Registering a AR Lower as a Pistol

[Ranger353]

I want to build a new AR pistol and have seen many lowers advertised as "PISTOL LOWER" and listed for $100 to $200 more than the regular lowers.

So, my question is directed at the FFL's on the board. Can you designate a new AR lower as a PISTOL when registering it to me or am I stuck with it as a rifle?

Thanks.
Rob

[gcrookston]

It really depends upon how the lower is initially transfered on the first 4473. Ask your processing dealer.

Some manufacturers do not designate rifle / pistol, and some even mark their receivers "Multi Caliber" (Tactical Innovations, for instance). Spike's on the otherhand designates them with caliber and pistol/rifle.

When we sold stripped receivers we completed the 4473 as "Stripped Receiver" -- but only on brand new, virgin, never assembled receivers.

Once it is recorded on the 4473, what it is is what it is. If you assemble a pistol off of an existing rifle receiver you've just built an SBR.

If someone is quoting you $200 more for a pistol receiver over a rifle, I'd get the tax stamp and register it SBR. Then you can configure it any way you wish (except machinegun), and never worry about how you put it together the night before the shoot.

[Circuits]

The legal distinction is that a pistol cannot be built from a receiver which has EVER had a stock attached to it. It doesn't have to say "pistol", but you do need to acquire a virgin, never-before-assembled receiver, and attach only a pistol receiver extension (buffer tube) to it. The special pistol receiver extensions look a lot like the telestock receiver extensions, but are specifically made so you can't just put a telestock body on it.

Order or find a new, stripped lower receiver, and have it transferred to you as a bare receiver (the FFL should tick the "other" box on the 4473), and you can build it into a pistol then if you like.

[Ranger353]

The legal distinction is that a pistol cannot be built from a receiver which has EVER had a stock attached to it. It doesn't have to say "pistol", but you do need to acquire a virgin, never-before-assembled receiver, and attach only a pistol receiver extension (buffer tube) to it. The special pistol receiver extensions look a lot like the telestock receiver extensions, but are specifically made so you can't just put a telestock body on it.

Order or find a new, stripped lower receiver, and have it transferred to you as a bare receiver (the FFL should tick the "other" box on the 4473), and you can build it into a pistol then if you like.

Excellent. Just the information I was looking for. Thanks all.

[aloharover]

The newest version of the 4473, each "weapon" has it's type recorded in block 29. This is done for each individual item. Rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver, receiver, frame, etc.

Pete