Can I Build a Pistol on Virgin AR Lower?

[Colt556]

I recently got a stripped RRA ,223 lower on a trade and I'm thinking of building an AR pistol with it. It was in the original wrapper and has never had any parts of any kind put in it. Is it ok to build it as a pistol or do I need to build it into a rifle? I'd like to build a 9mm pistol but I'd build it into a 223 if I needed to.

 

[99zhuggerz99]

I'll start by saying I do not know the answer to that, but; if not, I have been looking for a RRA lower.....just saying.

 

[baldmax]

As long as it is not a rifle on the 4473.

 

[cwillour]

IANAL, but I thought AR bare lower receivers where like T/C frames -- whatever they are used for first determines the classification for life. After that, you can always use pistol parts to make a rifle but not the other way around.

 

[Colt556]

As long as it is not a rifle on the 4473.

That's what I was thinking but I have no idea how it was sold on the 4473. Maybe I'll sell this one, or build the early Commando I've always wanted, and get another for a pistol project later.

 

[Colt556]

Sorry... Double Post.

 

[hooky]

Great question.

I've seen plenty of posts saying that "until I get my SBR paperwork back, I'm configuring it as a pistol so I can shoot it". I don't recall anyone ever saying it depends on the 4473. But I also understand that if it's sold as a rifle, it's a rifle lower.

 

[tacmedic]

If the lower was originally registered as a pistol you are good to go. You can even make it into a rifle as long as it has a butt stock and 16" long barrel. If it was originally registered as a rifle it can never legally be made into a pistol. I do not know how a person would go about finding out how it was originally registered though.

 

[jd4320t]

Yes you can. If it was a pistol lower you couldn't make a rifle with it.