AR-15 restrictions...

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  • boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    I understand that I could go back and read the legislation but I know some of you could give me this info in your sleep...

    If I wanted to build an AR-15 style rifle that shot 22LR or 9mm or something like that, would it be subject to the same restrictions as a 223/556 rifle...needing to have a heavy barrel to be legal in the state of Maryland?

    Does it make any difference at all if you start with an 80% lower?

    And if I started with a complete serialized lower purchased in another state to build a rifle over the next several years...would the lower and/or the finished rifle still need to be cleared with the state of Maryland?

    Is a stock S&W M&P 15-22 legal in Maryland?
     

    jamesp15

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    420
    Southern PG
    Calibers other than 5.56/.223 dont need to follow the HBAR restriction.

    M&P15-22 is legal.

    No idea on 80% or out of state stuff.
     

    mvee

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 13, 2007
    2,487
    Crofton
    A rifle built now has to be hbar or other caliber. It would be difficult for a MD resident to be able to legally buy a lower in another state.

    To do this I think they would have to be a resident of the other state too. I am not sure how this works. If you were able to get a lower from out of state, you’d have to register it if you brought it in as a lower or a pistol(I think). I guess you wouldn’t have to do this if it was an Hbar when you brought it into Maryland.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Lots there;
    If you build an AR to fire 5.56/.223, it will have to have a heavy barrel, whether it is an 80% or serialized lower.

    If you build a .22 cal AR, it does not need to have a heavy barrel, nor does a 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 APC, 300 Blk, etc. It can be from a serialized lower or an 80% lower.


    A lower purchased in another state, assuming you purchased it legally as a resident of that state, might have to be 'registered' in Md. I'm not sure on this one point. There are people here who can give better information on that than I.


    AFAIK the M&P 15/22 is legal in Md. It is a dedicated rim fire.
     

    Rab1515

    Ultimate Member
    Patriot Picket
    Apr 29, 2014
    2,081
    Calvert
    Lots there;
    If you build an AR to fire 5.56/.223, it will have to have a heavy barrel, whether it is an 80% or serialized lower.

    If you build a .22 cal AR, it does not need to have a heavy barrel, nor does a 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 APC, 300 Blk, etc. It can be from a serialized lower or an 80% lower.


    A lower purchased in another state, assuming you purchased it legally as a resident of that state, might have to be 'registered' in Md. I'm not sure on this one point. There are people here who can give better information on that than I.


    AFAIK the M&P 15/22 is legal in Md. It is a dedicated rim fire.

    223/5.56 pistols are also exempt from the HBar requirement.
     

    outobie

    Active Member
    Mar 7, 2012
    142
    Annapolis
    If you use a pistol brace rather than a stock on a 16” barreled 556/223 is it a pistol or a rifle (ie HBAR required or not)?
     

    jeff g

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Jul 7, 2020
    39
    Anybody have information regarding the heavy barrel specifications required for Maryland ar15
     

    Reptile

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 29, 2014
    7,282
    Columbia MD
    Anybody have information regarding the heavy barrel specifications required for Maryland ar15

    Maryland does not go by specifications in determining if a barrel is HBAR. They go by the manufacturer’s advertizing and/or the HBAR marking on the barrel.
     

    GutPile

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 4, 2016
    3,218
    Correct me if Im wrong but SBRs are still G2G as long as it meets the OAL length requirement. Get a proper 14.5. You will love it.
     

    PowPow

    Where's the beef?
    Nov 22, 2012
    4,712
    Howard County
    Correct me if Im wrong but SBRs are still G2G as long as it meets the OAL length requirement. Get a proper 14.5. You will love it.

    If you properly pin and weld a muzzle break to 16"+ on the 14.5, it doesn't even need to be an SBR. It would need to be an HBAR if .223/5.56.
     

    Kirkster

    Active Member
    Jan 9, 2009
    329
    Severn, PRoMD
    So building a lower as a host for a PWS Mk116 looks to be no issue since the Mk116 is on the MD firearm search as ”The Primary Weapons Systems MK116 is a “heavy barrel” copy of a Colt AR-15, and as such, exempted from the definition of regulated firearms, pursuant to the enumerated banned assault weapons list.”

    Because I can get the upper but no complete rifles are currently around...

    So building up a Gucci lower to go with that upper should be ok, right?
     

    SkiPatrolDude

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 24, 2017
    3,331
    Timonium-Lutherville
    If you use a pistol brace rather than a stock on a 16” barreled 556/223 is it a pistol or a rifle (ie HBAR required or not)?

    It's not a rifle, since with a brace it is not meant to be shouldered. - At least currently, a pistol braced AR has no barrel length restriction.

    At some point with a long enough barrel (not sure what length) it becomes an "other" which is a category of firearms that are legally speaking not a rifle, nor a hand-gun, but nonetheless can still be used with a brace because it is not intended/ designed to be shouldered.

    In summary, you are only tied to the HBAR requirement if you are building an AR pattern rifle in 5.56/.223.
     

    offthepaper

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 7, 2007
    2,637
    Harford County
    So if someone bought a pencil barreled upper for an AR build, that would be a no-go in MD?
    Is possession of a pencil barrel upper only (not built into a rifle ) legal in MD?
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    So if someone bought a pencil barreled upper for an AR build, that would be a no-go in MD?
    Is possession of a pencil barrel upper only (not built into a rifle ) legal in MD?
    You can own, buy, and/or sell pencil barrels in Merryland. You are prohibited from putting them on post 10/1/13 lowers while inside Md state lines.
     

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