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Registering AR receiver? (Read 1246 times)

Honoruru

Registering AR receiver?
« on: October 24, 2025, 05:22:26 PM »
Was thinking of picking up a stripped lower receiver. Was wondering if I would have to register it after purchasing?
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LRT

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2025, 06:08:29 PM »
Yes
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notMYguns

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2025, 01:53:38 AM »
Not only do you need to register the lower after you buy it, I was told by HPD you need to bring it in and register in person once finally assembled.

My jaw dropped when i tried to get a copy of my registration and they said - "this is an assembled gun?  You need to bring it in for us to look at"
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Flapp_Jackson

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2025, 11:49:31 AM »
Quote from: notMYguns on October 25, 2025, 01:53:38 AM
Not only do you need to register the lower after you buy it, I was told by HPD you need to bring it in and register in person once finally assembled.

My jaw dropped when i tried to get a copy of my registration and they said - "this is an assembled gun?  You need to bring it in for us to look at"
They can tell you that, but it's not the law.

I've completed 2 stripped lowers as rifles. Nobody came knocking at the door asking if i completed them.

When I transferred them to others, I gave HPD a copy of my registrations showing "receiver only".  When sold, the new description was typed on the new owners' registration forms with barrel length, etc.

Just because a Cop at a desk tells you what you need to do doesn't mean you must do it.  A good follow-up question for them would have been, "what happens if I build it and don't update the registration?"

This "probelm" is not a real problem.  When you change a 9mm or .223 firearm to a .22LR with a conversion kit, do you have to run to the station to update the paperwork or have an inspection?  How about when you put a new conversion kit on your Sig P320 changing it from a full size 10mm to a compact 9mm?

Nope.  It's nowhere to be found in the law that a bare lower receiver or pistol frame is ever required to be reinspected for any reason.
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The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-- George Bernard Shaw

notMYguns

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2025, 03:42:05 AM »
Quote from: Flapp_Jackson on October 25, 2025, 11:49:31 AM

"They can tell you that, but it's not the law.
Just because a Cop at a desk tells you what you need to do doesn't mean you must do it."

You may be right but as a law abiding gun owner I generally try to obey what police officers tell me. They may be misconstruing this section since my initial registration was done online.

"Firearms and firearm receivers with engraved or embedded  registration numbers, even if done by a dealer licensed under section 134-31 or a dealer licensed by the United States Department of Justice, shall be physically inspected by the chief of police of the appropriate county or designee at the time of registration."

Im pretty sure this is supposed to only pertain to 80% & 3d printed lowers but they make laws have confusing grey areas on purpose.  Technically my lower came with an engraved serial number or no?
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notMYguns

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2025, 04:10:29 AM »
Quote from: Flapp_Jackson on October 25, 2025, 11:49:31 AM
They can tell you that, but it's not the law.

I forgot to mention I was told the same thing on 2 separate occasions, once for an AR build and 2nd time for a custom p365 build.  When i tried to get my signed registration copy for my CCW they said I had to bring it in for them to see first.  They basically forced me to comply since no signed registration = no CCW
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Flapp_Jackson

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2025, 10:22:53 AM »
Quote from: notMYguns on October 28, 2025, 04:10:29 AM
Quote from: Flapp_Jackson on October 25, 2025, 11:49:31 AM
They can tell you that, but it's not the law.
I forgot to mention I was told the same thing on 2 separate occasions, once for an AR build and 2nd time for a custom p365 build.  When i tried to get my signed registration copy for my CCW they said I had to bring it in for them to see first.  They basically forced me to comply since no signed registration = no CCW
So, they basically are causing you to break the law by having firearms in your possession that are not registered for the time between registering the receiver and returning to register the completed firearm?  When you show up with the bare receiver, they either register it, or they don't.  If they don't, they are not following the law.  There's nothing i've ever seen that provides for a pending or partial registration of disassemble receivers.

This sounds like a problem for the legal system.  Might be another HIFICO lawsuit to go after some low-hanging fruit.

Recommend you read through this a few times, and let me know if you see anything about not having a registration form signed or being required to have a re-inspection after a firearm made from parts is completed.


https://law.justia.com/codes/hawaii/title-10/chapter-134/section-134-3/

You are required to register within 5 days of receipt of the firearm/receiver, or from when you arrive in Hawaii, whichever is later.  Making you return for a second registration trip is not in the law.
Quote
Every person who acquires a firearm pursuant to section 134-2 shall register
the firearm in the manner prescribed by this section within five days of acquisition.
If the firearm is acquired from a person who is not a dealer licensed under
section 134-31 or a dealer licensed by the United States Department of Justice,
the firearm shall be physically inspected by the chief of police of the appropriate
county or designee at the time of registration. The registration of all firearms
shall be on forms prescribed by the attorney general, which shall be uniform
throughout the State, and shall include the following information: name of the
manufacturer and importer; model; type of action; caliber or gauge; serial number;
and source from which receipt was obtained, including the name and address of
the prior registrant.

If the firearm has been assembled from separate parts and an unfinished firearm
receiver, the entity that registered the firearm receiver shall be recorded in the
space provided for the name of the manufacturer and importer, and the phrase
"assembled from parts" shall be recorded in the space provided for model.
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The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-- George Bernard Shaw

notMYguns

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2025, 08:58:59 PM »
I read through the laws often and I watch lots of videos about national updates as well..  Thats why I was shocked when they told me that, I had been shooting both of these guns for a year+ and Im not one to break the law.  I registered both online when I got them but it when I added my custom build to my ccw is when I ran into this mess about in person inspection.  I was worried about submitting my CCW qualification with an earlier date than the updated registration but they kept the original registration date on there and just added the barrel length etc.
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Flapp_Jackson

Re: Registering AR receiver?
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2025, 09:44:30 PM »
Quote from: notMYguns on October 28, 2025, 08:58:59 PM
I read through the laws often and I watch lots of videos about national updates as well..  Thats why I was shocked when they told me that, I had been shooting both of these guns for a year+ and Im not one to break the law.  I registered both online when I got them but it when I added my custom build to my ccw is when I ran into this mess about in person inspection.  I was worried about submitting my CCW qualification with an earlier date than the updated registration but they kept the original registration date on there and just added the barrel length etc.
Keeping the original registration date shows how they really aren't creating a new registration.  They should have signed it on your first visit.  For all anyone knows, you might sell the stripped receiver before ever completing the build.  I have 2 receivers myself that have been waiting in stripped form for years.

I've since sold this -- I had a rimfire rifle with 3 changeable barrels:  .22LR, .22WMR and .17HMR.

When I bought it, the .22LR barrel was attached, and that was the caliber on the seller's registration.

I wanted to learn to swap barrels, so, I installed the .17HMR.  That's the caliber that I registered it with.

When I sold it, I had the .22LR barrel on it.  I assume that's what the buyer registered it as.

Most ARs can be changed to other calibers often with just an upper swap and maybe a different mag.  That's why most AR receivers are engraved with

CAL:  MULTI

Anyway, anything I can do to keep them off balance I try to do.  Swapping calibers, barrel lengths and frame sizes for pistols after registration demonstrates how stupid their bureaucratic BS really is.
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The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-- George Bernard Shaw
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