I am a newbie, and I own a 11. 5 Ar pistol, I put some harris shorty bipod on it, and I was bench rest shooting it and two guys said it was a fuzzy area of the law, and that I might want to take them off. I pointed out that I was just in the show room and saw a thompson contender wit em on it, and they just told me to be careful...  Is this realy a problem for a pistol?

In my State...Washington, a bipod is allowed on a pistol. To the best of my knowledge, no state considers a bipod to be a forward grip, which would make a pistol an AOW.

I'd check with your state's Attorney General, but I think you're OK.

Quoted: In my State...Washington, a bipod is allowed on a pistol. To the best of my knowledge, no state considers a bipod to be a forward grip, which would make a pistol an AOW. I'd check with your state's Attorney General, but I think you're OK.

+1

Woot! Time to bipodify my Washington state pistol!

FWIW, I was talking to the fine folks over at Olympic Arms the other day, and was told that the local (Seattle) BATF had told one of their customers a quick detach vertical foregrip was OK on a pistol if the pistol originally came with mounting rails.
The customer was alledgedly a Chaplain from Ft. Lewis who was deploying to Iraq, and went to Seattle to ensure his OA93 was OK in this configuration (my kind of Chaplain!)
Realizing the source, and realizing the second or third hand account, I took this information with a dumptruck load of salt.
Also knowing how different agents interpret the rules doesn't make it any easier. Suffice to say, I did not buy a grip right then and there. Nor do I intend to. I'll wait until somebody else wins this one in a court of law.
Just thought I'd pass this interesting, and quite scarey tale along.
Another example of a less than scrupulous sales person trying to make a sale at the customers (jail time) cost? Or an earnest relation of a true story? I'll let you decide.

I can not believe that Texas would be more restrictive than Wa, so thank you for the advice.  I am getting sick of the Yahoos who are trying to scare everyone at the range.

Gary

i hope is not
i have bipods on 2 of my enore pistols
they even sell a speical clamp for the barrel

Quoted: Woot! Time to bipodify my Washington state pistol! FWIW, I was talking to the fine folks over at Olympic Arms the other day, and was told that the local (Seattle) BATF had told one of their customers a quick detach vertical foregrip was OK on a pistol if the pistol originally came with mounting rails.

AH, OK, That is clearly an AOW, which is clearly an NFA weapon! No forward vertical grip is allowed on any pistol without tax stamp (I think WA. is non NFA). I believe that the rails are OK, but if you get caught with a grip on them, well meet your new room mate, Bubba!

Forward grip=jail time.

Bipod=fun time.

I'd like to see a verifable story of someone who actually went to jail for adding a foward vertical grip to an AR pistol.

Quoted: I'd like to see a verifable story of someone who actually went to jail for adding a foward vertical grip to an AR pistol.

you want to be the first?

I see no problems.

Quoted: Quoted: I'd like to see a verifable story of someone who actually went to jail for adding a foward vertical grip to an AR pistol. you want to be the first?

What kind of question is THAT?

Why? Are you insinuating that you are going to bust him?

Quoted: Forward grip=jail time. Bipod=fun time.

jail time=fun time