There’s no way to know this. I know it’s hard not to second guess things but for all we know they might have even delayed you more. Never underestimate govt incompetence or outright ugliness
We are all adults here, entitled to our opinion. I know that our aluminum submission, because my NFA specific lawyer, that deals with the Technology Division specifically, told me so. This isn’t what he does for fun, or as a side business. In fact, I don’t have any way to corroborate this, but my NFA lawyer told me that our situation was the most egregious treatment of our determination he had seen in his 16 year career dealing with the ATF directly.
How could the determination be any worse? I suppose they could have charged me a tried to send me to prison? Our original submission was 3D printed. From the FATD receiving the submission, our determination was received back in 108 days. I had checked the timing but had never fired it. I didn’t think I needed to. The timing was correct and at the time the FATD used their Powder Springs M10 lower receiver and a 5.56X45 16” upper. The upper holds it the pressure of the explosive in the round. The adapter acting as the lower receiver. The AR lower receiver is under very little stress. I own a Caviler Arms and Armalite plastic lowers. The adapter was more than twice as thick as those commercially available lower receiver. The determination was that the original adapter was a firearm accessory and was not affected by the GCA ( Title I firearm) or the NFA (Title II firearm).
After about a year we submitted an aluminum version. About the only real differences were that the additional strength and heat resistance of aluminum. The aluminum submission allowed the thickness of the adapter to be thinner, much more heat resistant, and the pins were based on the captured pins of the AR. When the original adapter was returned, there was burnt powder residue inside the adapter. I didn’t bother to document that.
A year later, we submitted the aluminum adapter that we were planning to go to market. The FATD had the aluminum adapter for over a year from submission. This was around the time when the ATF was trying to “redefine/expand the definition of firearm frame or receiver. I would think that a message came from the top about holding up any determinations of anything that might fit into that. That is why I think that even though the Max-11/15 was being sold in the market, but the Max11A1/15 and the Max-10/15 were held up for about two years and four months.
When the submission was received, an email with the reference number and an approximate time frame for the determination, which was about six months. After that year, I wrote, I called. No response. It was suggested to become an FFL holder as we would be “in the business”. Still no response.
Through a friend of a friend who is a SOT manufacturer who had a notable NFA product recommended this lawyer. It was also suggested by a very close friend to contact one of my State Senators, as there is an ATF liaison in both Houses of Congress.
Apparently, one or both of these tacts pissed them off. So they put our adapter with an upper on it in a pipe vice bolted to a table, placed a piece of angle iron on the back of the adapter with a C-clamp, to hold the spring and buffer system into the adapter like the back of the lower receiver of the M10, and held it all together with zip ties. As with many other Mac style uppers with a magwell, the FATD got it to fire.
The determination was the aluminum version was a machine gun and since I was not an SOT, they kept everything other than my M10. The lawyer contacted the FATD and suggested that we were planning to take the 3D printed version to market as we had a determination for it. They said that we could not because the previous determination for the 3D printed version was machine gun because the determination of the 3D version was improper. That was because it was made of plastic and they were afraid to shoot it. Since I had not documented the infired condition when submitted and the residue from being shot by them when it was received back, I couldn’t prove that.
They lied. That pissed me off that the Government Agency would do so. They made the equivalent of a M10 lower receiver from the vice, angle iron, C-clamp, and zip ties. Doing the same thing with any Mac style upper with a magwell would tend to be made to fire. I pushed with the lawyer and State Senator’s office. They didn’t like that. I wanted to sue. The lawyer said that I could, but the courts give the ATF deference because the courts looks to the ATF for advice on what is or isn’t a firearm. What is or isn’t a machine gun. He said that with a $100,000 retainer, possibly more and he felt that would be a huge waste and not very good odds of winning.
We are now five years later. The situation at the ATF is different. But they could lie and use the parts from the original aluminum version that we changed to make the adapter much harder to fire without a M10 lower receiver. But I don’t know what they will do. Hopefully we’ll get an honest determination. But they could still be grinding an ax for us.
This represents the biggest risk I have ever taken, ever. I am scared. At 65, my family can’t afford to lose all that has been invested. But unless you have been in a similar situation with the ATF, with this much riding on this determination, it is just the opinion of a firearms enthusiast. As far as I am concerned this is how I am handling this situation. If you want to front me what we have invested, you can make that decision. But right now it is our money and I am the one making this decision. YMMV.
Thank you Tina.
Scott