Project AR Pistol

[87seph]

Hey all,

I'm planning to build an AR pistol in pieces, starting with the lower receiver and moving out from there. I'm looking for suggestions on where I should focus my time, energy and money, for example; will any lower do?

My plan is to have something strong and reliable, chambered in 5.56, that I can drag through the mud and still shoot effectively.

I'm planning on having a longer buffer tube, maybe 10.5" barrel, and definitely chambered in 5.56.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

-Mike

[Pauly]

I have 2 AR pistols and would advise you build it on a pistol lower, I used spikes pistol lowers for my builds.

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/inde...cbfsnjgkdikn25
This will Cover your butt

Paul

[87seph]

Gotcha, I've heard good things about Spikes.

Any reason I couldn't build off their basic stripped rifle lower? http://www.spikestactical.com/z/inde...products_id=50

Thanks,
-Mike

[smoke-wagon]

It is my understanding that a pistol can be made into a rifle but not rifle to pistol which is why they sell pistol lowers. I don't own a pistol yet but I do plan to build one in the future. I will most likey go with a spikes lower and buffer kit, a model 1 sales a3 upper 7.5". I have fired member mythaeus' pistol and I didn't shoot very well with it but I just wasn't used to it yet. Hope this helped you.

[DucatiRon]

If your planning to build one slowly because of monetary reasons I can fully understand. If not try looking at a Olympic Arms OA-93 pistol. Cost somewhere around 1k new and complete.

http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?pag...mart&Itemid=37

One of the only ar pistols with no buffer tube. I own one and love it. I have shot well over 5000 rounds through mine and it has been flawless. I have swapped out the stock handguard for a quadrail. I usually run a ATN holographic sight on it but that was moved over to my Beowulf. I know some out there don't like em but like I said it's been great here. Really accurate out to 50yrds with my crappy eyesight. Olympic also makes a bunch of other standard pistols with buffers too. I am also well satisfied with their other ar products I own. Just givin you some thing to chew on. And yes you must have a lower registed as a pistol. Some people charge more for pistol lowers because they are more rare and cannont be converted back to a rifle. If you purchase new and in person the lower can be registered at that time as a pistol and should cost you same price as a rifle. This is the way I bought my pistol lowers. As for brand I've only bought Stag or Olyimpic. I have a pistol lowers in both. How much you should spend is only based on how deep your pockets are.

[Pa. Patriot]

My plan is to have something strong and reliable, chambered in 5.56, that I can drag through the mud and still shoot effectively.

AR pistols are toys. I've built a few (for customers) and shot them of course. IMO, you will not be able to "shoot effectively" no matter the quality of the parts. A normal pistol or carbine/rifle/shotty is something you can "shoot effectively" An AR pistol is not.

My $.02

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/inde...cbfsnjgkdikn25
This will Cover your butt

Against what?

Any reason I couldn't build off their basic stripped rifle lower?

Nope, provided it has never been built into a rifle prior.

It is my understanding that a pistol can be made into a rifle but not rifle to pistol which is why they sell pistol lowers.

Spikes sells "pistol" marked lowers to appease the misinformed and/or paranoid.

Explanation:
A new rcvr is not a pistol rcvr or a rifle rcvr until it has been actually built into one or the other. Per ATF ruling.

The "pistol" marking is 100% meaningless in regards to CYA of manufacturing laws.
When a manufacturer sells a rifle or pistol there is an excise tax paid on the manufacture. When they manufacture and sell stripped receivers there is no excise tax paid (excise tax only due on complete firearms).
As such, the fact that the lower left the factory as a rcvr is just as good CYA as a lower that is marked "pistol". The "pistol" marking is meaningless as I can buy one of those "pistol" marked lowers (new, never built) and legally build it into a rifle.

[Pa. Patriot]

Some people charge more for pistol lowers because they are more rare and cannont be converted back to a rifle.

Neither can an unmarked (no "pistol" marking) lower once it has been built into a pistol. So no difference between "pistol" marked lowers and non marked lowers in that regard.

If you purchase new and in person the lower can be registered at that time as a pistol

No it can't. There is no "registration" in Pa.
And an FFL can log the rcvr into his book as a rifle, a pistol or a rcvr. It changes nothing legally. It's still a new stripped rcvr that can be built into either a rifle or a pistol.

[DucatiRon]

I am posting what my experiance was when I had bought my stripped lowers a few years ago. I bought 2 at the time. One for a rifle project and one as a pistol project. I could have sworn I filled out the pistol paperwork for the one planned to be a pistol. My old age and beer drinking may have clouded my memory though.

[Pa. Patriot]

I am posting what my experiance was when I had bought my stripped lowers a few years ago. I bought 2 at the time. One for a rifle project and one as a pistol project. I could have sworn I filled out the pistol paperwork for the one planned to be a pistol. My old age and beer drinking may have clouded my memory though.

I understand.
Very possible you did a SP4-113. Many FFL's have no idea what they are doing and routinely "do it wrong" Even before the recent fiasco of the PSP unlawfully requiring AR rcvrs be treated as handguns...

But to the point, yes, many people have had FFL's transfer rcvrs as pistols. The FFL should not have done it per 18PaC.S.6111 (Pa. transfer laws) and the ATF guidelines. (Rcvrs are to be logged in and out as other or rcvr )

[Lazylaser]

Great info posted by Pa. Patriot. You sir are an asset to this site and our community.