AR Pistol

[FortTom]

I hope this is the right forum.

How do the rules go with changing a carbine to a pistol? Can I do that, legally. I think someone told me I could but could not go back to a rifle. Can anyone give me some factual info on this?

J.[:D]

[UWone77]

You can turn a pistol into a rifle, but not the other way around.

Once a rifle, always a rifle. (Thanks Phil)

But... in the case of say an AR, who's going to know, especially if you bought it as a stripped lower?

[Uffdaphil]

UW. I think you mean once a rifle, always a rifle.

[UWone77]

UW. I think you mean once a rifle, always a rifle.

LOL... You are correct. Too early for me. Will edit. Thanks for catching that.

[Naytwan]

You can turn a pistol into a rifle, but not the other way around.

Once a rifle, always a rifle. (Thanks Phil)

But... in the case of say an AR, who's going to know, especially if you bought it as a stripped lower?

That's the argument I've heard for building a stripped lower as a pistol first cause you can then go back and fourth from my understanding as long as the lower was properly transferred as a receiver. Unless the rules changed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Uffdaphil]

I think it is a common myth that what a lower is called when transferred has any bearing on it’s legal usage in future. Transferring as a receiver or building it as a pistol first is irrelevant. If you put a stock on it at any time thereafter it can never be a pistol again.

Who is going to know? Probably no one as long as you don’t post self incriminating pics on the internet. The big risk is folks who buy a complete rifle, sell the upper and claim the lower never had a stock on it. Easily disproven.

Lot of different claims out there. AFAIK this is correct.

[fledge]

Can I lawfully make a pistol into a rifle without registering that firearm?

Assuming that the firearm was originally a pistol, the resulting firearm, with an attached shoulder stock, is not an NFA firearm if it has a barrel of 16 inches or more in length.

Pursuant to ATF Ruling 2011-4, such rifle may later be unassembled and again configured as a pistol. Such configuration would not be considered a “weapon made from a rifle” as defined by 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(4).

[26 U.S.C. § 5845, 27 CFR § 479.11]


https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/can-i-lawfully-make-pistol-rifle-without-registering-firearm

According to the ATF, you can change a pistol to a rifle to a pistol again. Not a rifle to a pistol to a rifle again.

The Thompson/Center ruling in the early 90s set this ATF ruling in motion. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/91-0164.ZO.html

[Uffdaphil]

Thanks Fledge. That’s the first documentation I’ve seen. So strike thos portion of my statememt:” ...building it as a pistol first is irrelevant. If you put a stock on it at any time thereafter it can never be a pistol again.” And: “Who is going to know? Probably no one as long as you don’t post self incriminating pics on the internet.”

How ridiculous that the exact same component can be illegal depending on what was originally slipped onto a receiver extension.

[fledge]

How ridiculous that the exact same component can be illegal depending on what was originally slipped onto a receiver extension.

You know the intention of gun control when the laws made have no rational basis.

I should add—because my own class III FFL didn’t know this—you cannot make a pistol into an NFA rifle and then reconfigure as a pistol again. Once it becomes an NFA rifle, it cannot he made into a pistol by changing the stock. You can remove it from the purview of the NFA, however, by attaching a non-NFA barrel to it.

[Uffdaphil]

More good info Fledge. I planned on telling my heirs to just delist the SBR receivers from the registry. But now I’m going to just have them destroyed. After removing the Geisseles of course.

[UWone77]

More good info Fledge. I planned on telling my heirs to just delist the SBR receivers from the registry. But now I’m going to just have them destroyed. After removing the Geisseles of course.

That's probably what I'm doing as well.