This is an odd question, and since I don't seem to get any help, or any concrete answers from the local ATF office, hopefully somebody here will be able to help. I've seen Bushmasters new carbon pistol AR. Call me old fashioned but I still like Aluminum lowers a little bit better. The question is: When purchasing ONLY a lower reciever from the local gunstore, when the paper work is being filled out, can you register the lower reciever as a pistol as opposed to a rifle and then put a shorty or pistol upper/barrel on it? Or does this always require the $200 tax and class III designation? Since the carbon ready made pistols from bushmaster don't require a class III wouldn't that apply to lowers as well as long as they are registered that way when they are bought. It seems like it should, but I know how much double talk and just basic b.s. are put into laws etc. If anyone has done something like this before and knows FOR SURE what to do please let me know. I'll be extremely grateful for any advice! Also I'm an OHIO resident if that helps any. Thanks!

A new-never registered reciever can be registered as a pistol at the time the paperwork is being filled out, if it's used , it cannot be converted to a pistol