Im looking for a real answer's about the legality of a "built Ar pistol" I traded for and that the police officer down the street insisted was illegal{after we shot it a few times}

why did he insist it was illegal?

this
you say "built" was the lower registered as a rifle? or a virgin lower and registered as a pistol?

That was my question to him, and his response was something about assembled Ar length and the lower being wrong.He then began to say it would prolly never be an issue as I was not likely to have it out around a cop again.So it just made me want to do as much checking as possible< don't get me wrong I like the gun and have no plans to get rid of it. I will post a pic in the am.

There is no such thing as registering as a pistol or rifle. When you buy a gun from a dealer they record it as a pistol or a rifle but it doesnt have to stay as such. To make a rifle into a pistol you cannot have a rifle stock if the barrel is under 16 inches. Basically if it has a short barrel it cant have a stock and if it has a pistol grip it can have any length barrel. Thompson Center created a small industry around this concept. The entire adaptability concept was tested and won in the Supreme Court , google
United States v. Thompson-Center Arms Company

Thx

Here's the info I found and was told by a Class III dealer...

jhnrckr is correct, but he's missing one thing. The lower HAS TO BE A VIRGIN LOWER. Meaning the lower you have should be brand new or sold as a pistol when bought from the FFL. The virgin lower should have been marked as "other" since it's not a pistol or a rifle at that time AND the lower cannot have any stock attached to it unless you SBR the lower through the ATF with the correct paperwork. I was told to do 2 things. Either leave the pistol buffer tube on it. Or if you are eventually going to SBR the pistol AND want to leave the rifle buffer tube on it, NEVER store or leave close a readily accessible stock that "could possibly" be added quickly.

However, you can throw whatever upper on that virgin lower, without a stock and be completely legal.

I know... A lot of BS to make sure you're legal.

All the research points towards my gun being legit.Thanks again guys

So, just to be clear, the buffer tube can't be considered a stock? (Sorry, I'm confused.)

there are specific buffer tubes for pistols that do not accept a stock.

Ok, so, just because you "could" hold the tube against your should this does not technically constitute a stock, right?

FYI, I'm not the neighbor TC is talking about.

correct

Awesome. Thanks!!

As others have said virgin lower, and pistol buffer.

Have seen people on other gun boards debate the buffer tube on whether or not it has to be a pistol.

That's not a gamble I would take, would just get a pistol buffer tube.

Correct. The rifle buffer tube is not considered a stock. Just don't have the stock around your ar pistol or store it with your ar pistol. Apparently that is a major no no.

is pistol buffer tube shorter?

Actually I think it's longer than the rifle buffer tube.

http://images112.fotki.com/v386/photos/5/41655/10241684/Bufferquestion-vi.jpg
found this link but it is a bit old mine is bout 7 in long

I've been researching this topic for a while. There are several pistol buffers. Some are really short. Most appear about the length of what is used with a carbine collapsible stock. Some people just use a collapsible stock buffer tube and modify it so that a stock will not slip on. I bought a lower to use as a pistol years ago and never got around to building it.

If you do your going to love it.

I'm thinking about wrapping the buffer tube in paracord... It's a tad quieter than a .22 with the can on.

Without can


With can

Nice

Man I can't wait til my can comes in for my 300blk pistol!!!! U gonna make that a sbr lglidewell?