Biden administration takes new action to crack down on 'ghost gun' sellers

The Biden administration took action Tuesday to close a "ghost gun" loophole following an August rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives .

ATF sent an open letter to "all federal firearms licensees" outlining how a number of "partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional" gun kits are now classified as "readily" available weapons, requiring each to carry a serial number and for dealers to run background checks prior to sales.

"Applying the regulatory text of Final Rule 2021-05F, partially complete Polymer80, Lone Wolf, and similar striker-fired semiautomatic pistol frames, including, but not limited to, those sold within parts kits, have reached a stage of manufacture where they 'may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to a functional frame,'" the letter reads. "This definition of 'readily' applies to each and every classification of a partially complete frame or receiver under this Rule, whether sold alone or as part of a kit. Therefore, even without any associated templates, jigs, molds, equipment, tools, instructions, guides, or marketing materials, these partially complete pistol frames are 'frames' and also 'firearms' as defined in the GCA and its implementing regulations."