AR Pistol Confirmation

[Fosty 2.0]

I know I can look this up (and I'm going to) but I just wanted to confirm something before going ahead with some purchases.

Legally speaking, can I buy a complete lower, with a stock, and then replace the stock with a brace and stick an upper with a 10.5" barrel on top?

I know it's legally a pistol and that's all good, but I remember reading something like "If it was originally a rifle you can't turn it into a pistol" or some nonsense like that.

I'm gonna go grab some Wendys then I'll be back to begin my research.

 

[Sublime]

I say you can but why go to the trouble? Just buy a a completed pistol lower with a brace to begin with is my thinking.

 

[Fosty 2.0]

I say you can but why go to the trouble? Just buy a a completed pistol lower with a brace to begin with is my thinking.

I want to buy from a private seller and there aren't any selling ones with a brace in my area at the moment.

I just read this, but not sure if it's still current information.

"The final important piece of information for those looking to build an AR Pistol is the state of the lower receiver. Once an AR-15 lower receiver has been built as a rifle, it cannot be built into a pistol without registering it with the BATFE. This means if you bought a completed rifle from a gun shop, you can’t build that rifle into a pistol without a tax stamp. However, if you purchased a stripped lower receiver and built it into a pistol from the start, that gun can then be built into a rifle configuration (with NFA laws still applicable) and later back into a pistol configuration if you so desired."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if it's a complete lower, with a stock; that would mean it's been built as a rifle.

 

[Maverick44]

I know I can look this up (and I'm going to) but I just wanted to confirm something before going ahead with some purchases.

Legally speaking, can I buy a complete lower, with a stock, and then replace the stock with a brace and stick an upper with a 10.5" barrel on top?

I know it's legally a pistol and that's all good, but I remember reading something like "If it was originally a rifle you can't turn it into a pistol" or some nonsense like that.

I'm gonna go grab some Wendys then I'll be back to begin my research.

Legally speaking, you cannot convert a rifle into a pistol. That is a fact. I THINK as long as that lower has never been mated with a rifle upper before, it is ok. The issue is, if you buy it from a private seller, you don't know whether it was or not. At that point, we're just playing a guessing game, as would the ATF most likely if they ever decided to take a look at you and where that gun came from. It's kind of a grey area. You are probably fine, but if your not, then your rights are gone for good.

My legal advice is worth what you pay for it, and I will not bail you out of jail. I'll take my freedom into my hands, and you should take yours into your hands. The internet is not a reliable source for legal advice.

The safe bet would be to just buy a stripped lower and build a pistol lower yourself, or buy one that comes with a brace. Surely you can find someone selling a stripped lower locally and privately?

 

[baboon]

I want to buy from a private seller and there aren't any selling ones with a brace in my area at the moment.

All things come to those who wait!

 

[Fosty 2.0]

I THINK as long as that lower has never been mated with a rifle upper before, it is ok. The issue is, if you buy it from a private seller, you don't know whether it was or not.

You could be right, but technically the lower is the firearm. Damn these ridiculous laws.

I will not bail you out of jail.

​

 

[Fosty 2.0]

@Maverick44

Wait a minute, according to this you're correct.

4:20 mark
As long is ait wasn't connected to an upper it's all good.

 

[candcallen]

This is not a grey area you want to play in. Not because of the high probability you will get nailed, rather the fact that It could cost you 10 years in the fed pen or force you into bankruptcy fighting it or more likely both if you do get tripped up. It's not like they are rare or expensive either so there is no excuse for building a pistol on a stripped lower you bought and you know for certain that is recorded as a receiver.

Never ever even get close to this fuzzy faint line. Never build a pistol on a lower you didnt buy directly from a FFL holder who listed it as a receiver or came as a pistol and is listed as such on the form and books. Even if you buy new in the package stripped lowers from someone, unless you're sure they were sold and listed as "receivers" I wouldn't build a pistol on them. Especially since I guarantee you AR pistols are going to be a libtard ban objective in the near future.

Now, who will know how that lower was sold? Probably no one will as it will likely never come up. No LEO you encounter will probably ever care or have reason to wonder how it was sold or know the law enough to even know how or why they should look into how it was sold. Even if they they are an arshole on a mission to mess with you it would probably never cross their mind to check on it past running the number to see if its stolen. Only if a big deal is made out of when or why pistol laws are changed would this be an issue that anyone cared about or they have some other reason to have the ATF trace that lower would this ever come up. This said you dont not insurance because something will likely never happen. You buy insurance because the consequences of that rare incident are too big to gamble with.

Let's face it, ARs are legos for adults. Their modularity is a huge reason for their popularity. Modern CNC lowers are not a weak point in the platform, are all pretty much the same regardless who made them and with the interchangeability can be used over n over. Many of us build them into dozens of configurations and have several and use them as trade bait or value additions in trades. I couldn't tell you how most of a couple dozen lowers I've owned were listed, if I was the original purchaser or if they were ever rifles. They change hands more than wack off material in a max security prison. So I never build pistols unless I bought the thing and know how its listed.

It's just a way too stupid and easy way to get screwed. While it will probably never even be an issue, the fact you are pretty much screwed if it does means I personally wont take the chance. The damn things are as low as 25 bucks some times so there is no reason not to buy your own. A small price to pay if you ask me. Cheap insurance.

 

[Bithabus]

Good chance it's been transferred as a rifle and there's a 4473 to prove it.

 

[zackmars]

As long as it has not been completed as a rifle, you are GTG.

 

[TheMailMan]

As long as it has not been completed as a rifle, you are GTG.

This is dangerous advice. It it was listed on the 4473 as a rifle it's a rifle.

 

[oldag]

IIRC, the transfer must not have designated "rifle".

 

[zackmars]

This is dangerous advice. It it was listed on the 4473 as a rifle it's a rifle.

The way i read the op was that he had not made the purchase yet.

Easy enough to make sure the FFL doesn't put it down as a rifle

 

[TheMailMan]

The way i read the op was that he had not made the purchase yet.

Easy enough to make sure the FFL doesn't put it down as a rifle

He buying them second hand....

 

[perfor8]

What a load of whimsical arbitrary nonsense. And we claim terrorists hate us because we're free. We don't even remember what freedom smells like.

 

[zackmars]

He buying them second hand....

Yeah just saw that now. Be safer to just build a stripped lower.

 

[Mohawk600]

I want to buy from a private seller and there aren't any selling ones with a brace in my area at the moment.

I just read this, but not sure if it's still current information.

"The final important piece of information for those looking to build an AR Pistol is the state of the lower receiver. Once an AR-15 lower receiver has been built as a rifle, it cannot be built into a pistol without registering it with the BATFE. This means if you bought a completed rifle from a gun shop, you can’t build that rifle into a pistol without a tax stamp. However, if you purchased a stripped lower receiver and built it into a pistol from the start, that gun can then be built into a rifle configuration (with NFA laws still applicable) and later back into a pistol configuration if you so desired."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if it's a complete lower, with a stock; that would mean it's been built as a rifle.

correct......stripped receivers can be configured at will.......a rifle cannot be converted to a pistol.

 

[Mohawk600]

stripped receiver

 

[candcallen]

Again it has to be sold as a receiver and never made into a rifle. The only way to know this is if you bought it and watched the ffl write receiver on the form. The subject will probably never come up but the damn things are cheap so why take the chance

 

[Charlie]

The last lower I bought from my FFL and friend was transferred as an "other". It was up to me as to what I built. "He said" that if I make it into a rifle I cannot later make it into a pistol. If I make into a pistol I can later make into a rifle. Anyone have different info on that?