Pistol to Rifle

[SNAFUG36]

I poked thru the threads and didn't see any that pertained to this(I may be worng), could someone point me in the direction of the info.

Can a AR pistol (Bushmaster, SIG, etc) be legally converted into a rifle?

Obviously this would be constructing a 'new' firearm and paperwork woulod have to be filed, but would it have to be registered as a SBR or would it just become a rifle (16" Barrel)

After said building(if legal) would it be allowed back into pistol form or it that a no, no.

Thanks

[forceinPA]

+1 this is correct, pistol to rifle it stays a rifle .

[SNAFUG36]

+1 this is correct, pistol to rifle it stays a rifle .

That being said, if it was registered as a SBR it could not go back to a pistol either correct?

Thanks for the responses

[SNAFUG36]

Converting it to a rifle would involve adding a 16" barrel first, then a stock kit. Once the standard receiver extension and stock are added, it will always be a rifle, no paperwork needed. After that point, putting a sub 16" barrel on it would make it an SBR, even if you remove the stock, so registering it (ahead of time) on a Form 4 would be required.

So putting a longer barrel on, for example, a SIG AR pistol and then adding a stock would not require paperwork/tax stamp even though you would be 'constructing' a new rifle? I thought you would have to do the paperwork since it is a pistol to start?

[knight0334]

That being said, if it was registered as a SBR it could not go back to a pistol either correct?

Thanks for the responses

If it's registered as a SBR you could go back and forth as you desired. It's a SBR.

However, if you were to want to strike it from the NFA records - once it ever had a shoulder stock attached to it, it couldn't ever be a handgun again. When its struck from the NFA, it'd be a rifle.

[em2b96p]

If it's registered as a SBR you could go back and forth as you desired. It's a SBR.

However, if you were to want to strike it from the NFA records - once it ever had a shoulder stock attached to it, it couldn't ever be a handgun again. When its struck from the NFA, it'd be a rifle.

I respectfully disagree...


SBR means Short Barreled Rifle. AKA RIFLE. You cannot go from a Rifle to a Pistol. Conversely, you can go pistol to rifle.
Once you put a rifle buttstock/buffertube/reciever extension on that lower reciever the pistol becomes a Rifle.
Hence the reason why when purchasing a stripped lower receiver it is not a rifle nor pistol since it does not fit either requirement of rifle or pistol. Essentially its a clean slate. So you could turn it into a rifle, pistol, or resister for SBR. Pistol to rifle ok but rifle to pistol Bad.

The only back and forth you can do with a SBR is a barreled 7" upper to 14.5" to 11" to etc...

Any confirmation on my statement?

[ungawa]

Any confirmation on my statement?

No. Everything was stated prior to your post. Once an SBR, you can make it look like a pistol. Or be exactly the same as a pistol in common manufacture with no differences whatsoever. It is still an SBR, not a pistol or AOW. SBR can be in rifle, pistol, or many possible AOW configurations while still being registered as SBR.

In the overlap of SBRs and AOWs the trump card goes to SBR. Once it is SBR you can do anything a normal person would do with a rifle, pistol, or rifle with short barrel. The only thing I don't know about is if you went crazy turning it into something that doesn't look like a gun (AOL) or otherwise far into the AOL terrirtory that I don't understand well. For most people, SBR is everything AOL is and more.

[em2b96p]

No. Everything was stated prior to your post. Once an SBR, you can make it look like a pistol. Or be exactly the same as a pistol in common manufacture with no differences whatsoever. It is still an SBR, not a pistol or AOW. SBR can be in rifle, pistol, or many possible AOW configurations while still being registered as SBR.

In the overlap of SBRs and AOWs the trump card goes to SBR. Once it is SBR you can do anything a normal person would do with a rifle, pistol, or rifle with short barrel. The only thing I don't know about is if you went crazy turning it into something that doesn't look like a gun (AOL) or otherwise far into the AOL terrirtory that I don't understand well. For most people, SBR is everything AOL is and more.

Wouldnt you have to Unregister the SBR in order to make it a pistol again?

[ungawa]

Wouldnt you have to Unregister the SBR in order to make it a pistol again?

No. It would still be an SBR that is in pistol configuration by your whim at the moment. An SBR does not require a stock and barrel can be any length. And once it is an SBR, I believe it could only be de-registered and become a rifle.

[Taurus80]

This may be of some help. SBR as defined in federal law:

The term “short-barreled rifle” means a rifle having one or more barrels less than sixteen inches in length and any weapon made from a rifle (whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise) if such weapon, as modified, has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches.