AR-15 Rifle/Pistol legality: Can you own both at the same time?

Question - a nasty thought came up with concerning the AR-15 Carbine/Rifle and Pistol. Can't remember where I read it, or when...but what I want to know is this:

Is it legal to own both an AR-15 style Carbine (hence a lower with a stock) and an AR-15 style Pistol (hence an upper with <16" barrel) at the same time in the same house?

My worry is that the dorks over at the ATF would make the case that I could make an SBR with the push of a pin. Anyone know for sure?

BTW "I own both and haven't had any problems" doesn't count :D. I searched PAFOA but couldn't find.

Lemme know.

I dont have the answer, but seeing I am such a helpful guy, I'll PM you my address so you can send me one of the two and not have to worry about the legality of it all any longer ;)

You didnt do anything wrong until you put them together.

You can own a Thompson Center Contender pistol with a 10" barrel AND a shoulder stock for it with no problems. You break the law when you put them together and get caught.

constructive possession?

Look at it like this...

You can own a newer Chinese SKS rifle AND 500 shiny new bayonets. You didnt break the law until you put a bayonet on the rifle.


With that said...YES the ATF dorks could blame you for building a SBR. They could also blame you for building a bomb from simple household products. ;)

i have a ar pistol and it stays on its lower.

my carbine and rifle uppers stay on there lowers.

this is fine. its when you have extra NFA uppers laying around and no pistol lower or SBR lower

or you own a pistol and have a carbine or rifle lower sitting next to it with no upper for it

Any stripped lower can be registered as either a pistol or rifle.

If you register it as a pistol, you can make a rifle out of it too......as long as the barrel is 16"

If you register it as a rifle, you can never make it into a pistol.

Lycanifyoubuyshelfgunsit'sanonissuethrope

OMG The whole damn thing is so moronic....

You can own both, just like you can own an NFA AR-15 and a non-NFA AR-15. Keep the AR pistol fully assembled unless you are actively working on it. Do not store the pistol upper separate from its lower receiver. Never put put the pistol upper on a rifle lower (this would be the crime that the ATF is concerned about.) The short pistol barrel always being associated with its lower demonstrates that you own a legal AR pistol and not the parts needed to make an illegal SBR. Along the same lines, if you were going to make an AR-pistol, buy the lower receiver first and then get the pistol upper. Having a pistol upper and only a rifle lower would raise some eyebrows. Of course, this would only be of concern if the ATF raided your house.

My pistols and rifles get along just fine. It's a funny thought though!

As the 10th person posting, yes, you're fine. Just don't put the stock on the pistol, and don't put the pistol upper on the rifle. ;)