I know alot of people are in similar situation, and I'm sorry if its a dupe. Just trying to gauge the consensus

I have a 10.5" AR pistol w/sig brace currently - bought as a complete pistol from Radical Firearms

Should I:

A: Form a trust, SBR it, Add buffer tube and stock - +$360 (offset this by selling sig brace and pistol tube)

B: Add 16" barrel, buffer tube, and stock - +$180 (offset this by selling sig brace, buffer tube, and 10.5" barrel) Probably a wash, and could always be SBR'd or converted back to pistol)

C: Remove Sig Brace, and continue using the pistol as I have been, albeit less comfortably, no further details provided.

Get 14.5 and pin it. I was going to go sbr ended up selling for a 14.5 and I feel I made the right decision

EDIT : Anybody else have anything to add to the discussion?

Its more up to you if you want to spend the $400 on a trust /form 1 and also the funds to get the lower engraved with the trust info..

I love my sbr's but enjoy running the Reese and spr setups. Definitely an operator preference depending on budgets..

2¢ -DM

How much have you shot it, has it run perfectly since you got it/what is your experience with Radical Firearms?
I'd put a pinned 14.5 barrel upper on it and inexpensive stock and keep the pistol parts.
I would also consider a Miculek brake on the pistol barrel if you decide to keep it.
There is a great comparison video on Youtube that shows less than half the recoil when the firearm was attached to a weighted sled.

I guess I'm unusually hard-headed today, but I don't get the question. You have an AR pistol. If you want an AR carbine, receivers are cheap now and they are easy to complete with all the lower parts. Buy the complete upper you want and you're done except for whatever sights/optic you want. Yes, this costs more but you'll have both guns to play with. :) Whatever you do, if you make a carbine, go either with 16"/mid-length gas or 14.5"-14.7"/carbine gas.
If you want to SBR using the 10.5" pistol to make a carbine, I guess that would be economical since all you have to do is pay the $200 and buy the carbine stock set complete with buffer, tube, spring and stock. But like others said, keep the pistol parts. Now if you do this, the receiver has to be engraved as a SBR. I guess if it was sold as a pistol and became a SBR I assume it could be a pistol or SBR, but I'm not sure about that.

My 1st choice would be Form 1 SBR; second would be a 14.5" LW ML with 13" KMR (or similar light 13" free-float).

I went the trust/SBR route, I'm still waiting on my first 2 stamps. I have several 14.5's pinned to 16"... they shoot great and handle a little better than a 16" barrel/FH. For fun and fast handling I like my 10.5 pistol better...it will be even nicer once I can add the stock, worth the money to me.

If you value the smaller gun, SBR it.

I own a bunch of NFA stuff but I also totally respect the guys who refuse to play that game. That being said, I feel like the more people who get involved in the NFA the greater chance it has to be reformed.

Lots will say to get the SBR stamp - but what does it get you?

The pistol is entirely legal as is. Adding a stock to it for the added expense of $400+ will not add that incremental increase in accuracy or comfort. All a stock does is spread out the recoil impulse, which isn't much, and allow you to elevate it in the shoulder pocket, which is just compensating for a sight line that is too short over the bore. If the sight line needs to be higher, taller mounts would be cheaper. You have to offset your shot at close range anyway.

What you trade off is every quality that a pistol offers under the law. You can carry it loaded concealed in a vehicle in many states because of CCW provisions as a handgun, a rifle, tho must be unloaded, cased, and out of hand, to conform to anti poaching practices. Crossing state lines is matter of considering their laws concerning use of pistols, but with an SBR, it's a matter of the ATF's permission, which much be arranged in advance.

So, for the money, you get to have less freedom and a SBR registered to you. Or a pistol and $400 of ammo to get used to the minor discomfort. To me the training would be the better benefit, and a pistol ready to hand than an unloaded rifle in the trunk.

If that wasn't the original intent - to use a pistol - then sell it and move on. One thing for sure about firearms, tho, you will eventually question the decision. The ATF's decision and the circus around it will only bring more light to the entire farce of the NFA.

Do you want to remember you bailed out just when the it was the beginning of the end for unConstitutional gun control? This is just a bump in the road - and the road crews are coming to fix it.

SBR it for sure. Short barrels are fun.

SBR the lower. Then you can play with all sorts of goodies down the road (think 9" 300 Blackout and 4.5" .22LR).

If you like it as a pistol, just keep it as a pistol. My state has stopped signing off on SBR's recently and it has to be a HBAR and no shorter than 29 inches. Seems if you buying the stamp for an SBR, you should should be able to make it as short as you want it. I shot my 7.5 for the first time tonight without the brace and it was still pretty cool. I couldn't SBR it in my commie state because it would still be too short

Option C keep the pistol. $0

Problem solved.

I was in the same boat.

I filed for my form 1 on the 19th.

I also have a 14.5 pinned and I love it. I only have a 16" AR for a recce build.

Why? It's a useless range toy as just a pistol. Having a stock is worth the $200.

Update:

I'm assembling a new 16" barreled upper to put on the Sig Brace lower while I work through the SBR paperwork. The short barrel is handy, but I'll see if I really miss it being 5.5" different than the new barrel, if I don't really miss it, I'll just sell it and the Sig Brace and put it towards the M92 pap SBR ive been wanting to build.

Just keep it the way it is. Not illegal, you don't shoulder it anyway, right?

This. I built an AR pistol from a stripped lower a couple years ago and quickly realized it was pretty much just something to play around with. It got old even quicker, and I sold the upper to help fund more practical things like two cases of ammo.

Why do you need to get rid of the brace? It's 100% legal to have a pistol with a brace on it.