well, we've received a lot of feedback that customers appreciate that small detail.

It's perfectly legal.
 
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