AR lowers

[Cowlitz77]

Whats the difference between AR lowers designated as pistol vs rifle---can rifle uppers be attached to pistol lowers---what modification needs to be done to swap? Thnx

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[Rix]

The difference is in how they're registered.
mechanically, a lower is a lower. the parts you put in it might be different, though.
the 100% info will be posted I'm sure, but my basic rule to keep myself out of trouble:
no pistol registered lowers with butt-stocks, and no rifle registered lowers with pistol length barrels.
As a broad generalization, yes the uppers will swap.

 

[Nwcid]

Physically there is NO difference. Legally the difference is the one can be built as a pistol the other can not.

If you build it into a pistol then you can later turn it into a rifle by adding a stock and a 16" + barrel. If you add just a stock to a gun with a barrel less then 16" by definition it becomes a SBR (short barreled rifle) which requires following NFA rules. SBR is ILLEGAL in WA.

If you built it as a rifle first then it will always be a rifle. It is ILLEGAL to build a pistol from a rifle.

 

[mjbskwim]

So when you buy the lower,you need to tell the FFL what you will be building,correct?
And if you buy 2,don't confuse them?

 

[Nwcid]

So when you buy the lower,you need to tell the FFL what you will be building,correct?
And if you buy 2,don't confuse them?

Incorrect. A year or two ago the 4473 you fill out at your dealer has an "other" box along with the "handgun" and Long gun" box. Since a receiver does not meet the definition of either a rifle or a pistol how can it be sold as either?

With the new forms since they are not long guns they can not be sold to people under 21.

Once you put a stock and 16"+ barrel on then it is a rifle and after that it can never legally be a pistol. So at that point yes you need to know which one is which.


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On page 2 read line 18, then on page 5 you can see how the ATF tells you to fill that out.