AR pistol not marked: "registered pistol"

[Albino]

I purchased a Spikes AR pistol from a shop in SoCal, and had it trasferred up here to an FFL that I do business with. This pistol was not marked "registered pistol" from the factory. (it is engraved CAL MULTI MOD ST15)

After a phone call was made to Spikes by the FFL, it seems that technically & leagally, the manufacturer does not have to mark the lower "registered pistol". Spikes will only laser etch it upon request of the dealer purchasing it for sale.

Spikes is willing to etch the lower free of charge if I ship it back to them.

Even though it is registered in the databanks as a pistol, would you guys be comfortable out shooting with it, not having it etched?

After waiting for months, I finally have this in my posession, and I really don't want to send it back if I don't have to. On the other hand, I don't want to be hassled anywhere over a legal "technicality".

[Reductio]

Doesn't need to be marked. Totally and completely legal, just matters how it's marked on the DROS. (Should be pistol).

Plenty of guys have lowers they milled from 80%'s with absolutely NO markings at all.

[dieselpower]

not needed so why bother.

its like asking Glock to etch "pistol" on the lower.

[bluestaterebel]

Sell that lower to me and get another with the markings

[Albino]

Sell that lower to me and get another with the markings

I shoulda known this was coming!


Yes the DROS is registered as a pistol.

Having just gotten back into the gun scene after too many years of being out of it; i'm still not completely up on everything yet.

I still have 7.62x39 Norinco ammo left over...

[Albino]

While we are on the subject...

What is the deal with it being registered as a "one shot", but after the transfer it can be shot with 10 round mags?

How did this come about, and why does it have to be done that way?

[ke6guj]

While we are on the subject...

What is the deal with it being registered as a "one shot",

CA law prohibits dealers from transfering non-rostered handguns. AR-pistols are not on the roster, so they can't be transfered. However, CA law does exempt dimensionally-compliant single-shot pistols (designed to exempt items like the Thompson Contender pistol) so we have signle-shot AR-pistols made that comply with that exemption, so they can be transfered.

but after the transfer it can be shot with 10 round mags?

How did this come about, and why does it have to be done that way?

nothing in the law says that I can't modify my single-shot pistol into a multi-shot pistol, provided I don't create an AW or NFA firearm.

[G-forceJunkie]

Its a way to get around stupid laws. Think of it like this: What if it was illegal for Toyota to sell a Tacoma with 15" rims. So all the Tacomas on the lot have 14" rims on them when they are sold. When you take your truck home, you put on 15" rims because that is what you want and it is not illegal.

While we are on the subject...

What is the deal with it being registered as a "one shot", but after the transfer it can be shot with 10 round mags?

How did this come about, and why does it have to be done that way?

[bohoki]

ive seen ar type pistols marked "pistol" but that doesn't really mean much

cause if anyone ever puts a butstock on it, it would cease to be a pistol

[vintagearms]

Marking dont mean anything. DROS is whats important. LEO's are not going to give you a hard time because it doesnt say pistol.

[Albino]

Thanks for all the info. I feel comfortable with the consensus.

It will not be going back to Spikes.

[leelaw]

It's not required. I made sure mine was etched as such, but I tend to like my firearms related stuff to be much more obviously legal to a layperson who may not understand the nuances, so I like the "THIS IS A REGISTERED PISTOL, NUMBNUTS" etching.

[tenpercentfirearms]

My pistol simply says, "Pistol" on it. Not "registered pistol". My long guns don't have "rifle" on them either.

The AOWs I just got into the shop don't say, "AOW".

Don't sweat it. Cops aren't going to care about any of that anyway.