Question about AR15 pistols

[gsc3zny]

I'm not sure where to post this, but I'll start here. I have an 80% lower I want to finish as a pistol. What are the legalities or limitations in California? From the videos and articles I've read, as long as its 80% lower, pretty much anything goes as long as barrel length is under 16"

[Granite]

I think there's a technicality where you need the parts first, then the lower for legal reasons. I'd check more before building or ordering.

[Lone_Gunman]

Mill the lower first, otherwise you could get into Federal constructive issues for an SBR, if you have AR type rifles as well. Make it as a single shot first so you stay within the CA SSE laws. It must have a bullet button. You can not ever use magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Use a pistol type buffer tube, it could be dangerous to your freedom to use a regular carbine buffer tube that could have a stock attached, even if you never attached a stock.

[RickD427]

Mill the lower first, otherwise you could get into Federal constructive issues for an SBR, if you have AR type rifles as well. Make it as a single shot first so you stay within the CA SSE laws. It must have a bullet button. You can not ever use magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Use a pistol type buffer tube, it could be dangerous to your freedom to use a regular carbine buffer tube that could have a stock attached, even if you never attached a stock.

Good advice here. It's illegal to manufacture a semi-auto handgun without going through the DOJ testing process, thus the recommendation for SSE. But be aware of two issues regarding the SSE: 1) SSE works because you're normally swapping parts on an already manufactured weapon. That's fully legal. When you're the manufacturer of the weapon, things get cloudy. It's an untested area of the law, and there's some hungry prosecutors out there. 2) Follow AB 169 very closely. If it becomes law, then the SSE option goes away. In that event, you would have to submit your 80% build for DOJ testing, and it would have to include a loaded chamber indicator and a magazine disconnect.