Getting started building rifles

[Wyo220]

Hello all
I have been lurking here for some time. I respect the knowlage here very much which is why I am asking these questions here.
Heres the situation. I am a machinist by trade in a surface coal mine. I build my own rifles both on rem 700's and some customs at home on my machines. I do not have an ffl or any insurance. I have a couple friends that are into long range and both keep bugging me to build them a rifle. I keep telling them no based on liability reasons. One of them asked me the other day what the liability is. What he was getting at is he wants me to chamber a barrel for him and then he would put it together. So…
1) If someone supplies an action and barrell can I legally chamber it and charge for my service with out any kind of an ffl?
2) If the above situation is legal and I did the work what proof load requirements are there?
3) What ultimate liability or documentation would I be responsible for if I did the above work?
Thanks in advance.
Kyle

 

[MTBULLET]

READ the BATF website carefully !

 

[shortgrass]

READ the BATF website carefully !

Then question a lawyer about "liability". Look at the pickle Remington is in.......

 

[tinkerer]

The concept of liability says that if you do something, anything, and someone else gets hurt or worst and it can be linked to you, you can be sued for anything and everything.

Legally there are ways to limit the losses and exposures, through insurance, incorporation, contracting, hold harmless agreements, so on and so forth.

So, he wants you to chamber his barrel for him? Whose dies, what chamber, what loads, how will it be used, who will use it, handloads or factory, etc, etc.

What could possibly go wrong, and what could happen if it does?

Now you get a small idea why gunsmiths carry $5 million in liability insurance, not to mention BATF regs, federal, state and local laws.

Now if I owned it, different story.

Larry
Tinkerer

 

[Wyo220]

Thanks I will keep building my own and leave the rest to the pros.
Kyle

 

[Mike 338]

There is no liability if you don't do it.

"Friends" often have no problem pushing for discounts or freebies which aren't supposed to be given to them which can expose a guy to termination of employment. Sometimes friends are just opportunists by first name association. If something goes wrong, even if it's not your fault, "friends" can lawyer-up in a New York Minute. When "friends" keep pressing you to do something against your better judgement, which can expose your family to unnecessary risk so they can save a few sheckles, are they really friends?

Besides... gunsmiths gotta eat too.

 

[harleybug]

I see no problem working on your actual true friends rifles. You be the judge if they are your actual friends or acquainted. There's nothing wrong with saving your buddy's some money and making a little extra on the side. If u never take any risks than your life can never change for the better.plus this is what our country is all about trying to live the American dream. You just need to be smart and only do what you are comfortable with and leave the experimenting for your own rifles.

 

[Wyo220]

Thanks all for the input. I read some of the info on the BATF web site, it's not a very user friendly site in my opinion. From what I read this would put me in a position that would require an ffl. I have considered getting it in the past so maybe this is the time. It's fun to consider. The guys that have asked me about this aren't pushing me, they just see me build what I want, when I can get the parts I want. They decide they want something and a smith tells them there 18 months out to get parts and do the work. Just to be clear MIKE 338, I do my work in my shop, on my tools, on my time. Guns and MSHA don't mix and termination would be the best I could hope for if I was considering this at work.
Thanks
Kyle

 

[PBR driver]

You are responsible for any work done.
You may need a MFG FFL to do so, read the ATF rules very carefully!