Stripped AR lower & PICS

[Hawk]

I know I've seen the answer to this somewhere on this forum but I can't seem to find it.

I bought a stripped AR lower via the Internet and had it shipped to my FFL. I didn't think about it until later but my FFL handled it like a handgun purchase, I'm assuming this is required because it's possible to build a AR pistol out of the stripped lower? If this is true does that mean I can build an AR pistol with it if I want to?

Hawk,

[JayBell]

you can build an AR pistol out of it whether or not it was handled like a handgun.

status on a new virgin stripped lower doesn't change until you build it and put a buttstock on it to build it as a rifle.

basically, yes, you can build an AR pistol out of it

[Pa. Patriot]

...but my FFL handled it like a handgun purchase, I'm assuming this is required because it's possible to build a AR pistol out of the stripped lower? ,

It is not required. The FFL did it out of either ignorance or out of his conception that while it does not need to be handles that way that doing so "covers" him in some way. (not true).
The FFL's ingnorance or misconception may not be his own fault htough. He MAY have been mis-informed by PICS. I had Rene from PICS tell me once that if it (a gun) has a serial number that it needed to have a Application/record of sale (white form) filled out.
Obviously incorrect!
But again. Transferring as a pistol is NOT required on a NEW, stripped lower and you CAN build it into a pistol (as JayBell) pointed out.

[Lycanthrope]

I know I've seen the answer to this somewhere on this forum but I can't seem to find it.

I bought a stripped AR lower via the Internet and had it shipped to my FFL. I didn't think about it until later but my FFL handled it like a handgun purchase, I'm assuming this is required because it's possible to build a AR pistol out of the stripped lower? If this is true does that mean I can build an AR pistol with it if I want to?

Hawk,

My gunshop had a freak over this.

The ATF told them you can have it registered as a pistol or rifle. If you register it as a pistol you can make a pistol or rifle out of it....since it's like adding a long barrel to a pistol. If it's registered as a rifle and you make it into a pistol it's like making it a SBR......you'd need the stamp.

Not sure if that jives with all the laws, but that's what they told me.

[Pa. Patriot]

My gunshop had a freak over this.

The ATF told them you can have it registered as a pistol or rifle. If you register it as a pistol you can make a pistol or rifle out of it....since it's like adding a long barrel to a pistol. If it's registered as a rifle and you make it into a pistol it's like making it a SBR......you'd need the stamp.

Not sure if that jives with all the laws, but that's what they told me.

It doesn't jive.
1) there is no registration
2) How the dealer logs the rcvr in his bound book is irrelevant.
The actual act of building/configuring the rcvr into a rifle or handgun is all that the law addresses.
Logging the rcvr into his books and trasferring as a pistol is assumed by people to make the "intent" clear if for some reason they were to question your "pistol" and went to the dealer to see what you had bought. In reality it is irrelevant as a rcvr transfered as a pistol could have been built in to a rifle and then switched to a pistol and it would be illegal the same as any other rifle.

This is why I log rcvr's in/out as "Receiver"

[Lycanthrope]

Cool.....so it only matter what is built first on the reciever or can you use the receiver to build either?

[markheck1]

OK, so we borrow a pistol upper, and a pistol grip from Gropa's pistol...the lower is now a pistol, and can be changed any way you want it later?

Would you need pictures? Would 15 minutes be enough?

These laws are so Arcane, and confusing....

[markheck1]

Anyone have an Answer on this?

[Pa. Patriot]

Cool.....so it only matter what is built first on the reciever or can you use the receiver to build either?

Correct, it only matters what is actually assembled on the receiver, first.
And a virgin rcvr can be used for either. if you build a "rifle", it can not be converted to a handgun later.

[Pa. Patriot]

OK, so we borrow a pistol upper, and a pistol grip from Gropa's pistol...the lower is now a pistol, and can be changed any way you want it later?

Yes
If the gun is manufactured into a handgun then it can be switched back and forth between handgun and rifle/carbine.

Would you need pictures? Would 15 minutes be enough?

Burden of proof is always on the prosecution.
Like I mentioned above, this is one reason why some folks like to have the lower transfered to them as a pistol (from the FFL when they buy it). So that if quetioned later there is just one more piece of evidence proving their innocence. But again (again) It is probably irrelevant as the prosecution has to prove you built it into a rifle FIRST, no matter how you transferred it. They don't stand much chance IMO.

These laws are so Arcane, and confusing....

Not by mistake I bet...