View Full Version : AR Pistol OAL??
Sgt. J Beezy
03-14-2012, 9:06 AM
If a buddy of mine built an AR Pistol from an 80% lower and the OAL is greater than 26 inches is this:
A. Still considered a pistol?
B. Legal?
C. Is there any other issues one must know for encountering a police officer?
The weapon meets all other criteria: 10.5 inch barrel, no VFG, and BB installed, no mags greater than 10, etc...
Thanks for any info and if there is corresponding letter/sites you know of, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Capybara
03-14-2012, 9:47 AM
A. Yes and no. In California, it will be registered as a pistol but as far as ATF, it will be a "Firearm"
B. Yes, I am building one as well and the good folks at Franklin Armory enabled this with their XO-26 http://www.franklinarmory.com/PRODUCTS_XO-26B.html The ATF letter is on this link as well.
C. Not any more than any other pistol. It is legal, I would keep supporting paperwork with it. Must, of course, have a BB and 10 round magazine. Also, read the Calguns advice, shut your mouth and don't speak with an officer any more than is absolutely necessary.
Bonus feature, a VFG is totally legal on this weapon, I just ordered mine. Personally, I find this idea to make much more sense than a super short barrel AR pistol. This is kind of an in-between an AR pistol and a rifle. Just keep in mind all of the caveats about not messing around with any kind of stock or anything on the buffer tube that could be construed as a stock.
Sgt. J Beezy
03-14-2012, 9:51 AM
Yeah I, I mean, my buddy went with a 10.5 inch LMT upper because of the cycling issues with the shorter barreled AR pistols. He does have a CAA cheek weld on the buffer tube that has corresponding ATF letter saying it is not considered any type of stock. I had this question after reading your post an thinking that his pistol is over 26 inches.
Capybara
03-14-2012, 10:19 AM
Coolness. Would be great to see a picture when it is finished. I will post pictures of mine but unfortunately I just am taking delivery of my daughters Ruger SR22 so I have to do the 30 day wait thing, so stupid.
BTW, thanks for your service to our country! My nephew is in country and I pray for him every day that he is safe.
Dan
Harrison_Bergeron
03-14-2012, 10:42 AM
I think that it is mentioned in this (http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=547198) thread that being over 26" means that you don't need a BB. No butt stock means it's not a rifle, over 26" means it's not a handgun.
Edit: It still needs a >16" barrel, I didn't catch that the barrel length was posted in the OP.
Prc329
03-14-2012, 11:30 AM
I think that it is mentioned in this (http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=547198) thread that being over 26" means that you don't need a BB. No butt stock means it's not a rifle, over 26" means it's not a handgun.
Edit: It still needs a >16" barrel, I didn't catch that the barrel length was posted in the OP.
By CA rules if its over 26" and barrel is less then 16" its still a pistol and needs a bullet button. They only advantage of a OAL of 26" or more is the ability to use a forward pistol grip.
Lostsheep
03-14-2012, 12:11 PM
Is anybody out there actually making their own <26" > 26" pistol with forward grip? I thought the consensus around here was that while it might be legal, you would get to be THE test case.
Edited for not paying attention
MrPlink
03-14-2012, 12:28 PM
Is anybody out there actually making their own <26" pistol with forward grip? I thought the consensus around here was that while it might be legal, you would get to be THE test case.
Test case for violating what Ca stat?
OP, the LMT 10.5 is a great upper, Ive had one for quite a while and have two friends with them as well. Nothing but flawless.
Fwiw, my title1 other/pistol has a vfg on it, Im taking her up to Washington for a week, I'll get some pix of it up soon.
gun toting monkeyboy
03-14-2012, 1:03 PM
Is anybody out there actually making their own <26" pistol with forward grip? I thought the consensus around here was that while it might be legal, you would get to be THE test case.
No, because if it is less than 26" with a VFG, it is an AOW. Period. There is NO gray area there. You won't be a test case, you will be a convicted felon. The letter from the ATF was very clear that 26" is the cut off figure between an AOW and a non AOW.
If you are referring to the "other long gun" set up that is configured like these pistols, but has a 16"+ barrel and no bullet button, yes, they are legal. But those are the ones that nobody wants to make, lest they become THE test case. But I don't believe that those can be less than 26" either, do to our 30" minimum length as per our assualt weapon laws.
-Mb
MrPlink
03-14-2012, 1:06 PM
PS to LostSheep, I just noticed you said LESS than 26in, which as monkeyboy points out is a federal no no for a vfg,
So to clarify my set up with vfg is well over the min 26in
ke6guj
03-14-2012, 2:49 PM
Is anybody out there actually making their own <26" pistol with forward grip? I thought the consensus around here was that while it might be legal, you would get to be THE test case.yes, there are, but they have a AOW tax stamp before the attach the VFG on it, or it is sold to them as an AOW by one of the few public-friendly SOTs in CA.
Lostsheep
03-14-2012, 2:59 PM
I was referring to the Franklin Armory configuration, I meant greater than 26" OAL with less than 16" barrel. I would love to go that route with my pistol but I am afraid of an ignorant LEO.
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.