SIGforum
AR15 Pistol Build Laws
December 09, 2017, 01:26 PM
RAMIUSAR15 Pistol Build Laws
Just started to research building an AR pistol.
I'm not very familiar with the laws, most online sights have different info.
My question is, when I picked up my lowers from my gun store, did I have to tell them to register a lower as a pistol in order to legally make an AR pistol out of the lower?
I believe they registered my lowers as rifle.
December 09, 2017, 01:42 PM
chino101Maybe this video featuring a lawyer can be helpful,
https://youtu.be/0eJO77J8k3I?t=4m10sDecember 09, 2017, 03:01 PM
ChowserLowers should have been transferred to you as other. It’s not a rifle since it didn’t have a barrel attached. Build one as a pistol.
But with that said, check your local laws.
Not minority enough! December 09, 2017, 03:14 PM
RogueJSKquote:
Originally posted by Chowser:
Lowers should have been transferred to you as other.
This. If you bought stripped lowers, and they were correctly transferred to you as "other", then you can build them into whatever you want.
December 09, 2017, 04:14 PM
hrcjonI'm not exactly sure when but other was a relatively recent add to the 4473. Before that you had to pick.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
December 10, 2017, 12:29 PM
walker77quote:
Originally posted by hrcjon:
I'm not exactly sure when but other was a relatively recent add to the 4473. Before that you had to pick.
Other has always been a choice in the 6 years ive had my license.
December 10, 2017, 03:47 PM
hrcjonRecent I guess is relative (i'm old). I've a number of lowers purchased before there was other.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
December 10, 2017, 08:17 PM
Oat_Action_Manquote:
Originally posted by hrcjon:
Recent I guess is relative (i'm old). I've a number of lowers purchased before there was other.
As do I. I've got a passel of lowers sitting around from 2007 or 2008 and I can only assume I had them transferred as "rifle".
I'm in the planning stages of a 9mm AR pistol build now and want to use one of these, so it'd be nice to know if I'm good, since they're almost certainly not "other" on the 4473.
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Chuck Norris put the laughter in "manslaughter"
Educating the youth of America, one declension at a time.
December 11, 2017, 07:22 PM
RinehartIn PA it requires an additional/separate form from the ones that I have done as pistols in this county.
December 11, 2017, 07:49 PM
Oat_Action_ManThe receivers were purchased in OH, where I lived at the time, so there's no state police form.
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Chuck Norris put the laughter in "manslaughter"
Educating the youth of America, one declension at a time.
December 11, 2017, 08:58 PM
zoom6zoomquote:
I believe they registered my lowers as rifle.
A 4473 doesn't "register" anything.
At least that's what they tell us.
I have my own style of humor. I call it Snarkasm. December 11, 2017, 09:27 PM
hrcjondoesn't register anything? really? ever hear of a trace?
Without making silly comments about your post at one point in time you had to pick when you bought a lower if it was a pistol or rifle.
There is some ATF guidance on this but I can't seem to find it. The rule used to be once a rifle always a rifle.
I'll keep looking.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
December 11, 2017, 10:33 PM
BisleyblackhawkWhen in doubt...don't...lowers are pretty cheap..if building a pistol, buy a new lower to be sure.
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Making the best of what ever comes our way
Forget that blind ambition and learn to trust your intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may
And theres a cowboy in the jungle"
Jimmy Buffet
December 12, 2017, 06:49 PM
Chris42As I understand the situation -
Figure once a pistol, always a pistol. Once a rifle, always a rifle. One of the ATF concerns is a pistol upper on a rifle lower - this is a “Short Barreled Rifle” and needs special approval through the ATF. (Class 3 Stamp IIRC)
A rifle without a stock, while I don’t know what they call it, might be seen as an easily concealed “terrorist” type weapon, also potentially frowned upon. May or may not be prohibited or regulated by the AFT, I don’t know.
December 14, 2017, 12:10 PM
kilyungquote:
Originally posted by Chris42:
A rifle without a stock, while I don’t know what they call it, might be seen as an easily concealed “terrorist” type weapon, also potentially frowned upon. May or may not be prohibited or regulated by the AFT, I don’t know.
IIRC a rifle is a rifle. Stock or no stock and cannot be concealed as it’s not a pistol.
December 14, 2017, 04:26 PM
NavyGuySo how does one determine how a lower was purchased/transferred if the original paperwork is not available? I have a complete lower that I'm thinking about selling. I don't know how it was transferred to me (will need to dig the receipt out if I can find it) but I made a rifle out of it. What would I tell a perspective buyer.. rifle only since that's what I had on it for awhile, or can they make whatever they want since it would be their first build with it?
Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.
-D.H. Lawrence December 14, 2017, 09:02 PM
kilyungquote:
Originally posted by NavyGuy:
So how does one determine how a lower was purchased/transferred if the original paperwork is not available? I have a complete lower that I'm thinking about selling. I don't know how it was transferred to me (will need to dig the receipt out if I can find it) but I made a rifle out of it. What would I tell a perspective buyer.. rifle only since that's what I had on it for awhile, or can they make whatever they want since it would be their first build with it?
Whoever did your transfer is required to keep the 4473 for a period of time. When that expires, the 4473 are given to the BATFE. In short, just have to track down the 4473.
December 14, 2017, 10:58 PM
bubbatimequote:
Originally posted by NavyGuy:
So how does one determine how a lower was purchased/transferred if the original paperwork is not available? I have a complete lower that I'm thinking about selling. I don't know how it was transferred to me (will need to dig the receipt out if I can find it) but I made a rifle out of it. What would I tell a perspective buyer.. rifle only since that's what I had on it for awhile, or can they make whatever they want since it would be their first build with it?
Your lower can only be used to build a rifle. Disclose that to the buyer.
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Often times a very small man can cast a very large shadow
December 15, 2017, 09:54 AM
NavyGuyquote:
Originally posted by bubbatime:
Your lower can only be used to build a rifle. Disclose that to the buyer.
That's what I suspected. I did find my receipts but there is no mention of how it was transferred but I guess that's makes no difference at this point.
Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.
-D.H. Lawrence