Requirements when ordering a stripped lower receiver for a pistol build.

[Emptymag]

Thanks EM, that saves me from copying and pasting to this thread

Anything in there that covers what I was trying to say about a pistol build turned rifle, then sold?

[Xringshooter]

No I don't think so mainly because with an AR it is so easy to get around what is said.

Say a person gets a stripped lower and builds a pistol. No big deal, he's allowed to do that.
He gets tired of the pistol and takes the pistol buffer and barrel off and replaces them with a rifle stock and 16" barrel Again, no big deal he is allowed to do that.
He gets tired of the rifle and wants to build something different and sells the rifle to fund the new project. He sells it to another PA resident, FTF, cash and carry. Again perfectly legal to do.
Lets say the new owner knows the laws and he knows he bought an AR rifle. However, he decides he really would rather have a pistol so he strips the AR down to a receiver with the LPK installed and then buys the parts to make it into a pistol.
Parts arrive and the pistol is built.

Only 2 people know the configuration of the firearm when it was sold.

If buyer 2 (who bought the rifle) never says anything to anyone, even though he technically has broken the law, he probably will never be caught.

Even if for some reason a trace were enacted (lets say it was stolen, wasn't reported (for any reason) and used in a crime), it would go from the AR lower manufacturer to the distributor, to the FFL (be it online or brick and mortar) and to the first buyer. First buyer, if still available, says he sold it to some guy at a gun show, yard sale, etc. per PA law. The trace would stop there. Even if they found the second buyer, all he has to say was that it was a rifle when it was stolen and someone would be hard pressed to prove otherwise. Even if the police were suspicious and started a full blown investigation and found that buyer 2 had purchased AR pistol parts. But then, buyer 2 could say that he was going to build a pistol but changed his mind and sold the pistol parts.

That is the main problem with AR build scenarios, there are thousands of ways things could go and many are probably not legal to do but if the builders keep their mouths shut, who is going to find out??? I AM NOT ADVOCATING DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL WITH AR BUILDS - JUST GIVING MY OPINION

To finally answer your question - Letter of the law would be a pistol turned into a rifle and then sold - it is a rifle and must be treated that way by the owner unless they take the legal steps to change it.

EDITED - Now, what is the legal method of turning a AR rifle into a AR pistol? The builder would have to submit a Form 1 and describe the Type of Firearm (Block 4b) as a "handgun made from a rifle" and pay the $200 for the tax stamp. Hell for all that work and money, just start from the beginning with a new stripped receiver.

[eatmydust]

Emptymag I owe you rep. but gotta spread it first. Thank you.

[Xringshooter]

EM,
Did some more digging. You can legally turn a rifle into a pistol by doing a Form 1 and paying the $200. The NFA Division does describe a "Firearm made from a rifle" in it's handbook. Also, the instructions (1c) for Form 1 block 4b (Type of firearm to be made) does describe a firearm made from a rifle. My example would be someone with a short action Remington (say in .223) turning it into something similar to the old XP-100.

So YES you can legally turn a rifle into a handgun by submitting a Form 1 and paying the $200 for the tax stamp.

But for the AR platform, is that really feasible as inexpensive as AR receivers are right now? Probably not.