TechnoWeenie
Regular Member
It is perfectly legal to make a pistol into a rifle, but it is illegal to turn it back into a pistol. Once a rifle it cannot be made into a pistol.
PM me if you want to me to delete this quote.
See US v. Thompson Center Arms(USSC case IIRC)
Thompson made a pistol, as a kit that included a buttstock, and a 16" barrel, allowing the user to attach the barrel and then the buttstock thereby making a legal rifle. Attaching the buttstock with the pistol barrel constituted an SBR, and ATF attempted to sue Thompson for back taxes (they never paid for 'making an SBR'). USSC ruled FOR Thompson, saying that constructive possession did NOT apply, because it was designed primarily as a pistol, and the longer barrel and buttstock were spare parts to put it into a legal configuration.
Once MADE as a rifle, it cannot be MADE as a pistol.
It is MADE a pistol by registration, features, barrel length, etc. it can then be turned into a rifle configuration, and back.
The logic (if there is any) is that pistols are regulated more. So theoretically an 18 y/o could buy a rifle and put on a pistol grip and cut down the barrel and he'd legally own a pistol under 21, which is a no-go. Now if he BUYS a pistol, puts a long barrel on it and a buttstock, it's now in a legal rifle configuration, he can then remove the longer barrel and buttsock and return it to the pistol configuration.
My lower was transferred as an 'other',and simultaneously registered in the state as a pistol, and made AS a pistol.
That being said, I don't have a buttstock or rifle upper, so it hasn't been configured that way. I will NOT be getting a buttstock until I get another RIFLE lower, in which case any parts I have would be considered spare parts, and can't be viewed in any way as constructive possession.
I WOULD SBR it, except the dumb WA laws....
I still don't F'in understand what a 200$ 'tax stamp' has to do with a buttstock and a short barrel.. W T F...