Converting an AR pistol to a rifle...

[Jake]

Am I correct that I can convert my AR pistol into a rifle? Can I then convert it back to a pistol as I please?

 

[AirOpsMgr]

Am I correct that I can convert my AR pistol into a rifle? Can I then convert it back to a pistol as I please?

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong if things have changed recently, but to my knowledge, the BATFE said it is legal to build the receiver into a pistol first and then convert it to a rifle, then back again, as long as the barrel isn't under 16"with a stock

 

[Jake]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong if things have changed recently, but to my knowledge, the BATFE said it is legal to build the receiver into a pistol first and then convert it to a rifle, then back again, as long as the barrel isn't under 16"with a stock

What about a 14.5" barrel with a pinned and welded flash hider?

 

[AirOpsMgr]

What about a 14.5" barrel with a pinned and welded flash hider?

Dunno ... maybe you go to jail and Bubba becomes your best friend?

Seriously, not sure on the specifics ref flash-hider add on's, just posting what I recall from previous discussions ... IANAL!!!!!

 

[AirOpsMgr]

What about a 14.5" barrel with a pinned and welded flash hider?

My google-fu results suggest that it is legal if pinned and welded to obtain legal length ... YRMV / IANAL

 

[NWS]

What about a 14.5" barrel with a pinned and welded flash hider?

Yes. Pinned and welded FH adds to barrel length.

 

[Balthaz]

What about a 14.5" barrel with a pinned and welded flash hider?

My google-fu results suggest that it is legal if pinned and welded to obtain legal length ... YRMV / IANAL

Google Fu is working cause as long as it sports a Rifle stock and the Barrel overall length is 16" then it is classified as a Rifle
Example: 10.5 inch barrel with pinned Fake Suppressor or Long Flash suppressor of 5.5 inch then it works as a Rifle with correct rifle stock or just at least a 16in or longer barrel.

 

[Laufen]

All of my virgin receivers start out as pistols first.

 

[georgia357]

All of my virgin receivers start out as pistols first.

How does one start out as a pistol and not a rifle? Serious question as I don't know.

 

[Laufen]

How does one start out as a pistol and not a rifle? Serious question as I don't know.

I build it out and slap a brace and pistol upper on it.........then it's a pistol and I can do whatever I like with it. Is that necessary? I dunno. Can I prove it? Not really, but I have pistol uppers and braces on hand.

 

[Jake]

So I can convert it to a rifle and then back to a pistol and then back to a rifle as many times as I please?

 

[NWS]

So I can convert it to a rifle and then back to a pistol and then back to a rifle as many times as I please?

yes. As long as it was a pistol first.

 

[Jake]

yes. As long as it was a pistol first.

Sweet. Thanks man. I think going forward I'm going to start every AR out as a pistol first, especially since going from SBA3 brace with pistol upper to stock and rifle upper takes all of about 30 seconds.

 

[Cudruln]

I build it out and slap a brace and pistol upper on it.........then it's a pistol and I can do whatever I like with it. Is that necessary? I dunno. Can I prove it? Not really, but I have pistol uppers and braces on hand.

Stupid laws, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Just make sure you get the non serialized side so it will work for any lower.

 

[cmshoot]

What if you fought a stripped receiver and on the 4473 they described it as a “rifle”? Can you then take that virgin, stripped lower and make a pistol out of it?

 

[dial1911]

What if you fought a stripped receiver and on the 4473 they described it as a “rifle”? Can you then take that virgin, stripped lower and make a pistol out of it?

I've often wondered about this too.... Mostly because I have lowers that were never built (at all) from back when 4473's only said "rifle" or "handgun"... I have not used those lowers for AR pistol builds for that reason.

I've actually bought new lowers to be transferred as "receivers" or "other" just so I'm sure they weren't at one time (on one piece of paper) listed as a "rifle" in a check box.

 

[NWS]

What if you fought a stripped receiver and on the 4473 they described it as a “rifle”? Can you then take that virgin, stripped lower and make a pistol out of it?

If it was originally transferred as a rifle (even just on paper) it can never be a pistol.

 

[cmshoot]

If it was originally transferred as a rifle (even just on paper) it can never be a pistol.

That’s what I’ve always gone with.

 

[dial1911]

If it was originally transferred as a rifle (even just on paper) it can never be a pistol.

This is what I was afraid of.... and therefore never built a pistol off of one of my old lowers.

 

[NWS]

That’s what I’ve always gone with.

Me too because I am not a fan of nonconsensual butt sex.