I would like to get a barrel that is 14.5 inches.  Of course this would be considered a SBR on my rifle lower.  If I get a pistol lower can I then buy a 14.5'' upper to put on it?  I have not seen any pistols with this upper on it but I like the length even if it is a little big for a pistol. hat
Thanks in advance!

Well that's a good question. I haven't seen anything that says it can't be over a specific length. As long is there is no shoulder stock or vert foregrip, you should be ok. Of course I'm no expert.

Post pics if you do build one  

Gene

perfectly legal.

perfectly retarded, but perfectly legal.

I think I remeber from somewhere that it must be under 26".  Not sure though...

Quoted: I think I remeber from somewhere that it must be under 26".  Not sure though...

a pistol can be made into a rifle. a rifle need not have a stock.

Ok so it should be legal.  Do I first have to own a pistol lower?  What if I have found a great deal on a 14.5 upper, but don't have the pistol lower yet?  Is it ok if I have a regular lower in the house?  I am assuming it is the action of ataching the pistol upper to the rifle lower that is illegal, not owning both.  My god these laws are stupid.  SBR laws are just as usefull as the useless AWB.  Nevertheless I will work around them.  Stock or no stock.

Quoted: Ok so it should be legal.  Do I first have to own a pistol lower?  What if I have found a great deal on a 14.5 upper, but don't have the pistol lower yet?  Is it ok if I have a regular lower in the house?  I am assuming it is the action of ataching the pistol upper to the rifle lower that is illegal, not owning both.  My god these laws are stupid.  SBR laws are just as usefull as the useless AWB.  Nevertheless I will work around them.  Stock or no stock.

Here's what I understand (if I'm wrong, I'll quickly be corrected)

-the lower receiver (the part with the ser#) is the part that MUST be registered as a pistol when it is sold NEW. You cannot take a lower receiver that was ORIGINALLY sold as a rifle and then make that into a pistol.

-you can take a registered pistol lower and make into a short barrel rifle, but you MUST do the required forms (and fund$) to make it a registered SBR.

-if you have a registered pistol lower receiver, you can put anything you damn well please on top of that just as long as there is no vertical foregrip. So if you want to switch your 14" upper from your rifle over to your registered pistol lower, go for it. (Just don't put the 10.5" upper from your pistol onto your rifle lower unless you get it registered as a SBR).

I picked up a new "blemished" lower receiver from RB Precision for $75.00 and they sold it to me as a pistol, so I could register it as such.

Hope that helps. Yeah, the laws do suck. Atleast you don't live in Komifornia.  

Gene

the tacked thread states, per atf ,as long as it is a virgin lower you can build a pistol with it.



the dealers that sell "pistol" lowers for a bit more than regular lowers are raping you and taking you for your money but i guess its ok since the unknowing are paying.

While an interesting idea and all, if you're really just after the 14.5" upper, why not attach a flash suppressor permanently, like the Phantom, and have it make the 16" OAL? Then you can have the buttstock and vertical grips, etc.

Or you could have the world's ugliest AR pistol....

Quoted: Ok so it should be legal. Do I first have to own a pistol lower? What if I have found a great deal on a 14.5 upper, but don't have the pistol lower yet?  Is it ok if I have a regular lower in the house?  I am assuming it is the action of ataching the pistol upper to the rifle lower that is illegal, not owning both.  My god these laws are stupid.  SBR laws are just as usefull as the useless AWB.  Nevertheless I will work around them.  Stock or no stock.

I am also curious if you have to own a pistol lower to own a short barreled upper.  I am looking for a short barreled 9mm upper but don't have a pistol lower (yet).  Is this a good idea and or legal?

Quoted: Quoted: Ok so it should be legal. Do I first have to own a pistol lower? What if I have found a great deal on a 14.5 upper, but don't have the pistol lower yet?  Is it ok if I have a regular lower in the house?  I am assuming it is the action of ataching the pistol upper to the rifle lower that is illegal, not owning both.  My god these laws are stupid.  SBR laws are just as usefull as the useless AWB.  Nevertheless I will work around them.  Stock or no stock. I am also curious if you have to own a pistol lower to own a short barreled upper.  I am looking for a short barreled 9mm upper but don't have a pistol lower (yet).  Is this a good idea and or legal?

You can buy all the uppers you want, provided they are not banned by your state government (i.e. .50 in cali). Now the trick is, if you have an SBR upper, do not have a lower receiver anywhere on your property, unless you have a cancelled tax stamp for an SBR lower, (meaning you have done all your paperwork), and at that point, it doesn't matter anymore.

So in other words if you currently own an AR it's best to get the lower first?

Quoted: So in other words if you currently own an AR it's best to get the lower first?

Yes, get the lower first, if for a AR pistol, make sure you have it registered as such, and if a rifle, get the SBR paperwork done before you purchase/possess a short upper.

Quoted: So in other words if you currently own an AR it's best to get the lower first?

Yes, in fact it could be illegal to do otherwise. If you have an AR rifle or carbine and an SBR upper without a legitmate use for it (ie possessed in conjunction with a registered NFA lower, [AR pistol]*, etc), it is reasonable for a jury to find that you possessed an unregistered NFA firearm, even if not assembled as such.

The case is US v. Kent, 175 F.3d 870 (1999), generously hosted by Quarterbore.

Note: *The appeals court in Kent does not discuss AR pistols as legitimate uses for AR SBR uppers (I'd guess as such was not raised as a defense by Kent). However, the legitimacy and apparent proliferation of AR pistols after 9/2004 seems to me like a logical extension of the court's reasoning.

Cheers, Otto

Wow it took alot of answers to get the one I wanted.  Allow me to summerize if I may:  It would be 100% illegal to buy a 14.5'' barrel before I own a pistol lower since I have an AR rifle lower already.  Thank you for you help Otto and Lapp Dance.  Who knows maybe you kept me out of Jail with that advice.h.gif

Check state laws, at least one state says a pistol must be under 26". I think it started with a M, MI, MN, something like that.