How many AR lowers can you buy in a period of time before the ATF says "Hi"

Not looking to stock up, but I sold a lower recently and I already had an extra upper and I'm looking to add a couple KISS uppers over the winter so I thought I might get in four of the blemished Bravo lowers. Wasn't there a change recently (last year) about lowers being transferred more like pistols than like rifles on 4473s? Is there a magic number of lowers that triggers mandatory FFL notification to the ATF? Is there an unnofficial number that might peak the ATFs interest next time they peruse my FFLs books?

I hope an batfe agent stubs his or her toe on something really, really hard right .... now.

I'm done with expensive ARs and I wanted to save on shipping and transfers. I want to build some BCM uppers, one to run a 22lr conversion kit and another as a lightweight Kiss rifle. One with the Midlength MOE hand guards and another with a Dissy set-up and the to-be released Rifle MOE guards. Just don't want the ATF stopping by and me having to explain to my wife why I bought 'so many guns". I've been a good boy this year, these would be my first 4473s this year.

They don't transfer as either a rifle or a pistol now. I have bought several lowers at once and never heard anything. If if did, i would simply tell them i am using them for legal purposes and there is no restriction on the number of guns i can own let alone stripped lower receivers that aren't even functional without a lot more parts ns money.

I believe the BATF changed the classification to "Other Firearm" for stripped lowers and pistol grip shotguns. I also believe that complete lowers may fall into the same category but don't recall for sure.
The biggest change to the purchaser this caused is you now have to be 21 to purchase a "Other Firearm".
I don't know if purchasing multiple lowers at one time is required to be treated as "Multiple Handgun Purchases" since the above change and documented on a separate record.

Good question.

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Originally Posted by BPTactical

I believe the BATF changed the classification to "Other Firearm" for stripped lowers and pistol grip shotguns. I also believe that complete lowers may fall into the same category but don't recall for sure.
The biggest change to the purchaser this caused is you now have to be 21 to purchase a "Other Firearm".
I don't know if purchasing multiple lowers at one time is required to be treated as "Multiple Handgun Purchases" since the above change and documented on a separate record.

Good question.

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I knew the 21 age thing, so that had me thinking "pistol", thanks BP and Sniper for the clarification.

last fall I purchased 10 lowers during a special one of my buddies was running. Apparently that was not a magic number... of course, it could be because ATF already has my information on a few 5320's...

Stripped lowers, or complete lowers without buttstocks fall under "other", and you have to be 21 to purchase them from an FFL.

However, they are NOT handguns, so multiple sales are not required to be reported to the ATF as a multiple handgun sale.

The only way ATF would even know about such a transaction is if they physically inspected the 4473, and noted that more than "one" was written in the new "total number of firearms in this transaction" box in the FFL part of the form, along with the "other" box being ticked.

Circuits-
Thanks for taking the time to clarify this and the post regarding shipping interstate.


[Beer]

Hi!

it may only raise red flags if and when they did an audit on the ffl you purchased them from. other than that you're GTG. NOW BUY more than 1-2 handguns within the week or from the same FFL and they want to know why.

Really? You can't buy more than 2 hand guns without getting flagged? When they call you to ask why, are you allowed to tell them to shove it and hang up?

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Originally Posted by Stuart

Really? You can't buy more than 2 hand guns without getting flagged? When they call you to ask why, are you allowed to tell them to shove it and hang up?

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Not more than 2 within a week from a single FFL without getting a multiple sales report filed on you, no. Whether that results in an investigation or not would depend on a lot of factors, and the number and frequency with which you did it, and if any of those guns started turning up at crime scenes, etc.

Thanks everyone! Leave it to the ATF to come up with pistol, rifle, and 'other'.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Circuits

Not more than 2 within a week from a single FFL without getting a multiple sales report filed on you, no. Whether that results in an investigation or not would depend on a lot of factors, and the number and frequency with which you did it, and if any of those guns started turning up at crime scenes, etc.

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Interesting, Just bought 3 last week. Bought 3 last year on the same day too, have yet to have anyone knock on my door. Then again, about none of them get sold. Occasionally one will find something they like better but not usually.

Seems like I buy all my firearms in pairs now that I think about it.

If aliens from outer space attack us, the ATF will be handing out guns no questions asked.