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It would be interesting to see how they would respond when asked about the AFG answer in this letter and the answer about vertical grips in the other letter.  It would seem one of two things is true, either the AFG is not considered a grip, or the person writting one of these letters is uninformed or has the old one is outdated and they have changed their minds.



Either way pistol vs handgun doesn't seem to matter.  The AR15 pistol is both, defined as such in different parts of federal law.  Kind of like how an SUV is also an Automobile.



Handgun = designed to be held and fired with a singal hand



pistol = intended to fire a projectile from one or multiple barrels when held in one hand



As quoted from the letter...

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But to help you out, all handguns are pistols but not all pistols are handguns. We know this because if those pistols that are not handguns were handguns, they would also be AOW's by ATF interpretation. The trick is to find out which pistols are not handguns. It's not really that tricky, the pistols are the ones not designed to be held and fired with a single hand.

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Perhaps. However, I don't know a single person that fires their handguns one handed unless they're being silly or showing off. Virtually everyone utilizes the Isoceles or Weaver stance with two hands on the weapon at all times to maintain better control.

I also don't think most pistol/handgun manufacturers would recommend you shoot it one handed if you called them. Wasn't it thus designed to be fired with two hands?
 

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Was it designed or intended to be fired from the shoulder?  If not, it's still a pistol. It's just being fired unconventionally.  Like shooting from the hip.  If you put a stock on it, then it's a SBR and needs a tax stamp or it's illegal.

IANAL.. YMMV.. etc..

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Not to hijack this thread too badly...,

but no, you can not put a cane-tip on the receiver extension of a pistol if your intent is to use it as an aid in shouldering the firearm. (unless your barrel length is >= 16 inches, in which case it would cease being a pistol and become a rifle, and that's OK.)

The person who asked the original question asked if it was ok for him to put it on there because he stores his pistol in such a manner that it rests on the buffer tube and it tends to slide around.  He specifically described the cane-tip he wanted use as something that would not be an aid in shouldering the firearm.  (he's a member on this board and he posted his original question to the ATF here)

The ATF reply to him was that it was OK for him to add a cane-tip to keep the pistol from sliding around.  They did not give blanket permission to add cane-tips for the purpose of shouldering the firearm.



I brought it up originally because it's a good example of how these letters only apply to the addressee and should not be used as permission letters by anyone who wants to do something similar.  The ATF does not view these individual letters in the same way they view their official "Open Letters" or their regulatory "Rulings".

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Someone in the Magpul forum made a good point on this topic.  Many things are legal if you follow the correct process.  This letter explains the correct process for doing a lot of things, including manufacturing a NFA weapon.



The question that was asked was, "Can I lawfully install a magpul AFG on the bottom accessory rail of an AR15 type pistol?"

The ATF replied simply, "Yes."

What they might have left out of that answer was "... if you get a tax stamp."  The procedure for getting a tax stamp was actually discussed on the second page of the letter.



The question that wasn't asked or answered was whether or not adding an AFG might make your pistol into an AOW and require you to get the appropriate tax stamp.  



If you had asked something like, "May I lawfully build a rifle with a 12 inch barrel?"  They might have also simply replied, "Yes."  

Because you can lawfully build a SBR, you just need to make sure you follow the correct procedure.



I would proceed with the utmost caution since the ATF already has a slightly more official "Open Letter" where they go in-depth about fore-grips on handguns and why that makes them an AOW.