Are surplus MP5 trigger groups legal to own?

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

Hi everybody,

I was at a gun show and a vendor had surplus MP5 trigger groups for sale. He told me they are legal to own and come with all of the parts, including the sear.

Are these legal to possess? He told me they were. I looked on gunbroker and saw some for sale to

 

[spencer rifle]

 

[shootersix]

Look, if some dude at at a gun show says it…it must be legal!

Either that or he hasn’t hit his quota of dogs shot yet!

 

[Aszerigan]

On an MP5, there are two ways machine guns were registered - receiver and registered sear / trigger pack.

Technically if it’s not a registered pack, it’s legal to own as long as you don’t have a convertible MP5 around. If it was registered and “lost,” then you could be in for a long vacation in camp Fed.

Check the packs for serial numbers. If it has no serial number ANYWHERE on the lower including engraved on any internal metal parts, it’s probably ok.

But I wouldn’t keep one around. Just my opinion.

 

[Aszerigan]

Also, just because it had a three round or other markings / pictogram, it doesn’t mean it’s a FA trigger pack. Lots of people drop single/semi triggers in dressed up grips for the novelty of it.

 

[Fallschirmjaeger]

Totally legal. They will not function on a semi HK or clone.

 

[Aszerigan]

Totally legal. They will not function on a semi HK or clone.

Correct, but semi autos can be modified.

 

[amafrank]

Legally speaking the trigger housings and groups are perfectly legal and no problem to own. The receivers of the firearms made as semi autos were modified so as to prevent the full auto trigger groups from fitting. For that reason there is no way you can fit a full auto group on a semi auto without modifying something drastically and in doing that you're guilty of a crime.

Modifying the trigger pack, whether registered or not, requires cutting out the forward portion that retains the trip sear. Doing this basically turns the trigger housing into a semi auto only trigger housing and this is done all the time by guys who build their own firearms. It is perfectly legal.

Modifying the firearm by removing the blocking bar in the receiver is a criminal offense if you have no license. It is classified as making an unregistered machinegun. Can it be done? Yes it can. But many crimes can be committed and are not. If you don't commit the crime you can't legally be prosecuted. That is the law.

The only real problem comes in when people don't really know the rules and laws but think they do. Most cops have no idea what is legal and what isn't.

Frank