First SBR: AR-15 or 10/22?

[Modeler]

Hi all,

Went down to the credit union today, had my NFA Trust notarized and opened an account. Looking to purchase my first firearm to SBR here shortly. My concept for an SBR is to have a .22 caliber rifle with a 10" barrel first, then purchase a suppressor to thread on to make it a normal-length rifle. The gun will be an SBR so that I can remove the suppressor and use it on other firearms.

I'm not sure how to start out though; Bi-Mart has a stainless 10/22 on sale for $199.95 right now, and a short barrel would cost around $100. Or, I could buy a stripped AR lower for $155 and spend many hundreds of dollars building it out.

I plan to eventually do both (and have a .223 suppressor to use on either gun), which leaves the question: Which do I build first?

Greg

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[Unka-Boo]

AR, multiple uppers ( including .22 ), covers all your needs, one stamp.

eta-- you could buy 2 lowers for $155 if you shop around.

 

[BANE]

+1 AR 15 Lower
Multi uppers!

 

[Nwcid]

I agree with the above.

I would love to SBR here, I would build a 10/22 pocket rifle. The ATF would love me too cause I would need at least 10 stamps for stuff I have now that would become SBR/SBS.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I didn't know you could do that with one lower. You can register one AR lower and then put an SBR upper 300blk, 5.56, AR57, whatever, swapped out on top? I thought when you registered it you list the caliber? That is pretty nice.

To register an SBR do you have to go through an FFL or can you just send in the paperwork - trust + ATF form + $200 to the ATF directly?

 

[Nwcid]

So even if you list the caliber and barrel length (both are required) you are allowed to make temporary changes without notifying the ATF. In the case of an AR I would not sell off the original upper that you registered it with unless you send a letter to the ATF with the specs of a new "main" upper.

 

[Abiqua]

I didn't know you could do that with one lower. You can register one AR lower and then put an SBR upper 300blk, 5.56, AR57, whatever, swapped out on top? I thought when you registered it you list the caliber? That is pretty nice.

You list the caliber but you can make temporary changes. If you want to make the change permanent you can notify the ATF via letter.

To register an SBR do you have to go through an FFL or can you just send in the paperwork - trust + ATF form + $200 to the ATF directly?

No dealer needed, fill out the paperwork and send it in.

 

[Nwcid]

No dealer need to make one, but YOU will be the maker. So along with the above info you also have to have your registered part (lower receiver in the case of the AR) stamped with your name, city and state. Here is an example, Short Barrel Rifle Engraving Locations - orion-arms.com: custom firearm engraving

 

[Burt Gummer]

Or the name of the NFA Living Trust, City, State?

Never thought about owning an SBR because the difficultly of selling it, initial costs, etc, but the multi-upper is nice. Maybe at some point.

 

[oldbrass]

Get the 10/22 and shorten the barrel

 

[Nwcid]

Or the name of the NFA Living Trust, City, State?

Never thought about owning an SBR because the difficultly of selling it, initial costs, etc, but the multi-upper is nice. Maybe at some point.

Correct, the name of the "owner" being the maker.

Why are they difficult to sell? If you dont want to sell it as an SBR take it out of the registry and sell it as a rifle. Other then machine guns you will NEVER get the money you put into a NFA item back out of it.

 

[BillM]

AR. One lower, multiple uppers.

10-22? I thought about that too, but then I ordered a TacSol SBX barrel. All the advantages of a SBR with the can on, but legal
with the can off.

 

[Nwcid]

All the advantages of a SBR with the can on, but legal
with the can off.

Just depends on what you consider the advantages of an SBR to be. Really hard to build a 10/22 "pocket rifle" (something I really want) without SBR.

Here is an example;

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/s30000659im.jpg/

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[nrc]

AR if you want to run 300 blk, 9mm, 40sw, 223, 204, 6.8spc, 458 socom, 22 lr, or 490 beowulf with different dedicated uppers.
10-22 if you want to have any hope of containing costs.

Note* I would not advocate shooting 22lr through a 223 suppressor. Check out some of the other nfa dedicated forums (www.nfatalk.org) or (Silencer Talk) for more good info / db testing / research on this topic.

Have fun.

Nate

 

[korntera]

Note* I would not advocate shooting 22lr through a 223 suppressor. Check out some of the other nfa dedicated forums (www.nfatalk.org) or (Silencer Talk) for more good info / db testing / research on this topic.

Have fun.

Nate

very true I have a 22lr and 223 can because of this. If you search around you can often find a 22 can for $200-$250 on sale.

 

[Dogfish]

Both.

 

[cyclesarge]

AR all the way. You can EASILY spend more money on a 10/22 than an AR and you'll never be able to shoot 5.56, 9mm, 300BLK etc. I originally SBR'd my AR because a 9mm AR just looks silly with a 16" barrel with a suppressor on the end and that spindly 9mm mag sticking out the bottom.

Since then I've added 5.56 and .22lr uppers as I was able to afford them. No regrets!

If you like the idea of a short 10/22 either do the SBX thing or buy a Charger.

 

[Modeler]

Ok, gonna go with an AR...

Filling out the paperwork right now, have a couple of questions.

1. Box 4h, "Additional Description". Is this where I put the verbage I'm going to use to mark the receiver as having been manufactured by my trust?

2. Box 4i, "State why you intend to make firearm". What is a good reason to put here? I've seen online where some people put "all legal purposes", that seems overly broad to me.

3. I'm doing this in a Trust; do I still need to fill out form 5330.20, "Certification of Compliance with 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(5)(b)"?

Thanks in advance,

Greg

 

[cyclesarge]

Do you have the AR yet? You can't turn in the paper work until you have the serial number that's on the receiver.
4h - I stated that as well as the barrel length of 7", additional barrel lengths between 5" and 14" may also be used. Also that as well as 9 mm, other calibers may be used as well (then listed every possible caliber I could think of AND added "other calibers may be temporarily used" to cover any FUTURE caliber options.

4i - Any and all legal purposes is what I put.

Not sure about your 3rd question.

 

[nrc]

Regarding your 3rd question:

I have never read a formal requirement to do this, but you aren't the first one to ask.

I would throw one in there just to be on the safe side. Desn't hurt anything, doesn't cost anything. Also this link has good info in case you haven't already found it:

Complete Guide of how to complete a Form 1 - AR15.COM

Nate