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If one were to purchase an AR pistol, would it be illegal to then affix a stock onto the pistol or would it then make it an AOW?

If I put a 16" barrel on it, could I then put a shoulder stock on it and still be within the law?

Im contemplating purchasing an AR this weekend at ye old gunne show and was debating with myself about just picking up a AR pistol and then converting to a rifle.

Be careful. By BATFE rules once it is converted to a rifle it can never be a pistol again.

That's why I'm asking the questions. I don't wanna get tagged by the Feds for something stupid.

The answer to your first question is that it would become a SBR and would be illegal.

For the second, yes, you can do this, with some constraints.

You can go back and forth. It's complicated. If the receiver was transferred as a pistol receiver, AND was first assmebled as a pistol, then it is a pistol. You can remove the upper, replace it with a rifle upper, and add a stock.

You can go back to a pistol. Be very careful what steps you take when dis/reassembling so you do not end up with a SBR.

Go to ar15.com for more info.

However, if the receiver originally came as a rifle, or was assembled for the first time as a rifle, then all bets are off.

It all hinges upon the first construction of the gun.

That was my understanding as well, that as long as it was first assembled as a pistol, that I could go back and forth as long as I did not put a pistol upper with a rifle stock on it.

There's a show next weekend here in Amarillo and I am seriously considering picking up an AR pistol, but I didn't want to put that much money into it if I could not legally convert it into a rifle as well.

If you add a vertical grip to an AR pistol you must register it as "AOW" and pay the $5 for the stamp.

-Rug

flb_78 wrote:That was my understanding as well, that as long as it was first assembled as a pistol, that I could go back and forth as long as I did not put a pistol upper with a rifle stock on it.

Its scary that a person could do something with their own property in the privacy of their own home, not involving another human being, not harming another person or thing, that only takes a second to DO and then UN-DO, that could result in prison time if they are seen doing it.

Lodge2004 wrote:

flb_78 wrote:That was my understanding as well, that as long as it was first assembled as a pistol, that I could go back and forth as long as I did not put a pistol upper with a rifle stock on it.

Its scary that a person could do something with their own property in the privacy of their own home, not involving another human being, not harming another person or thing, that only takes a second to DO and then UN-DO, that could result in prison time if they are seen doing it.

The Thought Police will be enforcing this soon enough...or maybe The Dream Police if you're a Cheap Trick fan

-Rug

Caveat . . . IANAL.

My understanding is that if a new lower was purchased - "new" meaning just that, NEVER having been assembled into any sort of firearm - then as far as the Feds are concerned, the user is free to assemble either a rifle OR pistol on it. (No AOW, SBR, etc., without appropriate license obtained & tax paid in advance, of course.) So if the 4473 states "receiver" you're good to go - but if it states "rifle receiver" you're not.

If the receiver is ORIGINALLY assembled into a pistol, then it's a pistol receiver forever to the original owner, and he can go back and forth from rifle to pistol. (Using caution as to the order, of course.) If it's subsequently sold when assembled into a rifle, it becomes a rifle forever.

If, on the other hand, the receiver is originally assembled into a rifle . . . then again, it's a rifle forever.

Someone at AR15 forum wrote to the BATmen and got a letter explaining some of this in return. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b ... 2&t=245366" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also can check the AR pistol link: http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=3&f=122" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lodge2004 wrote:

flb_78 wrote:That was my understanding as well, that as long as it was first assembled as a pistol, that I could go back and forth as long as I did not put a pistol upper with a rifle stock on it.

Its scary that a person could do something with their own property in the privacy of their own home, not involving another human being, not harming another person or thing, that only takes a second to DO and then UN-DO, that could result in prison time if they are seen doing it.

NORMAL feels the same way.