AR15 Pistol Legal?
What makes a AR15 pistol a pistol and not an assault rifle?
Where can i find the "official" rules regarding what an assault rifle really is. And what exactly does class III weapons mean?
I would like to find somewhere on the net where i can read about these topics.
Thanks for any help.
Nothings as it seems.
Where can i find the "official" rules regarding what an assault rifle really is. And what exactly does class III weapons mean?
I would like to find somewhere on the net where i can read about these topics.
Thanks for any help.
Nothings as it seems.
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First, keep in mind it is illegal to make a pistol out of a rifle. You would have to start with a receiver that's never been registered as a rifle.
Federal definition of assault weapons, rifle, pistol, and shotgun is:
(A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as:
(i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);
(ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;
(iii) Beretta Ar70 (SC-70);
(iv) Colt AR-15;
(v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC;
(vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12;
(vii) Steyr AUG;
(viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and
(ix) revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;
(B) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of:
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
(iii) a bayonet mount;
(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
(v) a grenade launcher;
(C) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of:
(i) an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;
(ii) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer;
(iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned;
(iv) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and
(v) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and
(D) a semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of:
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
(iii) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; and
(iv) an ability to accept a detachable magazine.
NRA web site for firearms laws is:
http://www.nra.org/frame.cfm?title=NRA Institute for Legislative Action&url=http://www.nraila.org
Edited by - boeboe on 11/06/2002 10:55:23
Edited by - boeboe on 11/06/2002 13:20:070 -
The reciever must be originally be registered as a pistol and still must be registered as a pistol.
In a pistol configuration, it must not have a front grip or handguard...like a rifle. Only AOW or class 3 pistols can have front grips and stuff.
I have a Professional Ordanance Carbon 15 pistol. It rock and rolls pretty good.
Olympic Arms also makes a pistol too called the OA-98
The coolest AR-15 pistol was the olympic arms OA-93. The civilian model was quickly banned because of the front grip.
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What really makes the Carbon 15 a 'pistol' is it's weight (or lack therof). It's just under the weight requirement to make it a 'pistol'. 55oz., I believe it is. I always wondered if it would be legal to attach a sling to the barrel that would act as a forward grip but was technically not one.
-Marcus
Tempus Fugit.
Edited by - gravedigger on 11/07/2002 00:02:340 -
SP and Diablo,
Actually, I believe the law pertains to a vertical, or pistol grip in front of the barrel, not a horizontal grip. They are illegal on handguns, as I recall. However, not the above restriction on assault pistols.
What makes a handgun a handgun is the lack of a shoulder stock. If a handgun has a shoulder stock, it becomes a short barreled rifle. That's a no-no. Weight really has nothing to do with it. There have been handguns over 55 oz. Some of the early AR15 pistols were over, and B-West made an AK47 pistol that was well over 55 oz. It also has a horizontal front grip. The M11/9 is legal with the barrel extention or fake supressor acting as a grip, but you can't put a pistol grip up front (and remain legal). The Enforcer M1 Carbine pistol was actually a pistol and had a forward stock, so to speak. But not a forward pistol grip.
A few of the companies that offer forward pistol grips for the M11/9 tell you they are illegal on everything except a Class III firearm. But RPB still offers a shroud for the M11/9.
I believe if you want to get technical, pistols are single chambered handguns as opposed to revolvers, which have more than one chamber.
To err is human, to moo is bovine.0 -
boeboe... your right about the shoulder stock determining whether or not the gun is a rifle. If it has a stock, it had better have a barrel atleast 16" long. The thing that makes the Professional Ord and other AR type pistols (Assault Weapons) is the fact that the magazines go into other than the grip, ie separate mag well. There were some Olympians in Calif who's guns fell into this catagory, like the Hammereli pistols, but I "think" some sort of exception was made for them. 0 -
T/C Contender is not a semi-auto pistol; these restrictions do not apply to it and the forearm grip is ok.
redcedars
"The true art of war lies in so sapping your opponent's will to fight that he surrenders without battle." Sun Tzu0 -
Sorry for the misinformation. I thought I had seen where the weight was the determing factor on the Carbon 15. Sorry.
-Marcus
Tempus Fugit.0 -
gravedigger,
The weight is a determining factor for the Carbon 15. If you look at the definitions on assault pistols above, one of the qualifying factors is a weight of over 50 oz. The Carbon 15 is under 50 oz. If it was over 50, it would be classified as an assault pistol and as such, restricted. AR15 style pistols built before the ban on aluminum receivers weigh more than 50 oz. and are considered pre-ban.
To err is human, to moo is bovine.0 -
Well that was my point, I was just off on the weight.
-Marcus
Tempus Fugit.0
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