Regarding the previous whatziss... you were right, and you were wrong, those of you who said it was an M6 survival rifle. You were wrong, those of you who said it was one of the more recently manufactured clones, but hey, you couldn't have known.
You are all to be forgiven in that regard, since this rifle is in fact a variant rifle, of the type characterized by the "FrankEnfAusers"... the Turkish Mauser barrelled, Enfield receivered, and mixed stock rifles.
This double-gun started life as an Ithaca-built M6, property-marked USAF, and barreled in .22 Hornet and .410 shotgun, with the short barrels that would require registration as an "AOW," or "Any Other Weapon" under the provisions of GCA '68.
It was surplussed out, and the receiver was demilled by cutting, and the barrels were cut, as well. Somewhere along the line, someone rebuilt the receiver, and installed new barrels in .22LR and .410, so that barrel length would be a legal 18.5 inches.
So, it's not truly an M6, though the receiver is, and it's not one of the GCA-legal clones, such as those Springfield Armory sold.
It's unique. Which makes it interesting, no? And yes, it does have a serial number, that's just been redacted from the pictures.
It was a cheap trick to put the trigger picture upside down in the whatziss, though, eh? I figured many of you would do what I did when I saw that - jump to "tang safety" or things along that line. Good on Pogue, J(NTA) and you others for seeing past the cheap subterfuge...
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"Machinegun. Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession under the control of a person."
The only definition of a short-barrelled rifle is this: "Short-barreled rifle. A rifle having one or more barrels less than 16 inches in length, and any weapon made from a rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such weapon, as modified, has an overall length of less than 26 inches."
The M6 actually has to meet the stricter (well, longer) definition for short-barreled shotgun, i.e., a barrel length of greater than 18 inches - which is why this one was rebuilt to be 18.5 inches, so as to leave no room for interpretation in length. No discussion of receivers in the ATF regs like there is for machine guns.
In the NFA Handbook, there is a specific discussion of a simliar weapon: "NOTE: One version of the Marble’s Game Getter was produced with 18-inch barrels and a folding shoulder stock. This model of the Game Getter, as manufactured, is not subject to the provisions of the NFA because it has barrels that are 18 inches in length and the overall length of the firearm, with stock extended, is more than 26 inches. However, if the shoulder stock has been removed from the 18-inch barrel version of the Game Getter, the firearm has an overall length of less than 26 inches and is an NFA weapon. Specifically, the firearm is classified as a weapon made from a rifle/shotgun."
Emphasis mine.
There is also a specific discussion of the M2 Carbine: The “combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun” language refers to a group of parts designed and intended to be used in converting a weapon into a machinegun. A typical example is those M2 carbine parts that are only used to permit fully automatic fire in a US Carbine M1 or M2.
[
there is a diagram of the parts in the handbook]
The above parts consisting of an M2 selector lever, selector lever spring, disconnector lever assembly, M2 disconnector, disconnector spring, disconnector plunger and M2 hammer are classified as a machinegun. These parts are used specifically for fully automatic fire and have no application in a semiautomatic carbine. While other parts such as an M2 sear, operating slide, trigger housing and stock are used in the fully automatic carbine, these parts are also appropriate for use in semiautomatic M1 carbines.Therefore, the M2 sear, operating slide, trigger housing and stock are not a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun.
As I read the ATF's publications - this gizmo, in the configuration it is in, would not fall under the NFA as an AOW.
That said - I am not a lawyer, so don't go citing me as your defense if you get hauled into court. Hire David Kopel or one of the other firearms law brainiacs.
I guess things have changed since I had my gunstore some 20 years ago, I was licensed to deal in Class 3 and Class 2 stuff. I had an opertunity to take an M2 marked, semi auto, carbine in on a trade, but had some doubts and call DC for an "opinion" and was told "once an M2, always an M2", that BATF looked at the original design, an M2 receiver designed as a select fire weapon. I also put in a bid for 4 SAS (Scandavian Airway Systems) Armalite AR-10's that had been made as semi autos for cockpit use and was told by BATF that I could not bring them in the country as they were designated as select fire and could not be brought in even though they had never been in a select fire mode...Times do change!
Spiff