12.5 AR15 pistol?

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  • venenoindy

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    Jul 14, 2009
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    Noblesville
    I'm currently looking to put an AR15 pistol together and I'm not familiar with laws and regulations when it comes to pistols, can I use an upper with 12.5 inch barrel and brace and still legal?
     

    Excalibur

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    May 11, 2012
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    As long as the lower is marked as a pistol, you can use any length upper but you can't turn it into a rifle with a stock.
     

    throttletony

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    Jul 11, 2011
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    the above is correct.
    any length barrel as long as it doesn't get a buttstock. You could even put a 24" bull barrel on it if you wanted to be the goofy guy with the long barreled AR pistol (technically "firearm" at that point)

    LOOK at Midwest Industries pistol buffer tube -- It's a bit longer than others (though the internal dimensions are the same) - I used that buffer tube w/ a 10.5 barrel in 300BLK and my overall length is 26.5" This buffer tube also works great for SB-15 and similar braces, since it sets the overall length a bit longer with a "shoulder" that's part of the tube. I believe that KAK and others make similar tubes. To avoid and problems, I wouldn't use a locking collar or similar with these types of braces.

    As someone said above, once you get over 26" (and no buttstock still) you can have the best of both worlds -- it's a "long pistol" and it's also a "firearm" (the catch-all term for things that are NOT AOWs, NOT rifles, NOT strictly handguns, NOT shotguns, but fully legal). You CAN add a vertical grip to a "firearm" as long as its length is over 26"
    Then it becomes semantics if you remove the grip, is it considered a (long) pistol again.... this is where I start to lose clarity on the issue. Clear as mud right?

    I know a few Hoosiers who keep these as truck guns. If you have a LTCH, you could keep one of these loaded in your vehicle. That's my understanding anyways.

    I'm not a lawyer, consult the laws yourself, and never trust a skinny chef.
     

    Excalibur

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    May 11, 2012
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    I've been planning on making a truck gun with the legal length so I can add a vertical grip of some sort and a brace for it to still be a pistol. With the current ATF's position, this is a great time AGAIN for AR pistols. I'm waiting on the SB Tactical's PDW brace to come in the mail
     

    Excalibur

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    There is no requirement that a lower has to be marked as a pistol to be built as a pistol...

    You're right. I was thinking about if the lower was ever part of a rifle, it can never be used to make a pistol. A fresh lower that has never been apart of either can be used to make a rifle or a pistol but only a pistol lower can be stripped down and remade into a rifle, I think.
     

    Excalibur

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    I've been looking at building a pistol as well but in .300 BO. Because of the price of .300 compared to 5.56, I'll probably only shoot it less at the range than my AR and plan to make sure it runs well to be used as a defensive tool, like a truck gun or HD gun because a short barrel with the potent .300 BO at close range is really good, fair superior to a 5.56 but to really get a handle on .300, the barrel needs to be short because that's what it was designed for and if possible, suppressed.
     

    kscessnadriver

    Sharpshooter
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    Mar 1, 2017
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    Albion
    I actually just picked up a 12.7 inch barrel from Brownells set up for an A-1, even with the 1:12 twist rate, and the XM177 muzzle device clone they have. I think I'm going to build it into a pistol for now, then maybe SBR it down the road.
     

    DocIndy

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    Mar 30, 2010
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    Franklin
    I am building out my last stripped PSA lower with a 11.5" PSA upper. I ordered the SB Tactical SOB brace and am waiting for it to get here. I'm thinking of an optic, but haven't made a final decision yet. I am also thinking of a HD role for it, so a flashlight and mount of some sort seems to be next on the list of accessories for it.
     

    rlfrye

    Marksman
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    Jan 16, 2017
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    The Tuck
    My 10.5 pistol I built this year, fun to build, fun to shoot. Gotta force myself to pick up the rifle now, lol.
     

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    Luket23

    Plinker
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    Apr 5, 2017
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    Crown point
    So I'm in the prosess of building an AR pistol and I'm haveing a hard time deciding weather to go with a 10.5 upper or a 14.5 upper. Any suggestions on which length to go with? Also I really don't know what manufacturer to go with either. I don't really want to spend more than 600 on the complete upper. Does anyone know of anything that fits that criteria?
     

    Excalibur

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    May 11, 2012
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    So I'm in the prosess of building an AR pistol and I'm haveing a hard time deciding weather to go with a 10.5 upper or a 14.5 upper. Any suggestions on which length to go with? Also I really don't know what manufacturer to go with either. I don't really want to spend more than 600 on the complete upper. Does anyone know of anything that fits that criteria?

    I plan to make a .300 blackout but wondering should I go ultra short in 7-8 in barrel since people say the round is designed for the ultra short barrel but I plan on a slightly longer 10.5 barrel. If built without thinking about a brace, it would fall well under 600.
     

    vincess

    Plinker
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    Dec 14, 2017
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    Indy
    I'm running in to different range rules with SBR's, and also AR-pistols. I get any range can set whatever rules they want, why wouldn't they. So can anyone recommend a indoor range where this is not an issue? Please and thanks.
     

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