Any lower can be made a legal pistol just by putting the proper tube on correct? I have 2 stamped lowers but dont want stamp a 3rd. In thinking of getting one of those psa ar9 but seems like they rarely sell the lower configured to pistol already.

A stripped lower can be made into either a rifle or a pistol. If a receiver is made into a pistol, it can be used for pistol, or changed into a rifle. If you build the receiver as a rifle, it can only ever be a rifle. Thats the way I understand it

So If i had a lower that was transferred in with a rigle stock on it I cant just put a pistol tube on it after the fact?

I just had to research this for my 8.5" pistol build. I ordered a completed lower from PSA that had the standard carbine stock and tube on it. It was transferred through my FFL as a receiver so I can build it as a pistol or rifle. Thordson even makes a cheek weld that can go on the carbine buffer tube and is Non-NFA still.

So it depends how the ffl logs it in?

A lower receiver should always be logged in as an "other" item since it can be either a rifle or pistol. This is why lowers require one to be 21 years old to buy while a rifle is only 18.

No, it depends how the lower is first built into a complete barreled firearm.

If it's first complete config is as a rifle, it can never be a pistol.  If it's first complete config is as a pistol, it can go back and fourth between rifle and pistol.

A complete firearm includes some barrel, so if you buy a new built lower with a stock, it can still be configured as a pistol build so long as you remove the stock before you attach the upper with the short barrel.

A lot of the questions have been redundantly covered in the AR Pistol section a few topic heading down from this section.

Topic Moved

From a purely technical POV.. First configured is the answer. However there are some FFL's that insist on asking what your intended configuration will be and putting that on the 4473. Right or wrong it happens !
The other side of the coin is there are literally thousands upon thousands of Stripped lowers and completed firearms floating around that were listed on 4473's as one thing and then at some point stripped sold and configured as something else..
Right or wrong it happens.
People did not know or understand and the original configuration got lost in the shuffle. Or... Someone decided fuck the ATF and reconfigured as they pleased. Later sold it as whatever it was.

To a degree unless the original invoice from manufacturer or first sale from an FFL can confirm how it was transferred to either the FFL or first customer... No one knows several years later.
Another example of the retarted nature of the GCA and NFA.

It honestly does not matter how it is listed on the 4473. As long as the lower was never a complete rifle configuration first. If the FFL is an idiot I would tell to reread how to properly fill out a 4473. If he is still insistent then I would probably have him contact the ATF so he doesn't get his FFL pulled.

If the FFL is insistent, then you need to find a new FFL to deal with, because the one you are dealing with has no idea of how the rules, regulations and laws actually read and are implemented.  A lower receiver is always transferred as "other" because you may not know and the FFL certainly does not know how it will end up being configured.

And as Rouge said, it does not really matter how it is listed, you could take it home and configure it as a pistol, even through it is listed as a rifle and you would still be within the guidelines of the laws and rules.

I asked a lot of these questions not long ago. Basically, unless it was sold as a complete "rifle" (upper and lower sold together) then you can most likely convert it to a pistol. You don't even need to put a pistol buffer on it, although I definitely recommend you at least acquire one (especially to fit your brace on ;-). It doesn't need to say "pistol" on it, and it doesn't matter at all what the engraving or roll marks say. If you buy the lower NEW then you can make it into a pistol or a rifle--but the former is preferable because you can convert a pistol to a rifle and back, but once a rifle always a rifle.

So you get your new lower go ahead and take off the stock if there is one, and attach an upper that is shorter than 16", and now that is officially a pistol lower. Now you can convert it to a rifle by replacing the upper and you can even put the stock back on if you want. And then you can convert it back to a pistol by removing the stock and using any pistol upper. While it has a short barrel it can never, ever, never have stock or a forward grip installed, but other than that, it's the best of all worlds and the only type of lower I'll be building from now on.

The one thing I do, is photograph my lowers and I always have a pistol configuration lower in my safe.

 

So does that mean there is a maximum legal length a pistol barrel can be? Just build it except for the stock,regardless of bbl. length,call it a pistol, then mount stock.Problem solved.

The ATF has no regulation on how long a pistol barrel is, only on whether a stock was attached at the first time one is assembled. The barrel is of less consequence than the stock.

Stock attached, 16" or longer barrel installed, it's permanently a rifle. Requires an SBR Stamp to shorten it.
Stock NOT attached any barrel installed, it's a pistol.

You are the one in control of what it is first. A FFL has never been delegated ANY authority by the ATF to make a legal determination of what your lower is, and what they check has no legal authority. The ATF reserves that power to themselves alone.


It's the people who treat them indiscriminately and capable of being switched back and forth who have the issues. Keep a straight minded build and don't try to poke the bear, you get to do what is legal. Not what some internet sage says you might be able to get away with. And don't forget it's not likely the ATF in the next shooting lane getting all squinty eyed at your gun, it's likely some half informed gun bubba or fudd who likes working as ATF pro bono who's your worst enemy. We have seen him and he is us.

My FFL logged my stripped lowers as "Other". Good to go.

No.....it depends on how that lower was configured when it left the manufacturer.
If it left as a rifle, it's ALWAYS a rifle.