A generous reader allowed me to obtain a lower and I have been trying to decide what to do with it. But seeing that the Elders of SanFran have tagged me as terrorist, I am going to save my nickles and buy one of this:
PSA 10.5″ 5.56 NATO 1/7″ Nitride Upper with BCG & Charging Handle – 516445367 $219
I know, I said I was not going to get a pistol AR, but screw it. I recently bought all lower internals but sans arm brace which I don’t really care to get. The idea of a LEGAL short AR15 as response to the West Coast assholes is something I had to do. I just hope we don’t have another rush and sends the price up.
And although I don’t put name to my guns, I believe this one requires one. I am trying to decide between “Tengo* Tango” or “Street Shitter” both honoring The City By The Bay.
If you excuse me, I have to look in the couch for some coinage.
*Tengo = Spanish for “I have”
Won’t you have to get an NFA permit for that one, Miguel?
Not if the lower is built up as a pistol…
Miguel, I have a “surplus to requirements” pistol buffer tube with foam sleeve; it’s yours if you want it.
I thought it depended on how the FFL originally logged the lower. If it was logged as a rifle it has to be a rifle?
It might … I’m not a lawyer. The last time I bought a stripped lower, though, the shop listed it as a “receiver” and called it as such when on the phone with ATF for the 4473 check. When I asked about this, they said they only listed it as a rifle or a pistol when they sold a complete gun (upper + lower).
I was also told that if you build it as a pistol you can change it to a rifle and back to a pistol, but once a rifle it’s always a rifle, so always screw on a pistol buffer tube as the first thing to do on any AR build…. 🙂
I think, however, that if you find yourself in a situation where any of the above actually matters, you will likely have other things to worry about first.
I am not a lawyer and can only describe my own experience.
I asked ATF a similar question, they told me if it was transferred as other and had no records of it being a rifle and had no reasonable ability to know it was ever a rifle I can be made into a pistol or rifle by me.
This is somewhat counter to what I had previously read that once a rifle always a rifle and I believe the chain of custody to check is how it was registered by the manufacturer, then how it was sold by the dealer, then how it was utilized by the original end user.
So doing my due diligence I paid to talk to a lawyer specializing in Federal firearms law. He said do not follow that advice. Glad I talked to a lawyer.
An excellent choice, or so I heard. You will maybe want some Hornady Black SBR rounds and a Vortex flash eliminator. Failing to acquire those items some good sunglasses. At least that is what I hear.
So, I just did research on this. Go do your own. What I read is that a receiver becomes a rifle or a pistol when you attach a barrel. Buffer tubes and stocks do not make it a pistol or a rifle.
If you put than upper on it, the limits what else can be done. If you put a pistol barrel on, then you can put a vertical forearm grip ora shoulder stock on it. To put a shoulder stock on it becomes a SBR. Put a vertical fore grip on and it is an AOW. Both are unhappy making without a tax stamp.
Put a rifle barrel on it and then put a pistol or carbine (14.5in) barrel on it and you had have an SBR again. If the overall length is to short, such as a folding stock, and again you have an SBR.
Make sure it’s recorded in the FFLs bound book as a receiver or a pistol at the time of transfer.
I’m going to suggest a linear compensator to send the (LOUD) muzzle blast downrange.
I don’t recall the exact brand of compensator, but it seems to work and it isn’t high end. (high end being a euphemism for insanely expensive)
The compensator might be this one.
https://www.wingtactical.com/firearm-parts/ar-15/muzzle-devices/kaw-valley-precision-linear-comp-5-56-223/
I think a pistol is 100% better option over the SBR in all circumstances. Less regulation. No need for permission slip from the ATF to make or move. No need to keep under lock and key from anyone who is not you.
I agree but would caveat all of that with “for now, as the regs are currently interpreted.”
As we have seen, those interpretations can be … plastic, with enough political hear applied.
Point taken. I have personally seen that myself if you go back to my comments under the measurement clarification.
Don’t rule out a brace. The SBA3 from SB Tactical works VERY well.
Remember they are slapping the label of “terrorist organization” on the oldest civil rights group in America that operates in a legal fashion to petition and protect one of the Bill of Rights amendments.
The terrorist organization is actually the SF city council. I hope that they all get a disease from human excrement and die.