First of all let me say that I expected this to be a difficult procedure to my surprize they were very easy to work with.

This is the first email I recieved from them.

Mr. Shirley: Thank you for visiting ATF's Website. As stated on our site, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives cannot respond to e-mail inquiries relating to technical / legal issues in this forum. Inquiries of this nature can only be addressed through a letter outlining your questions to the following address:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Firearms Technology Branch

650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

Room 6450

Washington, DC 20226

You will receive a written response to your inquiry. In preparing your letter, please include your return address and as much detail as possible about your question. You may also reach this section by phone on (202) 927-7910. Regards,


I called the phone number and talked to a Lady who was very helpful. She informed me of what I need to send to her and I did just as she stated.

#1 a case drawing

#2 type of firearm

#3 a brief decription of the cartridge.


I sent them a case drawing

I sent them a color copy of a ruger safari grade 416 rigby bolt action rifle.

And the following letter.
ATF Firearms Technology Branch 10/29/03

I, Raymond Neal Shirley have develpoed a damgerous game cartridge and am requesting this cartridge to be classified. The 550 Magnum is based on the 460 Weatherby case and the 55-100 maymard bore diameter. The 550 Magnum is designed to use modern jacketed bullets of .550" and is the next step in the line of Weatherby based cartridges. I have included a listing of the Weatherby based cartridges as well as a 550 Magnum case drawing and reference to the 55-100 Maynard. The 550 Magnum is designed as a dangerous game cartridge and designed to be fired through damgerous game bolt actions. I have inculded an example of such bolt actions with the Weatherby based cartridges and two seperate examples of Safari Magnum bolt action rifles.

Thank you
Raymond Neal Shirley


1823 w 17th pl
Yuma, Az 85364
1-928-782-6390
goldcoins1@aol.com

I included more information since the .550" bore diameter has not been around for a long time.

I sent the letter on the 10/29/03 federal express and it was recieved/assigned on the 11/20/03 and as I stated I have verbal confirmation and should recieve the letter in 10 days.

Hope this helps everyone else with there project.

RNS

My cartridge took 2 months to get a verbal on. So I would exspect that to be normal.

RNS

RNS,
thanks for posting this...

just for a clarification... the .500 limit is exactly that... .500... it's NOT .505 or .510, and those COULD be considered "destructive devices" and should be run past batfe

jeffe

Jeffe,

I'm fairly certain that the .500" limit is on bore diameter as opposed to groove. My understanding is that the determining factor is whether a slug larger than .500" will slip through the bore. If it does, it's a DD. If it doesn't, it's not -- regardless of the groove diameter.

The 50 AE was originally designed to use .510" bullets, but the polygonal rifling allowed the DD test slug to slip right through -- hence the reduction to the non-standard .500"

Also, consider that Hamilton Bowen had to register his 577 Redhawk as a DD, but regularly builds 500 Linebaughs.

IF ATF could classify anything with a groove diameter over .500" as a DD, I don't think Barret would still be selling their semi-auto 50. All ATF would have to do is rule that it's "non-sporting," and hence a DD -- just like they did with street sweeper shotguns.

great point,



except the 50 BMG is allowed.. as it's pre... and it's nto NEW... and the 50 is specifically excepted, along with several other rounds.



Also, one can MAKE dd's... they merely need the license.







except this is why the 500 SW is .500, and the 50 ae is also .50.



when you deal with the government (my mother just retired from 33 years of service) you find that ANYTHING that can possibly be misintrepted WILL be.





http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/complete.htm

which has any barrel with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter;



is the actual text. take a NON firearm person, and give them a set of calipers, and allow them to measure the bore... and it comes out .510+(due to angle). This person is the foreman of the jury..



you tell me what happens

jeffe

Jeffe,

I don't disagree with your original advice -- always better to play it safe.

Quote:

---

except the 50 BMG is allowed.. as it's pre... and it's nto NEW... and the 50 is specifically excepted, along with several other rounds.

---

That pretty well describes the 12 gauge, too, but that didn't stop ATF from re-classifying street sweepers as DD's.

Quote:

---

Also, one can MAKE dd's... they merely need the license.

---

I wasn't arguing otherwise. My point was that Bowen had to get the license for his 577, yet routinely builds 500 Linebaughs (and 50 Specials) without applying for a DD license. He obviously isn't concerned about ATF deciding his 50's are DD's, and he's got a lot at stake if he's wrong.

fair enough..

the atf has interesting restrictions.. always best to ask..

all the shotguns, btw, are exempted from DD on BORE alone.

jeffe

My understanding on the 50AE (and possibly the 500 S&W) was that the concern was with a PISTOL cartridge of greater than .500" projectile diameter, which was in "violation" of ATF rules AT THE TIME (they have changed since that time in several matters).



The 50 BMG seems to be "exempt" from scrutiny, but this would seem strange that a 50 BMG AI (or the 50 BMG-Fisher) would require review, as it is no longer the normal 50 BMG ... oi, the boys in DC at the Bureau sure make things clear as mud ...



Edit to add some after thoughts



But I could be VERY wrong, and be the first to admit it.

The law clearly states a bore diameter larger than 1/2". You can search for the CFR that lists it. I wrote a couple of letters for my proposed Howdah project on an Anique gun and it took several months to get a written responce in which they skirted my direct questions and made vauge references to imply that it would have to be registered being larger than 1/2" bore diameter but left out starting with an antique as antiques are exempt from the GCA and NFA.
In the law it has provisions for a rifle larger than 50cal for sporting purposes, but not for a handgun. Thats why Bowen had to register his 577 Redhawk.