PICS check for lowers?

[headcase]

I was asked why a PICS check is needed for a lower. I couldn't answer. It is a rifle part right? You can transfer rifles FTF with no paperwork or PICS right? After a cursory interwebs search, I still didn't find an answer. Perhaps some of my less lazy comrades could answer this for me?

[Pa. Patriot]

The lower is the same as the completed firearm in regards to transfer. It is the title-1 part.

No transfer needed for FTF with another resident unless it was built into a pistol prior to sale. Then it must go through a FFL for transfer (unless the transfer meets exceptions in 6111(b)) just like any other handgun.

[Guns4Fun]

I pics check is required by an ffl becuase the lower is the firearm. It is not a part. However, you could do a ftf for a lower as long as it was put in the ffl's book as a rifle not a pistol.


Damn Pa you beat me by a few seconds

[rady8um]

Deleted because I was the third to say the same thing. I'm too slow.

[headcase]

Just so I am tracking properly...

I understood that the lower is the firearm, when I said rifle part, I should have said just rifle. I am still a little iffy on why a PICS needs to be done. If it is to be made into a rifle, there is no need for a PICS check, right? Or is it just a CYA thing a FFL does? Or is it because the lower has the potential to become anything? I thought PICS were just for handguns...

Thanks for the quick responses so far guys

[Pa. Patriot]

It's because the lower is the title-1 firearm. Assembled or not.
Everything BUT the lower is "just parts".

An FFL is required to execute a 4473 and PICS check on all title-1 and title-2 firearms..

Does that answer the Q?

[headcase]

It's because the lower is the title-1 firearm. Assembled or not.
Everything BUT the lower is "just parts".

An FFL is required to execute a 4473 and PICS check on all title-1 and title-2 firearms..

Does that answer the Q?

Yes sir. I was unaware that rifles fell into the same category as handguns. When you said Title-1, I then proceeded to look up Title-1 firearms and see the whole picture now. Thanks for the answers guys

[Xringshooter]

If you are buying the lower receiver directly from a dealer the PICS must be done.

If you are buying the lower receiver from a private party (non FFL) then no PICS is required UNLESS the person you are buying it from had previously had it described and the dealer recorded it as a pistol lower receiver. At that point it became a pistol and to sell it to another person it would have to go through a FFL and the PICS would need to be completed.

[imperialism2024]

This seems to point to yet another source of handguns not in the PSP's "registry that's not a registry": AR pistols built from scratch. Also seems to be a source for those in the 18-20 year-old crowd to legally acquire pistols. Or am I wrong?

[bdevil73]

This seems to point to yet another source of handguns not in the PSP's "registry that's not a registry": AR pistols built from scratch. Also seems to be a source for those in the 18-20 year-old crowd to legally acquire pistols. Or am I wrong?

Not legally. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure at some point, any lower is going to have to be transferred through an FFL. If at any time it is registered as a pistol lower, than any future transfers will need to go through an FFL to be legal. Any transfer that goes through a delaer is in the "registry that's not a registry."