Understanding Ye Olde Majesty's Law on ARs

Curious said:

Hi all,

Sorry for my incompetence at using the search function if it's been covered before, I just wanted to clarify a few points because of how much MSP loves being ambiguous on our rights and because I love my dog and future dogs to come too much to risk it. For assembling an AR in MD, as far as I could find off of MSP and forums (still ambiguous), the HBAR rule only applies to centrefire semi-autos chambered in 5.56/.223, correct? An HBAR would not be required for an AR10 build or an "AR15" build chambered in something other than 5.56/.223, such as x39 or 5.45? I'm sure you vets are tired of answering this question over and over so sorry for being another imposing newbie.

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Curious said:

Just to clarify- a friend informed me on .223 Wylde being capable of firing that, .223 Rem, and 5.56 all from the same barrel. Would being built for .223W be enough to circumvent the copycat ban?

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Curious said:

Just to clarify- a friend informed me on .223 Wylde being capable of firing that, .223 Rem, and 5.56 all from the same barrel. Would being built for .223W be enough to circumvent the copycat ban?

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Curious said:

Good idea, I'll stick to being safe. I'll probably just settle for an AR-10 since finding a complete AR-15 HBAR upper is basically an impossibility right now. I might also opt for an AR-9 as a range toy since I'm only ever going to be doing some plinking and don't expect to be going beyond 100 yds at the most (at which point the 10 is overkill as it is). Thanks for all the help, friends. I greatly appreciate it- as does my pooch.

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Pinecone said:

Just realize, the limitation to only .223/5.56 is a MSP construct and could change at any time.

The list does not list caliber for ARs. But it does list caliber for other banned firearms.

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Bolts Rock said:

OP- just don't try to figure out MD gun laws. Best case is you go insane, usual result is irreparable brain damage.

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Bolts Rock said:

... usual result is irreparable brain damage.

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Pinecone said:

Just realize, the limitation to only .223/5.56 is a MSP construct and could change at any time.

The list does not list caliber for ARs. But it does list caliber for other banned firearms.

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lazarus said:

However, also please realize the LAW specifically says that to be considered a copy of a banned enumerated firearm it has to be completely parts interchangeable.

Now, a DA can try to argue to a jury that an "AR-15" is also one that is in 6.5 Grendel with a bolt, magazine and barrel that will not allow it to fire .223/5.56x45mm ammunition. And you can swap those out, but then it doesn't function to fire the 6.5 Grendel ammunition you had built it as.

DA is going to have a real hard time though getting a conviction when the state police have been saying various ARs in non-223 caliber are legit and fine.

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Pinecone said:

A NAMED banned firearm does not have to meet the copy requirements. It IS banned.

The test would be if it is fully parts compatible with an AR in the same caliber.

The MSP list and recommendations are NOT the law. They even state that on the web page of banned and not banned firearms.

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lazarus said:

However an AR-15 is .223/5.56. ARs in other calibers are often called AR-15s, but aren’t.

They aren’t fully parts compatible in most cases because if you, for example swapped a 6.5 Grendel bolt it won’t shoot .223. Or for that matter won’t shoot anything unless you swapped several other parts too.

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