I live in VT, I wish to legally make my own shotgun, essentially a copy of the Richardson Guerilla Gun. I have not done so nor have I ever manufactured a firearm before and do not have any materials at hand to do so.
However, there are many questions and concerns I have about this.
1: VT has a law against possession or creation of a "zip gun" and as far as I know the only definition of that from the sources I've gathered is something to the effect of an AOW (concealed firearm type AOW IE a 'pen gun') or according to one website anything that would fall under the label of "a crude design." This leads me to believe that since there is no real definition of a "crude design" that any ATF agent or law enforcement officer could essentially under personal opinion justify an arrest with something along the lines of 'this wasn't made in a factory therefore it is a crude design and is illegal.' Is not the word crude something entirely based on opinion? Kind of an odd legal term to use. Which leads me to
2: the fact that federal law states nothing about not being able to create something that would (for legal reasons) be deemed as a "zip gun." If it were NFA applicable, it would just need the proper tax stamp and registration; correct? Does not federal law trump state law regardless?
3: I have had people tell me, regardless of whether or not it's an NFA item, or whether or not you have intent to distribute or sell, that any personally made firearm's design must be approved by the ATF before you can manufacture it and that it would need a federally registered (or at least locally registered) serial number to be permanently engraved on the receiver, etc etc. Is this true?
4: Is it true that if a firearm can operate without the stock, and if without the stock it could be easily concealed as something else, (IE stainless steel pipes) that it would technically be an AOW?
However, there are many questions and concerns I have about this.
1: VT has a law against possession or creation of a "zip gun" and as far as I know the only definition of that from the sources I've gathered is something to the effect of an AOW (concealed firearm type AOW IE a 'pen gun') or according to one website anything that would fall under the label of "a crude design." This leads me to believe that since there is no real definition of a "crude design" that any ATF agent or law enforcement officer could essentially under personal opinion justify an arrest with something along the lines of 'this wasn't made in a factory therefore it is a crude design and is illegal.' Is not the word crude something entirely based on opinion? Kind of an odd legal term to use. Which leads me to
2: the fact that federal law states nothing about not being able to create something that would (for legal reasons) be deemed as a "zip gun." If it were NFA applicable, it would just need the proper tax stamp and registration; correct? Does not federal law trump state law regardless?
3: I have had people tell me, regardless of whether or not it's an NFA item, or whether or not you have intent to distribute or sell, that any personally made firearm's design must be approved by the ATF before you can manufacture it and that it would need a federally registered (or at least locally registered) serial number to be permanently engraved on the receiver, etc etc. Is this true?
4: Is it true that if a firearm can operate without the stock, and if without the stock it could be easily concealed as something else, (IE stainless steel pipes) that it would technically be an AOW?