Reclassifying a Rifle to Pistol

[Bully]

So, I have a thing for short firearms. Don't know why but I do.

I also have a lathe and the abilities to use it.

I ALSO have a R700 in .243 that I don't think I'm gonna do anything with and am seriously considering building a bolt action pistol in 7mm08 or some such. Would be used for fun and possibly hunting.

Does anyone on here know how/where to send this to have it reclassified as a pistol, what paperwork I need to look at and the approximate costs associated with doing it?
Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[DoubleDuty]

Tax stamp

 

[jrbfishn]

Is that just the action or a firearm originally built as and sold as a rifle? If the second, you can make it into a SBR as long as you get the stamp first. Need way more details.....

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[Bully]

I am hoping to reclassify it as a pistol so that I don't need a stamp.
It's an action that was formerly a rifle from the factory.

 

[jrbfishn]

If it was sold as a rifle, not to my knowledge. It is forever a rifle.

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[Axxe55]

Personally, I think it opens a huge can of worms that is better left alone in the first place.

Lots less hassle to just start with a bare receiver and build a pistol from there. Way too many are available that would keep from all the legal quagmire one would have to wade through for such a project, and probably cheaper in the long run as well.

Just my opinion.

 

[toddnjoyce]

@benenglish, if anybody, would know.

 

[lonestardiver]

As I understand it, if originally built and sold as a rifle, it is always a rifle. If sold as a receiver and built as a rifle it is always a rifle.

If a receiver is first built as a pistol then you have options.

 

[gll]

Cut the barrel to no less than 16", make a pistol grip for it, and as long as it is still at least 26" long, it is still a rifle.

 

[Axxe55]

As I understand it, if originally built and sold as a rifle, it is always a rifle. If sold as a receiver and built as a rifle it is always a rifle.

If a receiver is first built as a pistol then you have options.

When you buy a bare receiver through an FFL, it's listed, or classified as "other" on the paperwork, the part that the ATF classifies as a "receiver".

Here's something that confuses me, is how is an 80% receiver classified as a rifle or pistol? If you do the final machine work to turn it into a working firearm, you can build it either way. So what legally makes it a pistol, or a rifle?

 

[baboon]

I going a head and asking why a 7mm 08 pistol? What barrel length? You are aware that fireball & report my be the WTF moment!

 

[gll]

When you buy a bare receiver through an FFL, it's listed, or classified as "other" on the paperwork, the part that the ATF classifies as a "receiver".

Here's something that confuses me, is how is an 80% receiver classified as a rifle or pistol? If you do the final machine work to turn it into a working firearm, you can build it either way. So what legally makes it a pistol, or a rifle?

If you make a firearm, from scratch (or 80% lower), you are the manufacturer, it is what you make it, it remains unregistered, but still must be legal to own. Theoretically, a pistol can later be remade to a rifle, a rifle can't be made into a pistol, but who is to know?

 

[Axxe55]

I going a head and asking why a 7mm 08 pistol? What barrel length? You are aware that fireball & report my be the WTF moment!

I'd think it could very similar to a T/C Contender pistol in rifle cartridges. A person would have to reload to optimize the load for a much shorter barrel.

 

[lonestardiver]

If you make a firearm, from scratch (or 80% lower), you are the manufacturer, it is what you make it, it remains unregistered, but still must be legal to own. Theoretically, a pistol can later be remade to a rifle, a rifle can't be made into a pistol, but who is to know?

Sort of the same thing with a stripped receiver.
For a FFL item, if it is listed as other or receiver in the bound book then you can build it to whatever. But if you build it as a rifle first, then technically it is always a rifle.

I like to build a stripped receiver as a pistol first just to have options down the road. In the case of the OP, I’d recommend getting a unbuilt receiver/action or one that was originally a pistol to keep it simple.

 

[popper]

If you hack the barrel off to < 16" it is SBR and you get to pay $200 and wait a while (before you do it!!).
R700 is not a receiver.

 

[Axxe55]

Sort of the same thing with a stripped receiver.
For a FFL item, if it is listed as other or receiver in the bound book then you can build it to whatever. But if you build it as a rifle first, then technically it is always a rifle.

I like to build a stripped receiver as a pistol first just to have options down the road. In the case of the OP, I’d recommend getting a unbuilt receiver/action or one that was originally a pistol to keep it simple.

That was my suggestion as well to keep the hassle to a minimum.

 

[Wiliamr]

I will recommend you go to the ATF web site and do some reading.

 

[gll]

Is there any way a manufactured rifle can be made into a pistol within the law?

I think not... SBR, yes... it might end up looking like a pistol, but it will still be a rifle under the law.

 

[Axxe55]

If you hack the barrel off to < 16" it is SBR and you get to pay $200 and wait a while (before you do it!!)

That is true. But I think he wants to pull the 243 barrel off, and replace it with a much shorter barrel in 7mm08. Because it was a already a rifle, IF ATF or anyone in LE ran the serial number, it's going to be classified as a rifle, not a pistol. Unless he has the receiver re-classified as pistol receiver. I don't even know if that's possible, and if it is, I would assume it's going to be long drawn out and difficult.

 

[grumper]

It would still be a rifle or a firearm made from a rifle and there's no inexpensive way to change that classification except destroying the receiver in the ATF approved manner, filling in the missing section, and then welding it back together.

If you want to switch back and forth start with a pistol or a bare receiver.