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Receiver (firearms)

Firearm component that houses the operating parts of the weapon

Firearm component that houses the operating parts of the weapon

In firearms terminology and law, the firearm frame or receiver is the part of a firearm which integrates other components by providing housing for internal action components such as the hammer, bolt or breechblock, firing pin and extractor, and has threaded interfaces for externally attaching ("receiving") components such as the barrel, stock, trigger mechanism and iron/optical sights. Some firearm designs, such as the AR-15 platform, feature receivers that have 2 separate sub-assemblies called the upper receiver which houses the barrel/trunnion, bolt components etc and the lower receiver (trigger mechanism housing in some cases) that holds the fire control group, pistol grip, selector, stock etc.

The receiver is often made of forged, machined, or stamped steel or aluminium. Apart from these traditional materials, modern techniques have introduced polymer and sintered metal powder receivers to the market.

Mounting

A barrel may typically be affixed to a firearm receiver using barrel and receiver action threads or similar methods.

In Canadian law

The receiver or frame is legally the firearm, and as such it is the part that requires a manufacturer's serial number and valid Possession and Acquisition Licence to acquire and own. In the case of a handgun frame or revolver frame, it is the part that requires a Restricted-class PAL (RPAL), and registration.

In US law

For the purposes of United States law, the receiver or frame is legally the firearm, and as such it is the controlled part. The definition of which assembly is the legal receiver varies from firearm to firearm, under US law. Generally, the law requires licensed manufacturers and importers to mark the designated receiver with a serial number, the manufacturer or importer, the model and caliber. Makers of receivers are restricted by International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Thus, in the case of a firearm that has multiple receiver parts, such as the AR-15, which has an upper and a lower receiver, the legally controlled part is the one that is serialized.

For the AR-15 rifle, the lower receiver assembly is legally considered the actual receiver, although it is functionally a chassis that also houses the separate trigger group. In the FN-FAL rifle, it is the upper assembly that is serialized and legally considered the receiver. This has led to prosecutors dropping charges against illegal manufacturing of AR-type firearms to avoid court precedents establishing that neither the upper nor the lower receiver individually contain all the components to be legally classified as a firearm.

Unfinished receivers

"Unfinished receivers", also called "80 percent receivers" or "blanks", are partially completed receivers with no serial numbers. Purchasers must perform their own finishing work in order to make the receiver usable. The finishing of receivers for sale or distribution by unlicensed persons is against US law. Because an unfinished 80% receiver is not a firearm, purchasers do not need to pass a background check. The resulting firearm is known as a "ghost gun".

During the Biden Administration, the ATF imposed regulations on the sale and marketing of unfinished receivers and kits containing them by revising the legal definition of receivers to include "a partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver, including a frame or receiver parts kit, that is designed to or may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to function as a frame or receiver". (The term "receiver" was also redefined as referring to non-handgun firearms, while "frame" was redefined as referring to handguns exclusively.) The new definitions went into effect on August 24, 2022. In the case VanDerStok v. Garland, filed on June 30, 2023, a federal court in Texas ruled that the new ATF regulations exceeded the agency's statutory authority, and struck them down. However, on August 8, 2023, the Texas court's nationwide vacatur was temporarily placed on hold by the Supreme Court of the United States, leaving the new ATF regulations on unfinished receivers in place.

3D printed receivers

, several designs and at least two designs for 3D printable polymer lower unfinished receivers for the AR-15 have been released: the AR Lower V5 and the Charon. 3D printed designs may also be used to produce privately made firearms.

NameDate made publicTypeProcessDesignerCaliberAR Lower V5CharonWarFairy P-15Hanuman AR-15 BullpupRuger ChargerCM901Lopoint / BigpointScz0rpion3011 / 3011DS3DPD10
2013-032013, MarchReceiver: AR-15 rifle lower receiverFDMDefense Distributed.223 Rem/ 5.56×45
2013-05May 2013Receiver: AR-15 rifle lower receiverFDMWarFairy.223 Rem/ 5.56×45
2013-052013, MayReceiver: AR-15 rifle lower receiverFDMWarFairy.223 Rem/ 5.56×45
2014-052014, MayReceiver: AR-15 rifle bullpup lower receiverFDM w/ ABSWarFairy.223 Rem/ 5.56×45
2014-072014, JulyReceiver: Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic pistolFDM"Buck-o-Fama" (pseudonym).22 Long Rifle
A pistol version of the popular Ruger 10/22 rifle.
2015-032015, MarchReceiver: AR-10 ReceiverFDMPrinted Firearm7.62×51mm
2019, November (v1); 2020, November (,40/.45); 2021, May (v2)Frame: Hi-Point pistol frameFDMCTRLPew / Atmac / freeman13379×19mm Parabellum, .380 ACP, .40 S&W, .45 ACP
2020, OctoberReceiver: CZ Scorpion Evo 3 receiverFDMAre We Cool Yet?9×19mm Parabellum
2021, November; 2023, January (DS)Receiver: 1911 based PDWFDMDeterrence Dispensed.45 ACP, 9×19mm Parabellum, .22 TCM
2023, AprilFrame: Pistol frameFDMAvidity Arms9×19mm Parabellum

References

References

  1. (2016). "27 CFR 478.11: Meaning of terms". US Government.
  2. Royal Air Force Common Core and Deployment Skills Aide-Memoire AP 3242B VOL 5, ABBREVIATIONS
  3. "HK416 modular assault rifle / carbine / upper receiver assembly (Germany)".
  4. "Firearms - Frequently Asked Questions - Firearms Technology {{!}} ATF".
  5. Muramatsu, Kevin. (2015). "Gun Digest 2016". F+W Media, Inc..
  6. (31 August 2015). "Identifying & Tracing the FN Herstal FAL Rifle: Documenting signs of diversion in Syria and beyond". [[Armament Research Services]] Pty. Ltd..
  7. (2008). "27 CFR 478.11: DEFINITION OF FIREARM FRAME OR RECEIVER". ATF.
  8. Scott Glover. (11 October 2019). "He sold illegal AR-15s. Feds agreed to let him go free to avoid hurting gun control efforts".
  9. (May 13, 2014). "'Unfinished receivers,' a gun part that is sold separately, lets some get around the law". Washington Post.
  10. (December 19, 2015). "California black market surges for 'ghost guns'". Sacramento Bee.
  11. {{Federal Register. 87. 24652
  12. {{cite court. (2022-08-11). link
  13. Liptak, Adam. (2023-08-08). "By 5-4 Vote, Supreme Court Revives Biden's Regulation of 'Ghost Guns'".
  14. (June 3, 2015). "I Made an Untraceable AR-15 Ghost Gun in My Office And It Was Easy".
  15. Biggs, John. (March 1, 2013). "Defense Distributed Prints An AR-15 Receiver That Has Fired More Than 600 Rounds". [[TechCrunch]].
  16. [http://defdist.tumblr.com/post/44209819568/printed-ar-lower-v5-review Printed AR Lower v5 Review], Defense Distributed official tumblr blog ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141006141400/http://defdist.tumblr.com/post/44209819568/printed-ar-lower-v5-review archive])
  17. [http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2013/05/22/3d-printed-hybrid-ar-15fn-p90-lower-and-12-gauge-slugs-make-web-debut/ 3D-printed Hybrid AR-15/FN P90 Lower and 12 Gauge Slugs Make Web Debut], outdoorhub, May 22, 2013. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140910200017/http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2013/05/22/3d-printed-hybrid-ar-15fn-p90-lower-and-12-gauge-slugs-make-web-debut/ archive])
  18. Slowik, Max, [http://www.guns.com/2013/06/03/meet-the-charon-family-of-3d-printable-ar-lowers-photos/ Meet the Charon Family of 3D-Printable AR Lowers (Photos)] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-08-02 , 3 June 2013.)
  19. Slowik, Max, [http://www.guns.com/2013/07/01/3d-printing-community-updates-liberator-with-rifle-pepperbox-and-glock-powered-shuty-9 "3D Printing Community Updates Liberator with Rifle, Pepperbox and Glock-Powered ‘Shuty-9′"] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-08-03 , 1 July 2013.)
  20. [http://grabcad.com/library/charon-v3-1 Charon V3], grabcad, September 3, 2013. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140910215809/http://grabcad.com/library/charon-v3-1 archive])
  21. [http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/05/27/warfairys-3d-printable-ar-15-bullpup/ WarFairy’s 3D Printable AR-15 Bullpup], firearmblog, May 27, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140910200117/http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/05/27/warfairys-3d-printable-ar-15-bullpup/ archive])
  22. [http://www.guns.com/2014/05/25/check-out-this-3d-printable-bullpup-for-ar-pattern-uppers/ Check out this 3D-printable bullpup for AR-pattern uppers], Guns.com, May 27, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195954/http://www.guns.com/2014/05/25/check-out-this-3d-printable-bullpup-for-ar-pattern-uppers/ archive])
  23. [http://3dprint.com/8398/3d-printed-gun-semi-automatic/ 3D Printed Semi-automatic Ruger Charger Pistol is Assembled and Fired – ‘If you take my gun, I’ll print another!’], 3Dprint, July 4, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141005211105/http://3dprint.com/8398/3d-printed-gun-semi-automatic archive])
  24. [http://reason.com/blog/2014/07/07/3d-printed-semiautomatic-22-debuts-if-yo 3D-Printed Semiautomatic .22 Debuts. "If you take my gun, I will simply print another one."], Reason, July 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140925133120/http://reason.com/blog/2014/07/07/3d-printed-semiautomatic-22-debuts-if-yo archive])
  25. [http://www.ammoland.com/2014/07/3d-printed-ruger-charger-style-pistol-by-buck-o-fama/#axzz3EUU0yfrM 3D Printed Ruger Style Pistol Demo by Buck O’ Fama ~ Video], Ammoland, July 4, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141006085534/http://www.ammoland.com/2014/07/3d-printed-ruger-charger-style-pistol-by-buck-o-fama/ archive])
  26. [http://news.softpedia.com/news/3D-Printing-Lets-Man-Assemble-Ruger-Charger-Pistol-Without-Legal-Paperwork-449881.shtml 3D Printing Lets Man Assemble Ruger Charger Pistol Without Legal Paperwork], Softpedia, July 8, 2014. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134311/http://news.softpedia.com/news/3D-Printing-Lets-Man-Assemble-Ruger-Charger-Pistol-Without-Legal-Paperwork-449881.shtml archive])
  27. [https://www.engadget.com/2015/03/26/great-now-3d-printed-rifles-can-fire-7-62mm-nato-rounds/ Great, now 3D-printed rifles can fire larger, deadlier rounds]
  28. {{in lang. tr [http://shiftdelete.net/3d-yazicidan-uretilen-olumcul-tufek-59354 3D Yazıcıdan Üretilen Ölümcül Tüfek!]
  29. C, Luke. (2019-12-09). "This 3D Printed Hi-Point May Be the Cheapest Pistol in Existence".
  30. (2020-10-29). "The AWCY 3D Printed Scz0rpion - Is a 3D printed Sub Gun Viable?".
  31. (2020-10-29). "The AWCY 3D Printed Scz0rpion - Is a 3D printed Sub Gun Viable?".
  32. "AWCY? Scz0rpion 1000 rd crucible test".
  33. (2021-09-10). "Ivan The Troll Introduces the 3011 Pistol - A 1911 that "Doesn't Suck"".
  34. "PD10 Pistol".
  35. Arms, Avidity. (2023-05-09). "3DPD10 Parts Kit at JSD Supply!".
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