AR Pistol Question

[WestTN2288]

Not sure if this is a pistol or rifle forum question… but does anyone actually know what the rules are for owning an AR pistol in TN? Can't find an answer I feel good about on the www.

 

[UCStandSitter]

Not sure if this is a pistol or rifle forum question… but does anyone actually know what the rules are for owning an AR pistol in TN? Can't find an answer I feel good about on the www.

Own it. Not a problem here. TN is still part of America

 

[WestTN2288]

No problem. Only becomes a problem if you put a rifle lenglth buffer/stock and don't have NFA stamp/approval for it. That would then be a short barrel rifle (sbr) that requires NFA tax stamp. Hope that helps

So carbine length buffer and short barrel is okay without the NFA stamp?

 

[PossumSlayer]

Not sure if this is a pistol or rifle forum question… but does anyone actually know what the rules are for owning an AR pistol in TN? Can't find an answer I feel good about on the www.

You must be a racist klukker!!!

 

[WestTN2288]

You must be a racist klukker!!!

Obviously. On top of that, I'm a white male (born and raised) that only like females *takes another bite of popcorn*

 

[PossumSlayer]

Obviously. On top of that, I'm a white male (born and raised) that only like females *takes another bite of popcorn*

What pistol are you wanting to buy?

 

[WestTN2288]

I'm building one from scratch. Just checking in before I buy myself into a corner

 

[TN Song Dog]

So carbine length buffer and short barrel is okay without the NFA stamp?

No, that's not okay. Probably best I just not try to give advice. If I were in your shoes, I'd just buy factory assembled with some warranty. Best of luck.

 

[WestTN2288]

So you need the pistol strap for the stock?

 

[WestTN2288]

to the best of my knowledge from my experience. if you're wanting a barrel under 16 inches you'll need to put a pistol brace on the back to be legal. you're not supposed to have say for example a 10 inch upper and full stock on the back as it will be an "sbr" and a no no. dunno what you're trying to build but I have an AR "pistol" with 11.5 inch flat top upper and sba3 brace, so I'm good to go. on a side note if you're ordering stripped lowers and sending them to an FFL to pick up they'll ask pistol or rifle, always check off on pistol as you can build out either way. pistol can have any barrel length, rifle required to have at least 16 inches. in a nutshell

Very helpful. Thank you!

 

[UCStandSitter]

Simplified. Go buy an SBA3 brace. If you put on a folding stock adapter look up the rules around LOP (length of pull) to ensure you'er compliant there. Otherwise, you're good to go.

 

[WestTN2288]

Thanks to all. Much simpler than the ATF version

 

[PossumSlayer]

If you're to worried about building maybe buy complete that you can modify

 

[TnKen]

To throw another thing to consider. Tn ,as of July 1, short barrel rifles and shotguns are not prohibited by TCA 39-17-13 Still illegal by atf standards.

 

[Omega]

to the best of my knowledge from my experience. if you're wanting a barrel under 16 inches you'll need to put a pistol brace on the back to be legal. you're not supposed to have say for example a 10 inch upper and full stock on the back as it will be an "sbr" and a no no. dunno what you're trying to build but I have an AR "pistol" with 11.5 inch flat top upper and sba3 brace, so I'm good to go. on a side note if you're ordering stripped lowers and sending them to an FFL to pick up they'll ask pistol or rifle, always check off on pistol as you can build out either way. pistol can have any barrel length, rifle required to have at least 16 inches. in a nutshell

I don't think this is correct, if it is a new stripped lower, it is to be sold as "other" on the 4473 since it has not technically been a pistol or rifle yet.

 

[Jcalder]

I was never asked when I picked up my stripped lower.

I'm not a lawyer and offer no legal device, but once it's labeled as a rifle it has to stay as a rifle, and meet those requirements or get a stamp. Being a pistol gives a bit more leeway. Case in point is the tc encore. You can potentially get in trouble using an encore frame from a muzzleloader and making it into an illegal pistol, because it started out as a rifle. Lots of commentary out there on that as well. In short, if you have the money, fill out the paper work for an sbr and do what you want without worry.

 

[Omega]

last time I picked up lowers from my ffl the guy asked me "pistol" or "rifle" regardless this is irrelevant to the question he asked.

Entirely relevant, as proper classification of the lower is paramount to the federal legality of owning a pistol AR. A lower that starts life as a rifle can't be made into a pistol, only SBR, but a pistol can go back and forth.

 

[UCStandSitter]

Entirely relevant, as proper classification of the lower is paramount to the federal legality of owning a pistol AR. A lower that starts life as a rifle can't be made into a pistol, only SBR, but a pistol can go back and forth.

You don't gotta tell em jack. That is none of their business. You are buying a stripped lower, period. You can begin life as a pistol and later swap to a rifle if you so choose (just not the other way round). What you plan to do with it is up to you and you are responsible for following the laws. The FFL should be doing nothing more than sending in your 4473 and telling you results. If my FFL asked me any questions beyond that, I'd find a new one.

 

[Omega]

You don't gotta tell em jack. That is none of their business. You are buying a stripped lower, period. You can begin life as a pistol and later swap to a rifle if you so choose (just not the other way round). What you plan to do with it is up to you and you are responsible for following the laws. The FFL should be doing nothing more than sending in your 4473 and telling you results. If my FFL asked me any questions beyond that, I'd find a new one.

I've never had to tell them, but there is a block they have to check, but around here they automatically check other.

 

[WestTN2288]

I've never had to tell them, but there is a block they have to check, but around here they automatically check other.

Does other mean you can do whatever you want? How does that play in to this…

 

[Omega]

Does other mean you can do whatever you want? How does that play in to this…

Yes, legally of course. When you buy a new stripped lower, it isn't one or the other yet, but IMO it is best to build it as a pistol first, that way it isn't legally locked in to being a rifle only. I build a pistol, document (picture), then if I am ultimately building a rifle, I do that then. If I buy a used lower, I ask what it was on before to get it's record, because if somewhere down the line it was transferred through an FFL as a rifle, you may have to prove it was a pistol first, which would be nearly impossible to do. It's a stupid law, but the ATF will charge you nonetheless.

 

[UCStandSitter]

Does other mean you can do whatever you want? How does that play in to this…

Yes. You can do whatever you want with a stripped lower. That's kinda the point of buying a stripped lower. You can build a pistol and later make it a rifle. However, if you start with a rifle, you have to stay with a rifle. Let's say you take it home and put a 16" barrel on it and normal BCM stock. You have made a rifle. You can't then take that barrel off and put a 10.5" on and a SBA3 brace. Because that would be illegal. Does it seem arbitrary? You'd be right. Welcome to the jacked up world of the ATF. Buncha dog shootin morons...

 

[DaveTN]

An AR without a stock than can't be shouldered is useless…IMHO. I know many will disagree.

The ATF can, and has, changed their opinions on braces as stocks. You have to keep up with the legalities and the latest drama. After having them (PLR-16, and AR pistol) I decided there are too many other options. Everything is application driven, your application may differ.

 

[Specializedjon]

Personally, I would take this offline and ask your questions to a couple of these guys. What YOU do with YOUR firearms is YOUR business. Less is more when it comes to my guns and what I do with them. Just my $.2A opinion

- 'Merica

 

[Mb423]

If you are wanting to build and keep it legal, PSA has some cheap pistol build kits you could go with. Building isn't really cheaper than buying whole, so you could so buy a complete pistol and be done with it.