AR Pistol upper help

[hirohawa]

Hello

Want to buy an AR Pistol but planning on buying the upper and lower separately.

Are there any uppers that are banned due to length? Or are they pretty much all OK to purchase?

Thanks in Advance.

[JeremyS]

I think the first issue is that you can't DROS just a lower. You can't buy just a pistol frame in CA. Part of this is because you can't do a safe handling demonstration, and I think there are other issues like caliber and barrel length that can't be put on the paperwork and whatnot. At any rate, you can only transfer a complete pistol. I'm not sure if you had a complete lower and a complete upper shipped to your FFL, or had the lower sent there and showed up with an upper, they would allow them to be put together so you can do the proper paperwork and safety demo. Something to ask your FFL.

And, since it won't be a pistol that's on the roster, you'll need to make it single shot in order to qualify for the exemption. That means a zero round sled instead of a magazine and it'll need a bullet button to make that sled "permanently" installed.

[forcedfedsti]

Just buy a 80% lower. That's the only way you would be able to buy the upper and lower separate from one another.

[piratebike]

If you own an AR-15 already, make sure to get the pistol lower prior to getting the upper to avoid constructive possesion.

[hirohawa]

If you own an AR-15 already, make sure to get the pistol lower prior to getting the upper to avoid constructive possesion.

I don't own an AR-15 yet, so if I want to get the AR pistol first I have to get an 80% lower or buy and DROS a Lower?

[JeremyS]

You don't have to worry about what piratebike said if you don't own an AR-15 rifle. What he means is that if you purchase an upper with a short barrel on it but don't have a pistol-registered lower but DO have an AR-15 rifle, you could be charged with constructive possession for making an SBR (short barrel rifle). Since you could put your short barrel upper onto the rifle lower very easily and make one. Since you don't have a pistol lower, what's the gov't to think? Why do you have a pistol upper if you have no pistol lower? Clearly, to make an illegal SBR. SO... this is why piratebike is suggesting you do NOT buy a pistol upper before the lower IF you have an AR rifle. You don't, so it's not a worry. You could buy your pistol upper any time you want.

Again, though, I'm not sure how to be more clear when I say that you cannot purchase and DROS, as a registered pistol, just a lower. It is not possible in California. In order to DROS a pistol in CA it must be fully assembled. Check out my first post again, and ask your FFL if they will allow you to bring in your own upper if you were to order up a built pistol lower and have it shipped to them.

An 80% lower means a lower that is only 80% completed and still requires machine work. It is not considered to be a firearm by the Federal or State government, and therefore you can have it shipped to your home. It is completely legal to manufacture your own firearm, and you do not have to register it. However, you can't just do this with a screwdriver. The AR-15 receiver is forged aluminum, and in order to turn an 80% receiver into a 100% complete receiver, it requires machining. Possible with a drill press but, to really do it properly, you need a decent lathe. This isn't really for beginners. Plus, 80% receivers are really hard to find these days anyway.

[hirohawa]

Thanks for the clarification. There is so much out there it all can become pretty confusing.

[HappyCamper781]

Law Enforcement can DROS a pistol lower, they are exempt from that law.

But yes, your best bet is to PPT a entire built AR Pistol as is, and customize it from there.

If you attempt to but an AR pistol from a store or on the internet, it must be SSE'd.

You no NOT need to SSE for a PPT transfer.

[HappyCamper781]

Also, as I found out today, some big brand FFLs (cough turner's cough) can and will refuse to do a AR Pistol DROS if the AR Pistol is not MARKED as a pistol on the receiver.