THE ARC-B RIFLE
ILLINOIS-COMPLIANT BOLT-ACTION CONFIGURATION
Available to all Illinois FOID card holders.
No PICA exemption required. No assault weapon registration required. No endorsement affidavit required. The ARC-B is a factory-manufactured manually operated bolt-action rifle — explicitly exempt under Illinois law.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The ARC-B Rifle is manufactured and sold exclusively as a manually operated, bolt-action firearm by Law Weapons Inc., a federally licensed firearm manufacturer (FFL Type 07 / SOT Class 2) located in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois.
This firearm is built on the AR-15 platform and chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington. It ships from the factory with a pre-installed LAW-BOLT 15 — a proprietary bolt carrier designed and manufactured by Law Weapons — which eliminates the semi-automatic cycling function. With the LAW-BOLT installed, the firearm requires the operator to manually cycle the bolt after each shot, functioning identically to a traditional bolt-action rifle. The rifle fires one round per trigger pull; the bolt must then be manually pulled rearward and pushed forward to chamber the next round.
The LAW-BOLT achieves this by redirecting propellant gas out of the ejection port rather than using it to cycle the action. The result is a firearm that is, in its manufactured and delivered configuration, incapable of semi-automatic operation.
In addition to the bolt-action operation, the ARC-B Rifle retains all of the platform's innovative features: an integrated power system with rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion batteries in the grip module, 24-karat gold pogo pin electrical connections, fully potted electronics, a programmable voltage regulator, USB-C charging, and the proprietary ARC-Link power distribution handguard — all built on a standard mil-spec AR-15 foundation.
LEGAL BASIS FOR ILLINOIS COMPLIANCE
The Protect Illinois Communities Act ("PICA"), Public Act 102-1116, signed into law on January 10, 2023, regulates the sale and possession of firearms the State of Illinois classifies as "assault weapons." However, the statute contains a clear and express exemption for manually operated firearms.
2.1 — STATUTORY EXEMPTION
720 ILCS 5/24-1.9(a)(2)(C) provides:
"'Assault weapon' does not include: ... (C) A firearm that is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever or slide action, unless the firearm is a shotgun with a revolving cylinder."
Because the ARC-B Rifle is manufactured with the LAW-BOLT 15 pre-installed, it is a manually operated bolt-action firearm as manufactured. It therefore falls squarely within this statutory exemption and is not classified as an "assault weapon" under Illinois law.
2.2 — ILLINOIS STATE POLICE GUIDANCE
The Illinois State Police FAQ on the Protect Illinois Communities Act (Question 12) specifically addresses this exemption and confirms that bolt, pump, lever, and slide action firearms are not regulated under PICA. The ISP further confirms (Questions 13–14) that even where a bolt-action firearm has features that would constitute "assault weapon attachments" if removed, no endorsement affidavit is required so long as those features remain attached to the manually operated firearm.
2.3 — INDEPENDENT LEGAL OPINION
Attorney Benjamin Barr of Barr & Klein PLLC, a constitutional law firm with offices in Illinois, has provided a formal legal opinion on the LAW-BOLT 15 and its effect on Illinois classification. Mr. Barr is licensed to practice in Illinois and is admitted to practice before federal courts including the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. His practice focuses on constitutional law, and he has served as counsel to two Chairmen of the Federal Election Commission. His work has been cited by the United States Supreme Court.
In his professional assessment of 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9 and 720 ILCS 5/24-1, Mr. Barr concluded that the LAW-BOLT process converts what would otherwise qualify as an assault weapon under Illinois law into a manually operated bolt-action firearm, and that the production and sale of such a firearm should qualify under the statutory exception.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER & CONDITIONS OF SALE
READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PURCHASE
3.1 — SOLD AS MANUFACTURED — BOLT-ACTION ONLY
The ARC-B Rifle is sold exclusively in its factory-delivered, manually operated bolt-action configuration with the LAW-BOLT 15 installed. This firearm's legal compliance under Illinois law is predicated entirely upon it remaining in this bolt-action configuration. Law Weapons Inc. manufactures this rifle, marks it, and transfers it through its federal firearms license as a bolt-action rifle — not a semi-automatic firearm.
3.2 — MODIFICATION WARNING
Any alteration, removal, or replacement of the LAW-BOLT 15 that restores or enables semi-automatic function would create a firearm that meets the statutory definition of an "assault weapon" under 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9. Such a modification would be a violation of Illinois law and could subject the owner to serious criminal penalties, including felony charges under the Protect Illinois Communities Act.
Law Weapons Inc. does not authorize, condone, encourage, facilitate, or support any modification that would convert this bolt-action firearm into a semi-automatic firearm within the State of Illinois. Any purchaser who expresses intent to make such a modification, or who Law Weapons Inc. reasonably believes intends to make such a modification, will be refused sale.
3.3 — PURCHASER ACKNOWLEDGMENT
By purchasing the ARC-B Rifle, the purchaser acknowledges and agrees to the following:
Configuration as Sold
This firearm is manufactured and sold as a manually operated bolt-action rifle. Its compliance with Illinois law depends upon it remaining in this configuration.
No Conversion
The purchaser understands that converting this firearm to semi-automatic operation by removing or replacing the LAW-BOLT 15 with a standard bolt carrier group or any other part that enables semi-automatic cycling would constitute the manufacture or possession of an "assault weapon" in violation of 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9 and 720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(15)-(16), and is unlawful in the State of Illinois.
Personal Responsibility
The purchaser assumes full legal responsibility for maintaining this firearm in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. It is the purchaser's sole responsibility to understand and comply with the laws of their jurisdiction, including any changes to those laws that may occur after the date of purchase.
No Legal Advice
Nothing in this document, on the Law Weapons website, or communicated by any Law Weapons employee constitutes legal advice. The legal information provided herein reflects our good-faith understanding of current Illinois law as of the date of this document. Purchasers should consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to their circumstances.
Constructive Possession Advisory
Purchasers are advised that possessing a standard semi-automatic bolt carrier group alongside this firearm may give rise to a "constructive possession" argument under Illinois law. Under 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9(a)(1)(I), "any part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon, including any combination of parts from which an assault weapon may be readily assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person" is itself regulated. Purchasers should seek legal counsel regarding the storage or disposition of any semi-automatic bolt carrier groups or related parts.
Right to Refuse Sale
Law Weapons Inc. reserves the absolute right to refuse any sale to any individual at its sole discretion, including but not limited to any individual who indicates or implies an intent to modify this firearm in a manner inconsistent with Illinois law.
MANUFACTURER'S STATEMENT
Law Weapons Inc. is committed to providing law-abiding Illinois residents with innovative, high-quality firearms that comply with state and federal law. The ARC Rifle represents over 30 years of precision CNC machining expertise and is manufactured at our facility in Aurora, Illinois.
We designed the ARC-B Rifle to give Illinois residents lawful access to the advanced features of the ARC platform — integrated power, precision engineering, and modular compatibility — in a configuration that respects the requirements of current Illinois law. The LAW-BOLT 15 is not an aftermarket conversion part sold to the consumer; it is a factory-installed component that defines how this rifle is manufactured, serialized, and sold.
We take compliance seriously. As the named plaintiff in Bevis v. City of Naperville, a federal challenge to the constitutionality of the Protect Illinois Communities Act, Law Weapons Inc. has a demonstrated commitment to defending Second Amendment rights through the legal system. While we vigorously oppose PICA in the courts, we also provide our customers with lawful options to exercise their rights within the current legal framework. We believe in working within the law while fighting to change unjust laws through the proper channels.
LEGAL REFERENCES & RESOURCES
Illinois PICA Statute: 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9 (Protect Illinois Communities Act)
Bolt-Action Exemption: 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9(a)(2)(C)
ISP PICA FAQ: isp.illinois.gov/Home/AssaultWeapons (see Questions 12–14)
ISP Assault Weapon Identification Guide: Available on the ISP website (includes flowcharts)
Legal Opinion: Benjamin Barr, Barr & Klein PLLC (barrklein.com)
Federal Case: Bevis v. City of Naperville (U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois)
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