Home Made DIY Pistol ? Legalities?

[nerys]

I am a very DIY kind of critter. but it dawned on me that when dealing with guns safety aside there are severe legal issues that could crop up and really ruin ones day. :-) so better safe than sorry.

I apologize if this is in the wrong category but this seemed to be the correct spot.

Correct any mistakes or assumptions I make please.

its my understanding that it is lawful for me to make my own gun as long as its never for resale.

Is it lawful for me to use parts from one lawfully acquired gun to make another gun?

For example I have decided I am going to get one of those Henry Survival 22's Very impressive bit of kit absolutely love the design.

then it hit me. with a custom made stock and a short barrel it would also make a pretty darned cool pistol too. and unique.

is that lawful for me to do? if not why? how do I make it lawful? what do I need to be careful not to do etc..

last thing I want to do is ruin my life over a $275 range practice pistol for fun. I love the idea of sharing maintenance and parts between the rifle and the handgun.

Figure I might be able to 3D print a cool grip for it or carve something out of wood. make it truly "mine" so to speak.

any feedback or suggestions on making sure I stay "legal" :-)

[NuclearSociety]

Not sure of legality, someone else can chime in.

But you can build a glock from scratch.
Just buy all the parts.

[nerys]

Interesting about the glock. does not the actual "gun" part still have to go through an FFL ?

but my primary interest is specifically the Henry Survival 22. I love "doing" stuff myself and I love making one part do multiple jobs. its just fun to me.

Just don't want to ruin my life doing it if its illegal :-)

[BimmerJon]

It is legal to make your own firearms, but you can't transfer them unless you register them as an NFA item or die and will it to someone

People do it all the time with 80% lowers

[nerys]

Does using parts including the reciever part from other guns (lawfully acquired) count ?

IE can I do what I want to do legally? put a short pistol sized barrely on it and custom make my own pistol style grip for it? so I can switch between rifle and pistol as my mood suits on the range.

is that legal? (again never going to resell or give away or anything like that)

I don't have to file any paperwork or anything like that to stay out of jail :-) hehe

[BimmerJon]

Does using parts including the reciever part from other guns (lawfully acquired) count ?

IE can I do what I want to do legally? put a short pistol sized barrely on it and custom make my own pistol style grip for it? so I can switch between rifle and pistol as my mood suits on the range.

is that legal? (again never going to resell or give away or anything like that)

I don't have to file any paperwork or anything like that to stay out of jail :-) hehe

Well, then you aren't "making a gun" with an existing gun or lower receiver, you are modifying an existing one. Depending on the modification, it might turn into an NFA device (SBS, SBR, etc)

Your question is too broad

[nerys]

I think its pretty specific. what more do you need?

I want to put a Pistol length barrel (4-6 inches??) on a Henry Survival 22 and a Pistol sized hand grip in place of the rifle stock.

Making it a hand gun instead of a rifle.

In Pennsylvania is that legal for me to do?

[BimmerJon]

I think its pretty specific. what more do you need?

I want to put a Pistol length barrel (4-6 inches??) on a Henry Survival 22 and a Pistol sized hand grip in place of the rifle stock.

Making it a hand gun instead of a rifle.

In Pennsylvania is that legal for me to do?

So.... you are modifying a rifle into an SBR with a barrel under 16" and OAL under 26"...

It would turn into an NFA device and illegal to modify or possess until you get a tax stamp and register it with the BATFE

So.... "legal" if you follow the correct process above

[nerys]

Ok so to make sure I understand this.

I can legally make my own hand gun. that is legal.

but I can not convert a rifle into a handgun since it would still legally be a rifle and now a "short barrel rifle" and that is an illegal NFA item without a tax stamp.

So there is no way to make it legally a handgun?

if not. I will stay far away from that path :-) hehe

[KamikazeKnifer]

That is correct. You are modifying a rifle into a handgun, which makes it a SBR.

Don't do that without papers.