I had kind of gotten away from keeping track of goings on regarding KT Ordnance, who seem to be back in action again. For those unfamiliar with the background, I've discussed it before, but will give the story a very shallow going-over here.
KT Ordnance, in Dillon, Montana, is owned by freedom lover and patriot Richard Celata. KT served what is sometimes referred to as the "80% market." The idea here is that legally speaking, the receiver (or frame) is the gun--everything else is just parts, and is no more subject to draconian gun laws than any other chunks of inert material. KT offered 80% completed frames, in which some machining (about 20%, logically enough) would still be required before they could be made into functional firearms. This being the case, an 80% frame was not considered a gun, and could be sold without any draconian legal hoops. The buyer could then complete the machining, assemble the gun, and as long as he never sold it (and never gave it to anyone other than an heir), could do so completely legally.
Observant readers may have noticed that I used the past tense in the above paragraph. That's because in June of 2006, the BATFE raided KT Ordnance and confiscated the inventory and records. Mr. Celata was not arrested at the time, and as far as I know, was never arrested--but his livelihood was shut down.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I had kind of let this story get away from me, but happened this weekend to see that not only is the KT Ordnance website active--they're offering partially completed firearm kits again.
The inventory is a bit different--rather than 80% completed frames, they seem to be offering 60% completed firearms. That .50 caliber 1911-type gun sounds like a firebreather--I don't know what the cartridge is--275 grains at 1400 to 1700 fps sounds much too hot for .50 GI).
I lack the skills to ever make use of KT Ordnance's products, but I am glad to see them back in action.
Monday, July 07, 2008
KT Ordnance back in business?
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7 comments:
[quote]Observant readers may have noticed that I used the past tense in the above paragraph[/quote]
The rule is still 80%, but it seems that Rick and the ATF disagreed on what constituted 80%.
The ATF doesn't have any testing standards, as far as I know, with regards to something being 80% so it's pretty much just their opinion. Rick didn't submit his designs for classification and that drew the attention of the ATF.
Glad to see he's back in business. He's a nice guy and not a threat to anybody.
Thanks for the clarification. I had wondered how one goes about determining the percentage of "doneness."
It would seem to be the same way the ATF determines everything else...utterly at random, according to their 'mood du jour'
I had wondered how one goes about determining the percentage of "doneness."
You can find their "methods" in the indictment in the asset forfeiture case I think. I read it probably a year and a half ago when it came out.
Basically, they ordered up the receiver, and timed how long it took them to turn it into a functional firearm.
I think the 1911 kit was about 2 hours and 45 minute, the AR-15 rifle was under an hour.
The stated time for the AR-15, whatever it actually was, caught me a bit by surprise. I remember clearly thinking that I couldn't do it that fast even if I had a 100% completed stripped lower. Whoever was doing it had some experience at it.
Whoever was doing it had some experience at it.
Either that, or they simply lied.
wait, so these guys MAKE gun parts but not whole guns? that sounds like a great idea. i remember recently hearing a Steve Quale show saying that "they" were about to start going after everyone from gun owners to anti war protesters.
I had never read an interesting article like this one, I think this is like a puzzle where we have to put all pieces together to solve the crossroads, that's a perfect material you gave us.m10m
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