Under US law and the BATF's current interpretation of it, the receiver is the controlled component.

Suppressors, but yeah. I'm sure the companies making them are following the letter of the law; like in many cases the end of the suppressor is blocked off, so it is legally "not a suppressor" until one drills a hole in that plate. You have to draw the line somewhere, unless you want to legally control every piece of aluminum, which would obviously be extremely expensive and impractical.

Like with any product, if the law is tightened up, capitalism will find a way.

Also, firearms have to contain a certain quantity of metal that is detectable by a metal detector. Constructing a firearm without that is *extremely illegal*.

Yeah obviously it avoids buying a receiver and the corresponding background check if you do it through a dealer, but I think a lot of these stories are sensationalized to make normies think "omg people can just print a secret gun entirely out of plastic and then murder somebody with it" when reality is that it's way, way easier to get a real gun without going "on record" from a private seller.

The silencers on Amazon are complete except for the hole in the end cap, which they have conveniently put a center mark in to make drilling extra-easy. Owning one is definitely "constructive possession" though, these things clearly imitate the baffles found inside actual suppressors and they have no real function as a "oil filter" which is what they are listed as. It makes me wonder wtf is happening at the BATF.

They're going after people in states with legal weed who also happen to own firearms :/