i want to make a pistol out of a cetme

[bigjake2112]

i wana make a pistol out of a cetme prefably 1 that look like a tokyo marui g3 sas airsoft gun or like a hk 51 but what do i need and is it legal

[BattleRifleG3]

Taking a CETME and simply cutting it down into a pistol would not be legal. It would not be a pistol, but a "short barreled rifle".

To build a CETME into a pistol, use a "virgin" receiver, one that has never been built into a rifle, and build your CETME on it. Then you can have as short a barrel as you like.

Alternatively, if you don't mind a 16" minimum barrel and a 26" minimum overall length, you can remove the buttstock and treat it like a pistol, though it would technically be a rifle.

[BattleRifleG3]

My recommendation - an AK is MUCH easier to build, and the ballistics will be pretty similar with pistol length barrels. Or an AR is even easier to build with lower skill, it's pretty much plug and play. Do the same virgin receiver building, but the parst are so much easier to find and much less expensive, plus you waste less powder using lighter rounds.

[bigjake2112]

ok thanx

[bigjake2112]

heres a pic of what i want it to look lke

[BattleRifleG3]

If it must be G3/CETME based, then yeah, the above directions would be the way to do it. Building a G3/CETME is no easy task. It is among the most tool and skill demanding guns to build.

Note that a foregrip as pictured would be illegal on a pistol. It would make it a restricted weapon called an AOW.

My recommendation is that if it's supposed to have a silencer attached, keep the barrel 16" and attach a fake silencer over it. That way you can use one already built as a rifle. I think the rest of the gun will make up the rest of 26" but if it were mine I'd add a retractable stock to at least give the option of shouldering it and firing accurately.

My thoughts are don't just copy a movie, make it your own, wherever your inspiration comes from. Mind if I ask what your prior gun experience is?

[SilverRun]

My advice would be to stick with the airsoft. Or fork over the money and buy a registered AOW from a class III dealer. Not worth jail time for a cute but useless rifle/pistol/whatever. Just my 2 cents. Have fun, but be CARFULL!

[BattleRifleG3]

That's why you use a virgin receiver and leave the foregrip out, or keep a rifle length barrel. Both options would be legal. Airsoft of course doen't have any such restrictions so you could do whatever you want with it, and pay less too. A good choice if you're not seriously into doing custom gun work.

[bigjake2112]

all rite ill make it a rifle
experinace not much but i know cetmes inside and out but any thing els ditly

[BattleRifleG3]

You could go the expensive route and have it turned into an HK-51 type appearance (except with the larger barrel) or talk to your local gunsmith. Don't be surprised if he looks at you strangely.

[bigjake2112]

what makes it illegal with that kind of fore grip on pistol

[BattleRifleG3]

There's a law that congress made in 1935 to figure out what to do with the newly formed BATF after prohibition ended. It forced rifles, pistols, and shotguns into cookie cutter categories. Anything else was restricted.
Pistols had to have only one grip perpendicular to the barrel. Pen guns don't count, nor do handguns with multiple vertical grips. Restricted categories included short barreled rifles and shotguns, destructive devices (rifles over 50 cal), silencers, machineguns, and AOWs. AOW meant Any Other Weapon that doesn't fit those cookie cutter categories.
Such restricted weapons are called NFA weapons and require registration and approval BEFORE taking posession, that can take well over a year to process, and there's a $200 transfer tax to buy or build one. You must be 21 to do so.

[bigjake2112]

o ok i c now i didnt know thanx i can make it just not with a virt for grip

[BattleRifleG3]

You can have a vertical grip on a rifle. Not a pistol.

These laws never did make sense. It's all about gining these agencies something to do besides actually fight real crime.

[bigjake2112]

i know they arnt good for that

[bigjake2112]

wat wold i need to make it a rifle like the airsoft gun

[BattleRifleG3]

1. Spelling lessons in order to read all subsequent directions.
2. How much like the airsoft gun does it have to be?
3. Have the barrel shortened, assuming you want it to be as close to a pistol as possible. 16" at bare minimum, always good to add a quarter inch or two. Must recrown it.
4. Have the front site moved back and cocking tube shortened. This may require work to the barrel and/or front site.
5. Have a handguard made to match the one shown with accessory rails. They might already exist for the MP5. You'd have to look into that.
6. Remove the buttstock from the assembly with the recoil spring and replace it with some sort of blank block. OR do as I suggested and install a retractable stock, which is shown directly beneath the pistol grip.
7. If you follow these directions and simply modify an existing rifle while it remains a rifle, you can use a vertical foregrip.
8. Site rail as shown above.

[SilverRun]

Does the import ban parts count figure into this anywhere? Sorry, still hung up on keeping you outa jail!

[BattleRifleG3]

Indeed they do matter. Reason I went all this way without mentioning it is that the only parts you'd be replacing are the handguard and buttstock. The rest would just be modified. The handguard and buttstock are already foreign and US parts would already be used elsewhere in the rifle. So the short story is it already has US parts, and anything he'd do in this conversion would add to the count, not subtract.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

BR ;
If you take a virgin reciever and build a pistol do you have to register the gun with ATF?

I know you have to register a gun if you build one from scratch (all raw materials)

That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. AR with smaller top is illegal but long top ok........