AR 15 Pistol

Ghost40 · Aug 21, 2016

Alright. I want to build an AR pistol (556 if it matters). I understand I need tof get a lower. No problems. I understand I can't put a stock on it. No problem. I believe I can use a 7.5" barrel. Am I missing anything? Do I need to file with the ATF for the magical stamp?

Someone school me.

Doitsouthstyle · Aug 21, 2016

I believe you covered all the bases and will be fine just to cover your self make sure to use a pistol buffer tube which doesn't allow you to bolt a stock on the buffer tube. If anyone has any other input about this please provide it. May know people that are in same situation regarding this???

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

AR pistols are completely legal in MD. Get a lower, use a pistol-style buffer tube, an upper of your favorite length, and you're done.

There's no barrel profile restrictions on a pistol either, so skinny is fine - your choice.

There's no "stock" on a pistol, so don't use a carbine buffer tube that could accept a stock. There's no need for any stamps or other paperwork once you own the lower. Just build it.

ericahls · Aug 21, 2016

Just register lower as a pistol (aow). Don't put on a stock. Sig brace is fine. No vertical fore grip. If you're going short barrel may I suggest 300 blackout. Learn to handload so it'll be a hell of a lot cheaper. That's it.

FYI. The lower that you are using can not have been previously registered as a rifle.

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

ericahls said:
Just register lower as a pistol (aow). Don't put on a stock. Sig brace is fine. No vertical fore grip. If you're going short barrel may I suggest 300 blackout. Learn to handload so it'll be a hell of a lot cheaper. That's it.

FYI. The lower that you are using can not have been previously registered as a rifle.

I should have said "get a fresh, stripped lower" so you don't have to worry if it was ever a rifle. The paperwork will say "other", not "pistol" or "rifle" since it isn't either one yet.

FYI - Vertical fore-grips are bad, but angled fore-grips are okay. Handstops are also okay.

ericahls · Aug 21, 2016

DutchV said:
FYI - Vertical fore-grips are bad, but angled fore-grips are okay. Handstops are also okay.

Thank God we have the ATF to protect us from those evil vertical fore-grips.

HordesOfKailas · Aug 21, 2016

If I remember correctly, you aren't legally required to use a pistol buffer tube. A normal buffer tube is fine and saves on cost. That said, if you do get a pistol tube, look into the shockwave brace. I like it way more than the Sig brace.

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

HordesOfKailas said:
If I remember correctly, you aren't legally required to use a pistol buffer tube. A normal buffer tube is fine and saves on cost. That said, if you do get a pistol tube, look into the shockwave brace. I like it way more than the Sig brace.

You are correct about the buffer tube. You can use a standard one. But it is less risky to use a pistol-specific tube. I wouldn't want to accidentally make an SBR, or be accused of intending to do that, when pistol buffer tubes are available. (At least fill in the holes with JB Weld if you use a standard buffer tube.)

The Shockwave brace and KAK buffer tube are a nice combo that solves the issue cleanly.

Minuteman · Aug 21, 2016

Oh boy.

Here we go again.

The buffer tube has nothing to do with the firearm being classified as a rifle, pistol, SBR or not. This is more battered gun owner syndrome sneaking in.

No one is going to 'accidentally' put a stock on a pistol, geez. That's like saying someone might accidentally saw a barrel off, drop in a sear and make it full auto, or accidentally put on a suppressor without having a stamp.

The biggest example of this... let's call it 'overly cautious', is discussing transporting firearms. The law is pretty clear about transport, but people like to 'add' to it and say things like better to lock the ammo separate from the gun, or some other 'extra' and unnecessary thing. I've even hear an employee at a gun shop tell customers to not put their loaded magazines in their gun case/bag, so it wouldn't accidentally go into the magazine well. Last I checked there was still at least one gun shop in Maryland that doesn't allow customers arriving to use their range have their magazines loaded in advance.

I'm glad HordesofKailas and DutchV made the point clear, so someone doesn't think this is the law or anything. I get your point, and thanks for the clarification. And thanks for the tip about the KAK buffer and Shockwave, those look like a winning combination for any AR pistol!

outrider58 · Aug 21, 2016

Minuteman said:
Oh boy.

Here we go again.

The buffer tube has nothing to do with the firearm being classified as a rifle, pistol, SBR or not. This is more battered gun owner syndrome sneaking in.

No one is going to 'accidentally' put a stock on a pistol, geez. That's like saying someone might accidentally saw a barrel off, drop in a sear and make it full auto, or accidentally put on a suppressor without having a stamp.

The biggest example of this... let's call it 'overly cautious', is discussing transporting firearms. The law is pretty clear about transport, but people like to 'add' to it and say things like better to lock the ammo separate from the gun, or some other 'extra' and unnecessary thing. I've even hear an employee at a gun shop tell customers to not put their loaded magazines in their gun case/bag, so it wouldn't accidentally go into the magazine well. Last I checked there was still at least one gun shop in Maryland that doesn't allow customers arriving to use their range have their magazines loaded in advance.

I'm glad HordesofKailas and DutchV made the point clear, so someone doesn't think this is the law or anything. I get your point, and thanks for the clarification. And thanks for the tip about the KAK buffer and Shockwave, those look like a winning combination for any AR pistol!

^^^This.

Doitsouthstyle · Aug 21, 2016

But with the pistol buffer tube you are less likely to be asked whether was this ever a rifle. Which frankly as my 2 cents it was a stripped lower and was built into a rifle with aow status when buying then changing to a pistol later in it life and never assembling as an sbr then you are fine. There is a lot of it must be a pistol first then you can go back and forth but never the reverse. I understand some have a hard time stretching the truth. But if you didn't buy a complete rifle or a stripped lower and filed it as rifle then you are fine as you never assembled a pistol upper with a lower that had a stock on it. This is brought up a lot here and that falls with the battered gun owner syndrome.

Don't take this as legal advice by any means but Maryland gun laws tend to be so vague that it cause owner to always question them selves.

Minuteman · Aug 21, 2016

Good stuff.

Hey, check out this new product:

Is it a rifle, pistol, SMG, SBR, does it require a stamp?

Not NFA!

Check it out. CAA

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

Minuteman - as long as we're having fun, here's the same sort of thing from Endo:

http://endotactical.com/products.html

Swap a Shockwave blade on instead of a stock, and it's just a pistol with a brace. Also non-NFA.

Minuteman · Aug 21, 2016

DutchV said:
Minuteman - as long as we're having fun, here's the same sort of thing from Endo:

http://endotactical.com/products.html

Swap a Shockwave blade on instead of a stock, and it's just a pistol with a brace. Also non-NFA.

Thanks, and I have seen that.

But I thought adding a stock made it an NFA item?

"In the Unites States all NFA rules apply
You must register your handgun with the ATF if you plan on adding a stock to it.
Reference: ATF Form 1"

5.56blaster · Aug 21, 2016

ericahls said:
Just register lower as a pistol (aow). Don't put on a stock. Sig brace is fine. No vertical fore grip. If you're going short barrel may I suggest 300 blackout. Learn to handload so it'll be a hell of a lot cheaper. That's it.

FYI. The lower that you are using can not have been previously registered as a rifle.

AOW is an NFA weapon. If it was an AOW then a vertical fore grip is ok. You want the receiver to start as an other not an AOW.

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

Minuteman said:
Thanks, and I have seen that.

But I thought adding a stock made it an NFA item?

"In the Unites States all NFA rules apply
You must register your handgun with the ATF if you plan on adding a stock to it.
Reference: ATF Form 1"

I'm not talking about adding a stock, because yes, that would be an SBR. I meant adding a brace - either the Sig brace or Shockwave Blade. So it's still a pistol, same as all the other pistols with buffer tubes and braces on them.

HordesOfKailas · Aug 21, 2016

DutchV said:
Minuteman - as long as we're having fun, here's the same sort of thing from Endo:

http://endotactical.com/products.html

Swap a Shockwave blade on instead of a stock, and it's just a pistol with a brace. Also non-NFA.

I keep seeing pictures of this. It looks woefully unwieldy. Isn't the attraction of a handgun the maneuverability? If you want better stability, use a rifle or carbine. My opinion anyway.

DutchV · Aug 21, 2016

HordesOfKailas said:
I keep seeing pictures of this. It looks woefully unwieldy. Isn't the attraction of a handgun the maneuverability? If you want better stability, use a rifle or carbine. My opinion anyway.

It does make the pistol bulky, but it also can be detached quickly. The package is a lot lighter than any rifle, and if you add a Red Dot sight to a Glock, you get greatly improved accuracy. And it still fits in a laptop bag.

Minuteman · Aug 21, 2016

Sorry, I thought that was a stock.

Cool toys in any case.

engineerbrian · Aug 21, 2016

Minuteman said:
Good stuff.

Hey, check out this new product:

Is it a rifle, pistol, SMG, SBR, does it require a stamp?

Not NFA!

Check it out. CAA

When in doubt, check out your local YouTube crew. They probably have you covered :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SnDblNRdNU

[YT]3SnDblNRdNU[/YT]

AR 15 Pistol

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Active Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Still learning

Ultimate Member

Member

Eats Bacon Raw

Active Member

Member

Ultimate Member

Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Still learning

Ultimate Member

Member

JMB fan club

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics