I've now checked all of the NFA boxes in my collection, but am unfamiliar with DD's. The 40mm launchers caught my attention...any SF members with M79's or M203's? From what I found they're legal to own in my state, but are they acquired like other NFA regulated items on Form 3's or 4's?

For available ammo to the law abiding public, it looks like these rounds are attainable:

TP/chalk
Smoke
Starburst
Parachute flare
Rubber shot
Rubber baton
Beanbag
Beehive .22LR
Buckshot

Do you have to be LE/Mil or a 9/10 FFL to get HE/HEDP rounds?

Thanks for everyone's helpful input.

my understanding is that for each round of HE etc it is considered a DD, and requires a stamp,

for each round,

no idea if that is what real world is, everyone I met that has a 203 or 79 just used the chalk trainers to have fun with

and of course a 12ga adapter,


you used to be able to make on on a form 1, by simply buying the parts and registering them,

know a couple guys that did this back in the day

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
my understanding is that for each round of HE etc it is considered a DD, and requires a stamp,

for each round,

Yep. There are also specific storage requirements for explosive rounds.

Honestly, unless you are swimming in money and have taken your top 5 dream vacation, getting a M203 and HE rounds isn't remotely worth it.

Shooting them in the military, both practice and HE rounds was underwhelming - it's not a big flame filled explosion, it's mostly frag after a little flash.

Now a belt fed Mk19 is pretty cool, even then unless you are shooting at gas filled 55 gallon drums, it gets boring after about 5-10 rounds on a square range.

Or I'd put the money toward a FA like an M16 or RDIAS of some sort.

I always wondered about 40 MM HE rounds and NFA.

What part of it is the serialized portion: because if it's the part that goes "boom" and not the casing, that's a $200+ one-time party trick...

For what most private citizens are willing to spend and do with it, a 37mm will get them there (flares, chalk, Less-lethal, looks like a 40mm) w/o the NFA considerations.

I have an LMT M203.

The chalk rounds are entertaining, hard to come by for reasonable prices now though. I don't shoot it very often, more for friends/family than personal. Mainly due to the rising cost of rounds.

I used to be able to buy a 100 round crate for about $4 a round. People want about $9-10 a round or more now.

I shoot MAYBE 20-30 a year and I'm sitting on a little under 300 rounds so I should be good for the next decade or so Still, if I could find another crate or two at $4 a round I'd snatch em up.

HE rounds are more or less a no go. Besides the tax stamp per round you have to have a separate boonker/magazine separated from structures and can be inspected by the ATF at will. At least that was my understanding.

I also think 40mm smoke and flares were classified as DD rounds a while back.

quote:

Originally posted by Andyb:
HE rounds are more or less a no go. Besides the tax stamp per round

Can the casing be reloaded ??

quote:

Originally posted by Andyb:
I also think 40mm smoke and flares were classified as DD rounds a while back.

Flares I guess I could see being a DD, but smokes? Seriously? Wow.

I can see it being worth the stamp if you really want an actual M203 or M79. However, though "legal" from a practical standpoint fughet about HE!

The TPT rounds are fun to shoot, I'm glad I got to do it in the Army so it saves my wallet!

If I were very wealthy, I'd probably get all the NFA toys and dedicate a property to it with a storage bunker for the really fun stuff.

If the local ATF agent wants to inspect, I'd even let him shoot some stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by CandyMan.45:

Can the casing be reloaded ??

I've yet to bother cutting one in half to know for sure, but they look to be .38 Special blanks to me.

Thank you for everyone's input. Andyb I appreciate hearing from an owner. I haven't looked into the explosives storage requirements, but if their close to the Army's rules for 1.1 munitions I'll give up on chasing HEDP dreams...for now.

The M203's don't look horribly priced, especially compared to what other NFA items cost. $10 per round has been the best price I've found for TP rounds, and would mostly shoot these and the .22 beehive rounds. The rubber buckshot and beanbag rounds would be fun to have on hand.

I realize this isn't a cheap pursuit, but my interest is driven mostly by the fact that we still can attain grenade launchers. A 9" QD M203 would be sweet under a M933 SBR.

I was on the 203 for a year or so. Something to be said for a weapon that combines direct and indirect fire in one platform. Having said that, I doubt I'd pay to shoot one.

Well, if you're willing to go the 37mm route, Lewis Machine and Toll make a 37mm that looks exactly like the 40mm tube they make for the Army.

https://www.brownells.com/shoo...cher-prod118458.aspx

"Detail-Accurate Reproduction of GI-Issued Component - Available To Everyone

Here’s a truly unique ultra-cool way to cap off that retro rifle build or give any contemporary AR-15 a truly badass upgrade – the M203 37mm Launcher from LMT! An exact replica of the 40mm grenade launchers used by the U.S. Army since 1969, LMT’s M203 launches 37mm flare, smoke, or rubber ball rounds, making it completely legal for civilians to own, with NO FFL required. (The smaller caliber completely prevents the loading of military 40mm ordnance in this launcher.) Aside from adding an extra level of authenticity to a Retro Rifle, the LMT M203 37mm launcher can also be an excellent training tool for law enforcement and security personnel.

This 37mm M203 installs and operates just like its 40mm USGI big brother. Simply release the top locking lever, slide the tube forward, drop in the round, snap the tube back, and you’re ready to light up the night or lay down a smoke screen. LMT’s M203 attaches to either a standard M16A2 rifle barrels with a .625” front O.D. or an M4 carbine barrel with the grenade launcher cutout in front of the gas block, with a GI-type barrel nut at the rear.

Shoot 37mm flares or similar rounds ONLY
Fits AR-15 with M4 carbine OR 20" M16A2 rifle barrel contour 7075 aluminum, mil-spec hard-anodized finish, matte black Smooth-bore barrel WILL NOT accept military 40mm rounds

15" OAL
12" barrel
3 lbs. total wt.

Mounting kits sold separately, see below...
LMT offers two mounting kits for the M203 37mm Launcher: a military-style kit that precisely replicates the original M204 military mount, including the replacement handguard (carbine and rifle models available) and a Quick-Detach mount that lets you easily remove the M203 from your rifle when you need it for other purposes (just as easy to reattach the launcher).

Somebody go get "The Roach"..."



-Tom

Oooo

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
I've yet to bother cutting one in half to know for sure, but they look to be .38 Special blanks to me.

I think they are .38 S&W blanks.

quote:

Originally posted by LDD:
I always wondered about 40 MM HE rounds and NFA.

What part of it is the serialized portion: because if it's the part that goes "boom" and not the casing, that's a $200+ one-time party trick...

For what most private citizens are willing to spend and do with it, a 37mm will get them there (flares, chalk, Less-lethal, looks like a 40mm) w/o the NFA considerations.

From the ones I have seen, the case is serialized and when used, they keep the case stored for potential atf inspections.

A friend of mine used to have a M79. It was fun, but got expensive to shoot. I used to buy ammo for it as well so we’d have more to play with. The parachute flairs and smoke rounds were awesome!

Someone gave the owner an artillery simulator round once. It had a strong charge to get it up high, then it deployed a chaute..... it drifted down to about 200’ and then went off. Oh my! It literally sounded like a 155 going off. It even shook the ground. But this was 20 years ago..... those were the days!