Southern Gun Show or it's all in the vocabulary

Went to my first Arkansas Gun Show in a little town called Mountain View. What an eye opener it was for someone from the UPTIGHT state of Illinois.
1. A dealer at the show was taking rifles and converting them into "Hand-Guns" He took a 30-30 Winchester lever-action carbine cut off the shoulder stock, replaced the standard lever action with a round lever with a small lever that would flip-up and catch the trigger (The Rifleman-type or John Wayne -type) and cut the barrel off to the tip of the tubular magazine. the whole thing was about 20in long. I asked how he got away with that since 18in was the shortest allowed barrel. "Easy son, it's NOT a rifle. It's a Hand-Gun. See it says so right on the box!" Bracing what was left of the stock against your leg and moving you hand in a circle inside the lever the entire magazine could be emptied in about 2 sec.
2. Another dealer was selling H K MP5 sub-machine guns (civilian semi-auto). So far so good. Next to the MP5s was a bin containing silencers for the MP5. "Aren't those illegal I asked" "Shucks no son, those are not SILENCERS those a COMPENSATORS see it says so on the box. Their weight compensates for the natural barrel rise when you shoot on full auto." "Full-Auto" I asked. "Aren't these semi-auto?" "Yes they are son but I have a kit here (next bin) to convert them." "Isn't that illegal?" I asked. "You bet it is son, but that's between you and the cops."
I am now the proud owner of a brand new H K MP5 with COMPENSATOR and a green Laser sight
3. I have always loved pointy sharp objects. Another dealer was selling a very large selection of switch-blade knives. I have always had a fondness for the type that shoots straight out of the handle. "Thought switch-blade knives were illegal" I said. "Why son, those aren't KNIVES, they're TOOLS, see, it says so right here on the box. I have a new 8in TOOL that is spring-driven out of the handle and spring-driven retracts all in about 2 sec.
4. Arkansas has a concealed carry law (YES!!). 3 hours of classroom plus you have to hit a box 2ft X 2ft with 10 shots from your concealed carry gun. I now have a S W Bodyguard .380 with laser sight and Saturday I take my class
going to post pics in another forum
I LOVE THE SOUTH

That sounds like a local gun store. You should drive to Texas.

The Big List of ALL Texas Gun Shows

DBII

Dang. Our concealed classes here are 8 hours, plus range time. I look forward to the day when the wife and I have a free Saturday to devote to that end...

we dont have CWP classes in PA. you just apply and wait a week or so.

mike, you better watch what you buy. just because they label it as something doesnt make it all hunky dorey...and ignorance is a horrible defense to an agency ( ATF ) that has absolutely no sense of humor. IF the firearm was originally manufactured and serial numbered as a long gun....it is a rifle! you can cut the shoulder stock off without any problems. adversely, you have problems putting a shoulder stock on a pistol like a mauser broomhandle or 45!! NOW IF you cut the barrel shorter than 16.1 inches you have made a short barrelled rifle. the only way around that is if prior to cutting it, you fill out and send in the ATF application ...along with 2 pictures of you...and submit 2 fingerprint cards. This is not big deal...its only ( or was years ago ) a $5.00..yep 5 us bucks and is classified as ( any other weapon ). they also made the "street sweeper shotguns" this designation after the brady bill. after you get the tax stamp back you can cut the barrel. but you are restricted on selling it. each person who buys it must submit the same application..pictures, fingerprints and all...all over again and each time. there is jail time and fines possible if you dont....and these guys ( ATF ) arent known for being very sympathetic.

as for the "compensator", if it has baffles or lowers the decible level it is a suppressor. this is the ATF defination from their regs:

The term "Firearm Silencer" or "Firearm Muffler" means any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for the use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

and "between you and the government" ...yeah it is. however, possession of parts that are used ONLY for select fire or full auto in and by themselves constitutes possession of an unregistered machinegun! and the seller should have made you aware of that. not given you a tongue in cheek ..wink, wink , nudge nudge...what the government doesnt know wont hurt ya? yeah right! if you posses an NFA weapon you have the right to posses "spare parts". if you do not own one...you are deemed as having no right or business to own them and that constitutes "intent" to manufacture an illegal firearm..and are thus considered in possession of a machine gun. back in the late 80s and early 90s a lot of manufacturers got themselves in hot water playing the labeling game. just ask sylvia and wayne daniel from SWD in georgia. they played the word game and got spanked. dont want to preach to you, brother but i dont want you to get yourself jammed up due to semantics.

No problem bobby, I did not buy the pistol/rifle. Much to my surprise I found similar weapons for sale in Joliet, Illinois and they were manufactured that way and labeled "Handgun" apparently copied from the movie "Bounty Hunter". As to the full auto parts, I also passed. I'm not the government and ammo costs big bucks. I well remember how full auto eats up a 30 round clip.
I also remember the initial civilian versions of the M15, all you had to do was use a Dremmel to file off the sere that caught the action after each round.
Coming from the State of Illinois I was amazed by the casual attitude here in the South. Went to Bass Pro in Illinois and watched as a customer came in to pick up a pump shotgun. He had to wait 24Hr to get his gun, the store manager had to come and check all the paperwork, then he and the salesman had to escort the guy out of the store. I paid for the MP5, showed my DL, signed a form and walked out with the gun and 500 rounds of ammo.
so thanks brother, but I remain legal

Mike check you state laws, switchblades aren't illegal everywhere. In Arkansas the legal as long as they're not carried for defense. They're for cleaning under you nails, cutting rope, etc.
There's lots of manufactor of suppressors that look like silencers, but really only have the look, and do almost nothing to quite the blast.

That guy selling those kits to convert MP-5's to full auto is living free on borrowed time.

tyro, yup, as I said it's all in the vocabulary, it's a TOOL as the man said. a 8in blade that shoots straight out of the handle and retracts just as fast would have you dead (in the right spot) before anyone would even know what happened. Don't know the laws on part selling but there were cops walking around the show as well as firemen, guys from fish and game, and a few corps of engineer guys and no one seemed to care.
as to the compensator, it does help with recoil and the extra length seems to quiet the muzzle. I hear more from the receiver end. I just think it looks cool

Dang, Mike....I wanna visit one day! Would love to take a crack at the tarantula invasion with an MP5...

got plenty of room RA, anytime brother