Buying a Short Barrel

[JFrost]

Hello, I read through the FAQ on the NFA thread and didn't find the answer, so... I want to buy an AR-15 short barrel, not the whole gun. Does the paperwork require a serial number of the barrel, the whole gun, or is there no 'tracking' of the actual pieces? thanks

 

[OneBadV8]

Hello, I read through the FAQ on the NFA thread and didn't find the answer, so... I want to buy an AR-15 short barrel, not the whole gun. Does the paperwork require a serial number of the barrel, the whole gun, or is there no 'tracking' of the actual pieces? thanks

No tracking of actual pieces just the main receiver.

However, you have to be careful when buying parts before having the stamp. You'll want to not have the lower yet or have a pistol buffer on it so it's a pistol. There is a lot of gray area on which parts you can have without having an approved stamp yet.

 

[xryan.jacksonx]

No tracking of actual pieces just the main receiver.

However, you have to be careful when buying parts before having the stamp. You'll want to not have the lower yet or have a pistol buffer on it so it's a pistol. There is a lot of gray area on which parts you can have without having an approved stamp yet.

If it were me I'd have it shipped to a trusted friend or family members home and have them sit on it for you while you wait for the Form 1 to come back.

 

[Echelon]

If it were me I'd have it shipped to a trusted friend or family members home and have them sit on it for you while you wait for the Form 1 to come back.

Or just enjoy your new pistol until the stamp came back.

 

[micheljns]

The upper requires no paperwork, it is not a sbr until you attach a rifle lower to it. I say Rifle lower because you can attach a pistol lower to it and it is legal. Remember though that once a lower has been considered a rifle lower it can never be a pistol lower wheter it has a buttstock or not. So your options are buy or build a new pistol lower and attach with no paperwork needed or you can actually buy your rifle lower just DO NOT ATTACH it until you get your paperwork back from the ATF>

 

[OneBadV8]

Or just enjoy your new pistol until the stamp came back.

this is the route I went

 

[JFrost]

Thanks for the info I read some more on SBR ARs, it seems that the 'blast' from the muzzle can make shooting them no fun at all. So, another question, clarification really...can I have multiple stamps for the same weapon? (this is getting pricey) One for the short barrel and one for the suppressor? (Even more? what else would there be?)

 

[OneBadV8]

Thanks for the info I read some more on SBR ARs, it seems that the 'blast' from the muzzle can make shooting them no fun at all. So, another question, clarification really...can I have multiple stamps for the same weapon? (this is getting pricey) One for the short barrel and one for the suppressor? (Even more? what else would there be?)

YES! The stamp is for the suppressor though, not the weapon its on, unless its an integrated suppressor.

 

[xryan.jacksonx]

Or just enjoy your new pistol until the stamp came back.

Yeah, but that is assuming he doesn't already have the AR15.

Thanks for the info I read some more on SBR ARs, it seems that the 'blast' from the muzzle can make shooting them no fun at all. So, another question, clarification really...can I have multiple stamps for the same weapon? (this is getting pricey) One for the short barrel and one for the suppressor? (Even more? what else would there be?)

As mentioned before, yes. If you intend to only use the suppressor with the AR, then you could weld it onto the barrel and pay a single stamp if the combined length is greater than 16".

 

[starbury33]

Is this legal?

First, thank you all for the questions, responses and this board. This has been extremely helpful. After reading up all the posts that I can find, I find the following steps legal. Please let me know if I'm missing anything:
1. Get a 10.5 complete upper.
2. Get a pistol complete lower. Make sure that on the form 4473, question 18 (Type of firearm) is noted as Handgun.
3. Combine and shoot in the winter and be legal.
4. Get the rifle lower that I wanted but ask the dealer to hold the lower. Note the serial number.
5. Apply for the stamp, specifically filing for form (5320) 1. Use the sn of the rilfe lower.
6. Once I get stamp approved (which can be a year from now), I can take delivery of the lower and use the short barrel upper from step #1 with it.

Sounds very odd and so I apologize in advance if I'm so lost on this. Does this sound right? What steps can you further take to make sure that this is all done legally? I already have a regular AR (that is > 16" barrel length), and I wonder if this is going to complicate things.

 

[OneBadV8]

You can just build a stripped lower as a pistol (Marked 'receiver' on 4473) then send in a Form 1 for that lower (after engraving it with required info) and then when you get the stamp back, just put a rifle buffer tube on it, stock and you're good to go.

 

[micheljns]

Your steps are correct. You can actually take possession of the lower just DO NOT assemble it to the upper. But if having the dealer hold it for you makes you feel better than thats ok too.

 

[JoshuaW]

Your steps are correct. You can actually take possession of the lower just DO NOT assemble it to the upper. But if having the dealer hold it for you makes you feel better than thats ok too.

You don't want to have possession of all of the pieces at once until you have a stamp.

 

[starbury33]

Thanks for all the responses. With respect to the quoted statement below, I found a BATFE response that further elaborate on it. I found it at the ar15.com board. As a side note, there were some controversies about the person who wrote the letter but the BATFE response seems to be specifically addressing the issue of possessing spare parts. I had some concerns whether having spare parts for my >16" ar would be considered unlawful if I were to also have an 10.5" upper. From what I understand from the BATFE response, BATFE finds this to be legal. Of course, this is just a temporary solution. I do intend to file for SBR using form 1 on the pistol lower. This is just to avoid having to wait the 6 months or however long to get the SBR filing to go through.

You don't want to have possession of all of the pieces at once until you have a stamp.

 

[762minigun]

Acquire your parts. Build it as a pistol. That way you have something to play with while waiting on the stamp.