EP Armory Forfeits 3,800 80% Polymer Lowers Feds Called Illegal

By Bob Owens

Rather than continue a protracted expensive court battle with the ATF over a controversial “80%”AR-15 lower receiver design that his company was building, EP Armory’s Christopher Cook is cutting his losses.

Christopher Cook, of Bakersfield, agreed to forfeit to the United States approximately 3,804 polymer AR-15 lower receivers manufactured in violation of federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. AR-15 lower receivers are classified as firearms under federal law.

Here’s the “80%” lower in question, which they call the EP80.

The ATF took issue with the differently-colored plastic “biscuit” in the middle of the gun, as we noted when the drama started.

The Firearms Technology Branch (FTB) sent a letter to EP Armory letter (PDF) which argues that the EP Armory part is a firearm receiver, and therefore, their sale by EP Armory and Ares Armor constitutes illegal sales of firearms under the Gun Control Act of 1968.

How did they determine this?

First, the FTB initially claimed that the beige(ish) part in the center of the EP Armory part (pictured more clearly below) was created after the injection molded part (the clear polymer), resulting in the creation of a firearm that wasn’t undone by the injection …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms