can anyone tell me if I need to make any other change to my build other than the lack of a stock on the buffer tube? thanks
Get a specialized buffer tube that can’t have a stock attached or modify a regular tube so that a stock is not easily attached.
Or just leave it alone and don’t worry about it.
Ya know what, screw it! I just,this minute found and purchased a billet upper and lower.I’m getting the SBR. Believe it or not they should be at my FFL within 60 days. Hot damn
I am envious of you folks that can build a pistol, then decide to fill some paperwork out and throw a stock on it. I know those of us in this state are better off than those in other places, but it still sucks.
We Californians can only get AOWs, surprisingly. I think to be eligible for the C&R exemption, it has to be 50 years old.
I was still asked for my tax stamp at the range once when I was test firing my pistol. Couple of cops were there shooting and when I got it out of the case one came up and told me “Nice SBR, you do have the stamp for it right?” I told that that it was a pistol not a rifle and showed them the extension. He didn’t believe that I could have it without a stamp and actually went out to his car to check it out on his wireless inet. I just kept shooting. Must have been satisfied cause they both just drove off without saying anything more.
Wow.:mad:
I love it when a RO comes up and hassles me for my paperwork. I just throw down a folder with 14 Forms in it and tell him if he wants to cross reference all my serial numbers to each can/sbr I brought he can knock himself out but I’ll be shooting.:lol:
I don’t HAVE to show anyone but a ATF agent but why complicate things more? I actually had a doofus read each and every serial with each form and when he was finished he goes “everything is good” and I reply “no shit sherlock, why would I come to a range with an illegal silencer. etc?” “and why would I mess with an illegal weapon if I already have 14 approved title2 items?” He seemed confused and walked away:lol:
Understand that the po-leece can be a little overzealous, especially with an unusual weapon. I keep a copy of the tax stamp in the pistol grip of my SBR, ‘just in case’.
You would have to have the balls of a horsethief to show up at a public range with an illegal gun, but there’s no predicting what people will do.
Moon
Just for clarification, is an AR with a short barrel and lack of only a stock considered a pistol? In other words, can it still have a standard receiver extension or must it be a pistol extension?
That’s a complicated question, google it.
Also, don’t put a vfg on it.
Noted, that would be an AOW wouldn’t it?
Is it just me who can’t see them or were never any pictures in the OP’s post? From his question, then the response about getting a pistol extension, then Gunz saying not to worry about it I inferred that the OP had the kind of setup I’m asking about.
You can however apparently put an AFG on it. Weird. Anyway, as long as it has never had a stock installed it can be made into a pistol with as short of barrel as you want. Many people put the pistol extension tube on it just as an in case fail safe. They are cheap enough and in many peoples opinion worth the peace of mind. They are the same size and shape as a carbine extension and use the standard carbine spring. Technically you can use a normal extension as long as there is no stock on it. It would be a lot harder to defend yourself against the evil construction intent monster if you had a normal receiver extension and a stock in the spare parts drawer though. I built mine with a 20 dollar PSA pistol extension just to make sure that it functioned correctly without any legal worries at the range (even though I still got questioned) and as soon as I get my stamp in I’ll swap the PSA extension for a normal one.
An AFG is considered a “rail cover” or at least that is what I was told. Apparently the wording of it doesn’t matter.
I ALWAYS comply with the laws. I fortunately live in one of the most “class 3 friendly” counties in my state. Our supressors come in within 2 or so months and SBR’s,SBS and select fire purchases are numerous. I live in a large farm community we all know each other,We have one gun store and our Sheriiff is a wounderful guy. We all know him and would do anything to help him. As a matter of fact, in our huge county we have only 2 deputies on duty at any single moment. Our crime rate is next to nothing. Everyone own guns and have CCWs. In 40 some years we have made one call and when the deputy showed up he asked me to grab my pistol and help him out.Close communities equal safe communities. sorry I got off track. thanks for the advice, and I think a suppressed SBR will be the perfect firearm to keep next to my bed.
Unless your OAL is greater than 26 inches.
I’ve been reading up on this recently. Koshin is right, it’s complicated.
Short answer: only if the lower was first assembled as a pistol.
The way I understand it, if you have a lower that was first assembled as a rifle, i.e., it was first assembled with a stock and rifle barrel, then that lower will ALWAYS be a rifle lower. You cannot take the stock off and install a short barrel or install a pistol buffer tube and short barrel, and call it pistol. In other words, if you have a 16" AR-15 with a stock, you CANNOT simply take off the stock or replace the stock with a pistol buffer tube, install a short barrel, and call it an AR-15 pistol. That would be a “weapon made from a rifle” subject to NFA.
BOTTOM LINE: If the lower was ever used in a rifle configuration (stock + barrel), you can NEVER install a short barrel on it without making it an AOW/SBR.
However, if the lower is first assembled with a pistol buffer tube and short barrel, that initial configuration is a pistol. Since the lower was never used in a rifle configuration, you can go back and forth between the short barrel/pistol tube (pistol) and >16" barrel w/ stock (non-NFA rifle). Only thing you can’t do with that “pistol” lower is install a stock + short barrel.
Bottom line: the initial configuration of the lower (rifle or pistol) dictates whether you can ever install a short barrel on it without making it an SBR.
This letter from the ATF should make all of the above clear:
At least that is my understanding of it, I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.
However, if the lower is first assembled with a pistol buffer tube and short barrel, that initial configuration is a pistol. Since the lower was never used in a rifle configuration, you can go back and forth between the short barrel/pistol tube (pistol) and >16" barrel w/ stock (non-NFA rifle). Only thing you can’t do with that “pistol” lower is install a stock + short barrel.
Once you have taken your virgin lower pistol,
and put a stock on it,
you have popped the cherry,
no going back to pistol.
The lower I’m wanting to use is stripped, it came to me as an ‘other’ so its never ‘been’ a rifle. I do plan on submitting a form 1 when I have the funds and it sounds like that will give me some more freedom on switching configurations.
More trusting than I am. I would want to see ID if anyone wanted to see my forms. Showing your address and grocery list of all of your fun toys is not something I advertise.