AR-15 stripped lower MUST be registered as a handgun - Legal issues?

[H4ck.b0x7]

I appreciate the responses. I have an odd question. If somebody is selling an assembled lower that has a pistol buffer tube on it, however you want it to build a rifle with it. Can they remove the pistol buffer and sell the rest FTF or is that dependent on whether it was purchased as a fully assembled AR pistol or was built from a stripped lower?? I know the "once a rifle always a rifle" but what about the other way around??

[knight0334]

I appreciate the responses. I have an odd question. If somebody is selling an assembled lower that has a pistol buffer tube on it, however you want it to build a rifle with it. Can they remove the pistol buffer and sell the rest FTF or is that dependent on whether it was purchased as a fully assembled AR pistol or was built from a stripped lower?? I know the "once a rifle always a rifle" but what about the other way around??

Handguns can always be converted into long guns. But long guns(first build) cannot be converted into handguns without NFA registration.

A firearm's first as-built or as-barreled(depending on who is making the judgment) status is what determines things. Some will go by the as-built(as the receiver is configured), others will go by as-barreled(how the gun is assembled with a barrel).

If it was built as a handgun first - a person can configure it as a rifle later, then switch back. But if built as a long gun first - there is no changing it to a handgun without first going through NFA procedures.

[Gun]

If somebody is selling an assembled lower that has a pistol buffer tube on it, however you want it to build a rifle with it. Can they remove the pistol buffer and sell the rest FTF or is that dependent on whether it was purchased as a fully assembled AR pistol or was built from a stripped lower?? I know the "once a rifle always a rifle" but what about the other way around??

If it was purchased as an AR pistol in PA, then an SP4-113 would have been used by an FFL. Technically it would be a pistol. If the lower was transferred as OTHER on a 4473, then a FTF could be done because it would be hard to tell what the lower morphed into. IANAL, and this is not legal advice.

[IIIIIREPOIIIII]

My AR pistol that i built from a stripped stag receiver was bought as OTHER on form 4473 and NO SP4-113 and is NOT "registered" as a pistol!

I built as a truck gun that i can keep loaded in my truck!

[H4ck.b0x7]

Cool, that makes more sense now.