F troop to the rescue again

[Katya Mullethov]

TACOMA, Wash. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipment of 30 machine guns that arrived in an ocean container at the Tacoma Seaport last October.

Officials say the shipment of M-4 automatic rifles, manifested only as "Toys and Parts," was valued at nearly $10,000 and was shipped from a manufacturer in Taiwan.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms found that the rifles were tooled to shoot plastic balls, but replacement of internal components with original machine gun components would render the rifles capable of firing live ammunition.

"These rifles could have had far-reaching and potentially devastating ramifications if they had gotten into the hands of individuals who wanted to do harm in the American population," said Customs and Border Protection Area Port Director, Rolando Suliveras, Jr. "This was a good interception by our officers."

The guns will be destroyed.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Machine-guns-seized-at-Tacoma-port-85246447.html



Oh yeah , there's a lot more to it .

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. that picture is a tad small... but that is not a machine gun.

I do not see a second pin for an autosear.
At best, it might accept a standard lpk and fire semi-automatically.

also, wouldn't it need a REAL barrel and chamber and gas system to be a real rifle.
I'm not aware of any airsoft guns that have sammi/nato spec chambers...

Overall I find this story to be lacking alot of detail and/or qualifying picctures.

[truedelphi]

2. And note the amount stated as being stopped.

Not even three dozen guns!

The corrupt Illinois State Police had this many in their car trunks to hand over to whoever they were involved with in their illegal schemes during a single weekend time frame.

[slackmaster]

8. I concur. No autosear pin = not inherently an MG.

If they can be easily converted to fire live ammo, the importation was done illegally.

[Historic NY]

3. ITs an AIRSOFT product

http://www.airsplat.com/M4-Airsoft-Rifle.htm

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. Correct. If it can fire an airsoft pellet, it cannot fire a bullet. This article is ridiculous.

#1) Airsoft pellets are different diameter than an M-4/AR-15 bullet diameter.
#2) A functional airsoft gun wouldn't have a chamber that could hold hold a rifle round.
#3) It would need a real AR bolt carrier ($200), LPK ($75), magazine, AR barrel and gas system ($175), and likely a spring buffer recoil system ($35?).

AT BEST... this is an airsoft gun that uses a basic lower & upper receiver receiver similar or compatible with an AR type rifle. Plus, I doubt the receivers are aircraft grade tempered aluminum with mil spec hardcoat anodizing. Likely cheap airsoft potmetal with lead-filled paint. I don't know know anyone who would buy a $300 toy and spend upwards of $450 turning it into a real firearm. If the whole point of this "toy" is to use the receivers, why not save money and just buy a REAL $100 lower receiver and $90 upper receiver?

Whoever wrote this article would flip their shit if they saw the airsoft PS-90 <--> Ruger 10/22 combination conversions.
Turn that airsoft PS90 into a real firearm (.22lr) that looks just like a real PS90.

[ManiacJoe]

4. Sounds like folks at the BATF have been smoking too much contraband.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms found that the rifles were tooled to shoot plastic balls, but replacement of internal components with original machine gun components would render the rifles capable of firing live ammunition.

:wtf:

[NYC_SKP]

5. That is a toy air gun, not a machine gun. See the box, "WE CQBR", here it is:

You can buy them at Airsplat. No FFL required.

WE M4 CQB-R Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle
Specifications:
- Velocity: 450 fps (0.2 g BB) / Range 160-180 feet
- Barrel Length: 11.5 inches / 29 cm
- Magazine Capacity: 30 Rounds
Features:
- Full Quad Rail
- Retractable Stock
- Metal Construction
- Made in Taiwan



http://www.airsplat.com/items/GR-WE-CQBR-GBB.htm

I suppose you could turn ANY toy gun into a real gun, if you fit real gun parts inside of it.

WTF, ATF???

:wtf:

[GreenStormCloud]

7. Yes, if you replace every single part with a real M-4 part, it would be a real...

...machine gun. But that would mean replacing the entire gun with a real gun. Sounds to me like the BATFE needs a headline. AIRSOFT guns can not be converted to fire real bullets.

[spin]

9. K&R... I wonder if the BATF will use the same logic to ban ...

the import of semi-auto rifles.

[Hoopla Phil]

10. Follow up story. The toy store owner is furious of this!

http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/news/topstories/story/ATF-seizes-30-toy-guns-infuriating-local-business/vUVs2QUCAUuZWeRrqgIQaA.cspx

CORNELIUS, Ore. - A local business owner is flabbergasted after a shipment of 30 toy guns for his store was confiscated by ATF agents in Tacoma.

"To say these are readily convertible to machine guns is absolutely preposterous,” he said. “The round wouldn't go into the firing chamber and even if the firing pin did strike the primer the gun would basically blow up in your face.”

ATF said it also seized the toys because they are missing the blaze orange tips required on all imported toy guns.

____________________________________________________________________________

And there it is. BATFE resources being used to enforce the "orange tip" regulations on toys.