What is a legal PreBan AR Pistol?
The receiver was baught & built before the AWB.
Those pistol kits were everywhere (short barrels & buffertubes).
I have been told it must be a "legallily registered" AR pistol reeiver (and never was a rifle).  What does that mean in the context of the early 1990's.
I am aware of the pistol options & restrictions today with the AWB in place. (including A.O.W. & S.B.R.)

But how would a person legally own or purchase a PREBAN AR pistol??????
If the original owner/builder was to "register" it, then wouldn't any AR being built have to also "register" it???????????
What does registering it mean anyways????
Help - please

Hey as far as I know about the technicalities, if you call them such, of the gun laws goes; you should 'register'/notify any short barelled rifle's with the local ATF office or possibly the local sheriff. If I am not mistaken. I believe it all falls under the class II license. ie... check with a local ATF agent to keep yourself out of trouble.

No different than a pre-ban rifle; it must have been assembled before the 94 ban.

Register it with who? That part sounds like bunk.

that is where i am confused.
I know that it was bought & assembled before the ban.
But I don't understand why/(how) it would be registered;  it is not a short barrel rifle, it is a pistol (no different that a Uzi Carbine and a Uzi Pistol).
Maybe the regs mean register as to the manufacturing (assembley) of a firearms, but then every self assemble rifle out there is/was to be regestered.
I guess I don't understand why if you take a stripped AR Lower Receiver (let's assume for discussion sake, everything is built, bought, assembled before the ban, with paperwork to back it up)....
stripped AR lower receiver and assemble it into a pistol it must be "registered pistol lower"?????? but if you use it to assemble a rifle, then no more paperwork needs to be done.
This whole issue confuses the hell out of me.

"What is a legal PreBan AR Pistol?"
>>A Pre-Ban pistol is one that has been built into a pistol prior to 9/13/03. The burden is upon you to prove this should the need arise. The restrictions of the ban do not apply.

"But how would a person legally own or purchase a PREBAN AR pistol??????"
>>As long as your state allows pre-bans, mine does not, you may legally own it. Just purchase one from a seller. Expect to pay $500-$1000 more than a pre-ban rifle.

"If the original owner/builder was to "register" it, then wouldn't any AR being built have to also "register" it???????????"
>>There is no registration of the pistol that you refer. That applies to Title II firearms.

As I understand it, a pistol, whether pre or post ban, can be made into a rifle (butt stock and >16" barrel) then back to a pistol at anytime. A rifle can not be made into a pistol, ever. You can, however, take off the butt stock, but the barrel must be >16" at all times.