Firearm vs pistol.

[Bcwitt]

May a firearm (over 26) become a pistol without causing any legal issues? For example, if you basically changed uppers from a 12" or so to a 10" barrel. Or mabey that only applys to a rifle? Not sure.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I’m going to go on a limb here and say you are talking about an AR. If it was bought and registered as a rifle and you change to a pistol upper that would make it an SBR because of registration. If it was a multi cal unregistered lower and you build it as a pistol first? Then you can go back and forth between the two. But not with a stock on it. Brace is okay for now but will be not okay soon.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Federally, a firearm with a rifled barrel and no buttstock that is over 26" OAL, and which was not originally configured as a rifle, can be either a pistol or other firearm. The distinction would really come down to whether or not it wears a vertical forward grip, which is not allowed on a pistol.

Some states do have their own rules that more narrowly define pistols.

If it is a smooth bore firearm, an OAL under 26" makes it an NFA weapon period.

It is also important to note that concealing an >26" other firearm instantly makes it an AOW.

 

[Cacas ex Fortuna]

Made them for the kids, they are what ever the girls wanted them to be. One pistol, and two carbines.

 

[12Bravo20]

It is also important to note that concealing an >26" other firearm instantly makes it an AOW.

I have had people here and other forums want to argue about that.

And yes you definitely can conceal a "firearm" under trench coat which as stated would make the "firearm" instantly an AOW.

Here is the definition of a NON NFA "Other Firearm" - an “other firearm” is one that is designed to be fired with 2 hands, does not have a stock and has an overall length that exceeds 26.

For what ever reason, it was decided that 26" OAL was a magical number to determine is a firearm was considered concealable or not.

So as has been stated, you can put a shorter barrel on a "firearm" since it was never designed to be fired from the shoulder nor ever had a shoulder stock installed. Yes it will change the legal definition from a "firearm" to a pistol as long as there is no VFG installed. If the firearm in question is less than 26" OAL AND has a VFG then it is a NFA AOW.

Smoothbore "firearms" such as the Mossberg Shockwave are a little different. If you change out the bird head grip for a pistol grip which will make the OAL less than 26", it is an unregistered AOW.

As always: check your state laws too. Some states have more restrictive laws concerning pistols and do not allow pistols that are over 26" OAL.

 

[N555]

They were trying to include handguns in the NFA originally. The whole point of the SBR was to keep people from cutting down rifles to make them more concealable and the AOW was the catch all for everything else that was semi concealable but wasn't a handgun or was small and didn't fit the definition of a handgun like a sadgley oss, lemon squeezer or pen gun.