Pre 1898 sawed off rifle

[545days]

Does anyone know if I can legally build a handgun from a pre 1898 rifle receiver without crossing into NFA territory?

The project is a rusty old GEW-88 purchased from Centerfire systems as a relic with bulged barrel, broken stock, and no bolt head or extractor. I am not cutting down a valuable antique.

I would turn down a used .30 cal barrell, and ream it for 7.62x25 or maybe .32 S&W long (I have not thought out the bolt design yet.)

 

[rcmodel]

No you can't.

A good friend and FFL lost his license & his business over a sawed-off French Lebel a Dough-boy had cut in two to get it in his duffel bag following the great war.

I also know of one prosecution involving a .22 pistol made from an 1890 Winchester action.

Once a rifle, always a rifle I guess.

rc

 

[545days]

I guess I will build a handgun caliber carbine instead.

I recall seeing a pistol built on a Martini Henry action posted here in the last few months. Of course, it could have been built on a Khyber Pass copy of a Martini...

I am uncomfortable with building a carbine utilizing a rifle cartridge in this action as it really does not have the built in protections for the shooter that deflect escaping from a ruptured case that the 98 Mauser and later designs employ.

Thank you for your quick reply.

 

[kwelz]

Actually it is once a pistol always a pistol. You can go from Rifle to pistol but never back.

 

[WardenWolf]

No, you're reversed there, Azizza. You can make a pistol into a rifle legally, through various methods, including paying a tax and getting license to build an SBR or rebarreling it to legal length. However, the only LEGAL way to make a pistol is if the receiver has NEVER had a stock on it. Once a rifle, always a rifle. A pistol can become a rifle, but a rifle can never become a pistol.