AR PISTOL VS RIFLE

[megamachine]

I'm sure this might be an old question, but what is the difference between an Ar type pistol and the minimum length of an AR rifle? The reason i am asking is that it is my impression that i cannot have a 10.5" barrel ie;noveske n4 shorty, on a AR rifle with a collapsible stock in CAL.

[ke6guj]

correct, as a rifle with a shoulder stock, you must have at least a 16" barrel, and be 26" OAL (30" if semi-automatic centerfire rifle). But a pistol made witha receiver that was never a rifle, and DROSed as a handgun, can be of any length.

[toopercentmlk]

correct, as a rifle with a shoulder stock, you must have at least a 16" barrel, and be 26" OAL (30" if semi-automatic centerfire rifle). But a pistol made witha receiver that was never a rifle, and DROSed as a handgun, can be of any length.

But a front hand guard of any type is illegal right?

[ke6guj]

But a front hand guard of any type is illegal right?

only on a semi-automatic handgun with a detachable magazine. BB it and you are good to go.

check out the handgun flowchart, http://www.calguns.net/caawid/hgflowchart.pdf

[megamachine]

so if i register any lower as a pistol using my HAND GUN SAFETY CERTIFICATE i can put any length barrel on it but no stock, buffer tube only.Also AK pistols being sold are PISTOLS and not intended to ever have stocks installed.

[ke6guj]

but there's the rub, you can't DROS a stripped receiver as a handgun because of the roster. So, now you have to deal purchasing a complete single-shot AR-pistol, in order to comply with the roster. Afterwards, there appears to be no law that prohibits you from converting your handgun from a single-shot to a semi-automatic, as long as you don't violate any laws such as the AW regs.

And even though it should be technically legal to build an AR-pistol from a stripped receiver that was DROSed as a long gun, it is not recommended. Spend the money and do it right, either DROS a complete AR-pistol, or build your own from an 80% receiver.

PRKarms would be a good place to look for more info on how to purchase an AR-pistol.

[50CalAL]

Can't just be any lower. The lower can't be one that was ever intended to be a rifle, has to have started out as a pistol lower.

It will need to be registered as a single shot pistol so it can be registered here in CA. The barrel has to be at least 6" and OAL 10.5" to meet the single-shot exemption and you need to get a single shot sled.

Definitely can't put a stock or you have an illegal SBR.

I'm not as clear on AK pistols but from my understanding the AK has to meet the above criteria as well and have the pistol trunnion and not the rifle trunnion (the pistol trunnion has not stock provision).

[technique]

Ke6gui...since you are in here, I'll ask.

What do you think of this?

DROS a rec. as a rifle (obviously new from MFG with no buttstock ever attached)

since no serial s ever transmitted to DOJ.

What would stop someone from filing a voluntary reg. with DOJ and applying that very lower as a handgun and then building it as such?

Just asking.

[Quiet]

Ke6gui...since you are in here, I'll ask.

What do you think of this?

DROS a rec. as a rifle (obviously new from MFG with no buttstock ever attached)

since no serial s ever transmitted to DOJ.

What would stop someone from filing a voluntary reg. with DOJ and applying that very lower as a handgun and then building it as such?

Just asking.

Still a papertrail (FFL's bound book) showing that at one point it was a long gun (being DROS'd as a rifle).
So, you could get pop'd for making a SBR.

[megamachine]

Thanks guys, i don't really want an AR pistol as they don't seem that functional. i was trying to figure out the logic behind the restrictions on short barreled rifles vs basically the same thing classified as a "pistol" with no stock. The 30" rifle limit is pretty clear.

[ke6guj]

I personally think that a stripped receiver DROSed as longgun is not a rifle and should be able to be built up as a pistol. ATF has letters out stating that until a receiver actually has a stock attached to it, it is not a rifle. Since it was never a rifle, it can't be an short barreled rifle. Longgun =/= rifle.

However, CADOJ may take a different view. They may try to say a longgun DROS equals rifle, and would taint the lower forever as a rifle, even if never built as a rifle. The Right People say that it isn't worth the legal bills, since a pistol DROSed AR-pistol can be acquired for not too much extra work. Right now, I would agree with them. As an example, CADOJ says that a MaDuece is a .50BMG rifle, even though it is not designed to be shoulder-fired. That one is going through the legal process, so tread lightly on thinking that longgun =/= rifle in CA.

[technique]

Still a papertrail (FFL's bound book) showing that at one point it was a long gun (being DROS'd as a rifle).
So, you could get pop'd for making a SBR.

I know how it works...I worked for an FFL for good while.


Ke6guj, thanks for your input. I was curious.