Make an 80% lower into a pistol

[Redandwhite_72]

I'm looking to make an 80% lower into a pistol or an sbr. I keep finding conflicting information on the net. I know you don't have to register the lower when you build it into a rifle. Do I have to register it as a pistol to make it a pistol? I'm pretty sure you have to register it if it's turned into an sbr since it would fall under the NFA. Is that correct? I'm from missouri if that makes a difference. Anybody have any concrete answers they'd be willing to share? I have a cop buddy checking into it for me but no response from him yet, so I thought I'd check here.

 

[plong]

A lower is a "receiver" in the eyes of BATF. Rifle, pistol, doesn't matter unless you intend to turn it into a SBR in which case you are correct, it would then be subject to all NFA requirements. So bottom line: finish it and build away! Unless you are going the SBR route in which case fill out your Form 1, mail in your check and wait, wait, wait...

 

[Dallas4rceMarine]

plong nailed it, and not to bash on cops but most of them do not know the laws regarding SBRs and suppressors. Most of my LE friends have no clue and always end up asking me questions, kinda scary..

only reason to register would be an SBR, since the point of getting an 80% is having one unregistered I would say go pistol or regular length. If you want to register it you can get a stripped lower for cheaper than an 80% and it already comes with serial numbers and information they need on the form 1.

 

[Redandwhite_72]

Plong and Dallas, thanks for your replies. That's what I was hoping would be the case. I already built an 80% rifle so was looking for something different.t
I'll probably go with a pistol then so I don't have to pay the $200 tax right now.

 

[EXSOCAL]

One thing to note - Technically if you build an 80% as a pistol then that lower receiver will always be a pistol - you throw a stock on it and you have constructed an SBR, so it needs to stay assembled as a pistol. Same goes for a 80% that was built as a rifle - once it is a rifle it is always a rifle unless you go the tax stamp route.

 

[Redandwhite_72]

I've read you can switch a pistol to a rifle but you can't switch a rifle to a pistol. I don't know that that's true or not though. I'm kind of surprised they allow people to have a pistol and a rifle without the tax stamp. It's hard to believe that they trust people not to switch their pistol upper to their rifle lower and back. Not saying I would do it. Just saying they look for any way to stick it to ya.


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[leadbullet]

It is an 80% receiver that only you know about since no paperwork! Do what you want with it as long as no NFA law is broken.