Looking to build an ar pistol

[Fiddlersgreen]

I'm looking into building an ar pistol, any recommendations on where to start and what all I need to do?

 

[dontpanic]

Search AR pistol. Read all the threads about them.

Look at all the examples members here have built

Finally, decide what you want and open your wallet.

I am now 4 months into buying all my parts for a 9mm build. I have been reading about each compoment as I make my decisions. The trigger is my last part. I came up with the look I wanted at the beginning and have pretty much kept with that.

Good luck

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

What all do I need to do from a legality standpoint? I plan on doing a 5.56 build so I don't see it being much different than the ar-15 rifles I have. I just want the shorter barrel

 

[dontpanic]

What all do I need to do from a legality standpoint? I plan on doing a 5.56 build so I don't see it being much different than the ar-15 rifles I have. I just want the shorter barrel

The biggest difference is that there is no stock. Otherwise you can really do what you want.

You can build on a new lower receiver.
No length restrictions.
No copycat restrictions.
You can shoulder a Sig brace.

Have fun. Hope this helps

 

[lsw]

So, anyone know anything about the legality of a home-made brace?

 

[Hawkeye]

What all do I need to do from a legality standpoint?

You need to build the pistol on a lower that has never been a rifle. What "been a rifle" means is a subject of some debate since the ATF has given several answers at several different times. Sometimes they say that it means that there has never been a stock attached, and sometimes they specifically say "barreled as a rifle."

If you really want to CYA, start with a lower that was transferred to you as "Other" (which any lower should have been) and that has never been built as a rifle. Although the only legal requirement for it being a pistol is that it not have a stock, most people (both to be safe legally and for comfort / ease of shooting) will use a dedicated pistol buffer tube that can't accept a standard stock. Most of these will come with some sort of foam cover, and many of them will accept the SIG brace, which is not itself a stock either.

Then you build it.

If I were only going to build one, I'd do at least a 10.5" barrel as well, just on the odd chance that I'd ever want to suppress it, since every suppressor I can think of requires a minimum 10.5" bbl for 5.56.

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

So as long as I use a "never was a rifle" lower I can buy all the parts and put it together without any kind of forms or paperwork? Even with a less then 16" barrel?

 

[glock9mm]

So as long as I use a "never was a rifle" lower I can buy all the parts and put it together without any kind of forms or paperwork? Even with a less then 16" barrel?

Yes.

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

Awesome I like that. Any word on if or when we will be able to get lowers without doing the 7 day wait and registration?

 

[MKR03]

Awesome I like that. Any word on if or when we will be able to get lowers without doing the 7 day wait and registration?

Dedicated 9mm lowers are C&C. Multi-cal lowers still require 77R. No idea if/when that will change.

 

[SRD]

So, anyone know anything about the legality of a home-made brace?

Good question. My understanding (IANAL) if it can't be shouldered or accept a stock,it should be good. IANAL

 

[Tungsten]

So as long as I use a "never was a rifle" lower I can buy all the parts and put it together without any kind of forms or paperwork? Even with a less then 16" barrel?

also no vertical foregrip- AFG is fine.

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

Thanks for all the info. I wanted to do a 5.56 build but the 9mm is tempting since I can do a cash and carry. Any preferences?

 

[Hawkeye]

Engage Armament down in Rockville is working on a 9mm lower that will take Colt SMG mags. Engage have done a lot of leading in the fight for our rights in this state, and the ownership are currently spending their own cash to fight lawsuits in court over the BS interpretations of SB218 as they apply to ARs and AR lowers.

Their lower isn't ready yet, but I'm not buying one until their's is, because that's where I'm going to spend my cash.

 

[Pinecone]

One clarification, if you build it first as a pistol, it can be converted to a rifle and then back to a pistol.

If first built as rifle, has to stay a rifle (or SBR).

 

[RoboRay]

So, anyone know anything about the legality of a home-made brace?

Well, it won't have a "Get out of jail free!" card from BATF stating that this particular brace is not a stock. That's rather important to me, but I'm not the gambling type.

I'm inclined to believe that a home-made brace would be legal if it's intended usage is other than as a stock, but you may also become a test-case to explore that possibility and create a court ruling one way or the other. And if you primarily use your home-made brace as a stock, it may be hard for you convince a court that you didn't really intend it to be a stock.

I'm going to stick with the ones that BATF has blessed.

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

Has anyone ever done a .40 cal build? Or a .45? I saw some lowers for them

 

[Wfilardo]

Quartercircle10.com

 

[Wfilardo]

Sorry it's qcircle10.com

 

[Fiddlersgreen]

Are the ar pistol laws the same regardless of caliber? I'd be tempted to do something 5.7x28mm. Any experience on here with that? I'm also considering 300blk