Question ? Building AR pistols from lowers

[ty.]

I have a few Spikes Uppers & Lowers that I bought back in early December. I would like to know if I can legally take a upper/lower set and build a AR pistol? I already know about the 10 round mag rule but I get different people telling me different things. Any help on the subject would be great and thank you in advance.

[beerup949]

I think the lower has to be marked and registered as a pistol before.

[dantodd]

It needs to be registered as a pistol (a virgin receiver is theoretically legal but the AG doesn't like them and it "may" cause drama if and when a cop runs the serial number.) it does not need to be specifically marked as a pistol lower.

[IVC]

Almost certainly not. If you bought a stripped lower, it has been transferred to you as a "rifle" unless you went through the whole SSE process (which you'd remember) so putting a short upper and no stock is a no-go.

[pterrell]

There are only two ways to have an AR pistol in CA.

1. Mill the lower yourself
2. Buy a complete AR pistol lower from your LGS.

Stripped lowers are DROSed as rifles in California. In every other state (or most), they're run as "Other"

[dantodd]

Virgin lowers in CA are NOT transferred as "rifles", they are transferred as "long guns".

While the distinction may seem insignificant it isn't. I would not attempt to build a pistol off of a virgin receiver nor would I suggest anyone else do so but it is not technically illegal.

If the receiver is first built as a rifle it is illegal to change it later to a pistol due to short barreled rifle laws.

[CZ man in LA]

There are only two ways to have an AR pistol in CA.

1. Mill the lower yourself
2. Buy a complete AR pistol lower from your LGS.

Stripped lowers are DROSed as rifles in California. In every other state (or most), they're run as "Other"

You forgot:

3. Buy an AR pistol if available from your LGS

http://www.riflegear.com/p-2146-extar-exp-556-pistol.aspx

[funnybookz]

As others have said, stripped lowers are DROSed as "Long Guns." Therefore, making them into a pistol would make them illegal SBRs.

Buy an AR pistol through a FFL via SSE or Build one from an 80% lower, again via SSE. There are plenty of threads on here that explain how to do this legally.

[dantodd]

As others have said, stripped lowers are DROSed as "Long Guns." Therefore, making them into a pistol would make them illegal SBRs.

I'm not aware of any such law, do you mind posting it? I am only familiar with laws preventing the creation of handguns from rifles. I know of no similar prohibition regarding non-rifle long guns.

[Quiet]

I'm not aware of any such law, do you mind posting it? I am only familiar with laws preventing the creation of handguns from rifles. I know of no similar prohibition regarding non-rifle long guns.

Now with long gun registration, it gets trickier.

Starting 01-01-2014, a lower DROS'd as a long gun, would have been "registered" as a rifle in the DROS system.

Now that there is a record of it being a rifle...

Under CA laws [PC 17170(c)]...
A weapon made from a rifle that has a less than 16" barrel or less than 26" overall length is considered a SBR.

[bohoki]

Now with long gun registration, it gets trickier.

Starting 01-01-2014, a lower DROS'd as a long gun, would have been "registered" as a rifle in the DROS system.

Now that there is a record of it being a rifle...

Under CA laws [PC 17170(c)]...
A weapon made from a rifle that has a less than 16" barrel or less than 26" overall length is considered a SBR.

are pistol grip only 12 ga firearms now forever tainted as a "shotgun"

does this mean that franklin armory's csw is now a "rifle"

http://www.franklinarmory.com/PRODUCTS_CSW.html

[Trickracen]

As others have said, stripped lowers are DROSed as "Long Guns." Therefore, making them into a pistol would make them illegal SBRs.

Buy an AR pistol through a FFL via SSE or Build one from an 80% lower, again via SSE. There are plenty of threads on here that explain how to do this legally.

You said "Build one from an 80% lower, again via SSE."

You do not need a SSE or FFL for an 80% lower. 80% lower can be purchased and mailed directly to your house, it is not considered a firearm yet. But once you do complete a 80%, which legally has to be done by whoever will own it, can never be sold either (Legally).

Also you still have to abide to local laws for a pistol AR; for CA, no stock, bullet button, can not have vertical grip, Angled forehand grip is ok, 10rnd mag, and barrel I believe has to be minimum 8.5 inches. If something is wrong or missed, maybe someone can chime in.

[ke6guj]

You said "Build one from an 80% lower, again via SSE."

You do not need a SSE or FFL for an 80% lower. 80% lower can be purchased and mailed directly to your house, it is not considered a firearm yet. But once you do complete a 80%, which legally has to be done by whoever will own it, can never be sold either (Legally).

there is no exemption from the roster for homebuild semi-auto handguns. even for 80%, you must manufacture a dimensionally-compliant single shot handgun to comply with the roster. after which, there is no law that prohibits you from modifying into a semi-auto handgun.

[caliberetta]

You said "Build one from an 80% lower, again via SSE."

You do not need a SSE or FFL for an 80% lower. 80% lower can be purchased and mailed directly to your house, it is not considered a firearm yet. But once you do complete a 80%, which legally has to be done by whoever will own it, can never be sold either (Legally).

Also you still have to abide to local laws for a pistol AR; for CA, no stock, bullet button, can not have vertical grip, Angled forehand grip is ok, 10rnd mag, and barrel I believe has to be minimum 8.5 inches. If something is wrong or missed, maybe someone can chime in.

(emphasis added to your post above for reference)

Meeting SSE requirements is a necessary step in the assembly of an AR Pistol from an 80% Lower Receiver. The only legal path to that in Cali is as follows:

(1) The 80% Lower Receiver must be solely completed to 100% by its owner
(2) The assembled parts on the Receiver must first be completed as a Single Shot Pistol, in order to meet the Single Shot Exemption rule.

Thereafter, the Single Shot AR Pistol, may now freely be converted to Semi-Automatic.

More info and references here: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=887242

[tonelar]

Also you still have to abide to local laws for a pistol AR; for CA, no stock, bullet button, can not have vertical grip, Angled forehand grip is ok, 10rnd mag, and barrel I believe has to be minimum 8.5 inches. If something is wrong or missed, maybe someone can chime in.

Is it only in featureless rifle builds that the AFG is a no go, these days? Also, I thought you could go shorter than 8.5" bbl by first using a barrel extension to satisfy SSE status (irt bbl length)..

Later, if you choose to convert it to semi-auto, you aren't held to any particular barrel or OAL.