Is it worth turning an AR pistol into a SBR? I recently built a pistol and wondering if I should go ahead and SBR it. Especially after reading the other thread about honey badger pistol

Also what is the process?

Fill out a form 1, efile, receive approval, get lower engraved, add buffer tube and stock assembly.

It's up to you. For $200 you can have an SBR that you have to get approval to take across state lines, or you can keep $200 and take your pistol wherever the lions on the left haven't screwed up the gun laws too bad.

With the SBA3/4 braces, having an SBR isn't as big a deal anymore.

Just my opinion. I have two SBRs and three pistol lowers.

https://eforms.atf.gov/EForms/faces/EFormsMain?_afrLoop=233183353721895199&_afrWindowMode=0&_adf.ctrl-state=42da7oqtr_39

I always thought I would want to SBR but after building a pistol with a SBA4 brace for the first time I don't see the point unless ATF changes their mind again

AggiePetro07 said:

---

Fill out a form 1, efile, receive approval, get lower engraved, add buffer tube and stock assembly.

It's up to you. For $200 you can have an SBR that you have to get approval to take across state lines, or you can keep $200 and take your pistol wherever the lions on the left haven't screwed up the gun laws too bad.

With the SBA3/4 braces, having an SBR isn't as big a deal anymore.

Just my opinion. I have two SBRs and three pistol lowers.

---

once you SBR it, can't you just slap the pistol brace back on it and take it across state lines?

No. My understanding is once a lower has been an SBR it can no longer become a pistol.

To echo a previous post, I see no reason to SBR anything with pistol braces these days unless the ATF changes it's mind again. I also like to keep the gov't out of my business (as much as possible at least)

I know you can take an sbr off of activation....or out of service.

Was told that by ATF agent.

Best bet. Call the tech branch line.

Point is, if it's sbr'd. You are free from hassle, confusion, and prosecution.

"Here ya go officer....here is my ppwk"

If that firearm is stolen.... they will be looking for it a little harder than the police ever would.

Until some local yokel cop doesn't know about braces and barrel lengths........and then wastes time calling the ATF trying to find the answer....all the while keeping you from continuing you day.

Don't assume law enforcement knows brace rules.

Funny I thought this was about the most recent ATF bull where they are making Q cease and desist production of the Honey Badger pistol as they are reclassifying it as an SBR, which is a bit unprecedented to go back and reclassify after production.

You aren't free from hassle with an SBR.

You have to fill out a 5320.20 to take it across state lines. When I drove to NC and MO this year, I couldn't take my SBR easily. I had to stick my 11.5" on a pistol lower unless I wanted to take the time to fill out a 5320.20 (across multiple states) and then wait for them to return it before I found out if it was approved or not.

Then you have to fill it out every year for every destination.

The same yokel who is confused about a pistol brace will probably have the same general ignorance regarding an SBR.

I have a couple of SBRs. They have some benefits for sure, but they aren't hassle free.

There are certain requirements....you're confusing hassle of crossing state lines vs prosecution or detainment.

I said she's are free from prosecution or detainment. Unless you go full mcclosky

Disagree, That form 1 signed by ATF and presented to local yokal is good to go.

I keep four copies of form1

One in truck. One in home. One in gun bag or bags. One on cloud....and of course the ATF website u dear approvals. 5 bags....10 bags. ..all have copies of form 1.

Filling a 5320 to cross state lines is just part of the game. It is what it is.

Folks can go pistol, knock yourselves out. Hell I still have one lower that is just for that. Just don't be surprised when ATF changes stance or ruling.

I think I'm up to 8 sbrd lowers. Lost count

6 edits and I'm done spellchecking. Prefill has a mind of its own today.

FunkyKO said:

---

There are certain requirements....you're confusing hassle of crossing state lines vs prosecution or detainment.

I said she's are free from prosecution or detainment. Unless you go full mcclosky

Disagree, That form 1 signed by ATF and presented to local yokal is good to go.

I keep four copies of form1

One in truck. One in home. One in gun bag or bags. One on cloud....and of course the ATF website u dear approvals. 5 bags....10 bags. ..all have copies of form 1.

Filling a 5320 to cross state lines is just part of the game. It is what it is.

Folks can go pistol, knock yourselves out. Hell I still have one lower that is just for that. Just don't be surprised when ATF changes stance or ruling.

I think I'm up to 8 sbrd lowers. Lost count

6 edits and I'm done spellchecking. Prefill has a mind of its own today.

---

I'm not confusing anything. You just proved my point with the Form 1 discussion. It's not hassle free.

A cop that is that ignorant of the rules is gonna still look at the paperwork and most likely verify the paperwork. If he/she is so hell bent on getting me on a pistol, they are most likely not going to let paperwork get in the way of hassling me.

Pistol you just go across state lines, as long as the state is friendly.

I have SBRs. I love them. They have definite benefits. But the pistol is easier and cheaper in the near term in my opinion*.

*as long as they don't change the rules, which then I would obviously be a proponent of the SBR.

hassle free meaning you don't have to explain, "well officer the atf call this a pistol brace, and therefore you can have a barrel...blah blah blah.

sorry, cop sees form1 atf approval. its a done deal. no explanation needed.

tax stamp check.
name address, social security number. check. if under trust, it lists the trust. copy of trust on hand as well.
serial number check.
barrel length check.
firearm description check
,authorized atf official, huge check
law enforcement notification on the backside. huge check.

a pistol is only a pistol if the aft says its a pistol, and they just basically told Q to gft.

you saw what they just did to the Q honey badger right???

getting form 1'd takes all political, emotional, spur of the moment atf changes out of the way.

I'm not paying the extortion fee unless they make more ridiculous adjustments to the current laws.

FunkyKO said:

---

Until some local yokel cop doesn't know about braces and barrel lengths........and then wastes time calling the ATF trying to find the answer....all the while keeping you from continuing you day.

Don't assume law enforcement knows brace rules.

---

Even ATF field agents don't know rules beyond their initial training. I had a very tenuous conversation with one at a party a few years back where I had to produce my digital stamps to get him to slow his roll.

aggiegolf86 said:

---

Is it worth turning an AR pistol into a SBR? I recently built a pistol and wondering if I should go ahead and SBR it. Especially after reading the other thread about honey badger pistol

---

IMHO, yes, I'd SBR at least one lower now since you don't have one.

My reasoning: I've always thought that braces will at some point be pen-stroked into history. If that happens, the ATF Form 1 process will be a backlogged nightmare.

Strongweasel97 said:

---

aggiegolf86 said:

---

Is it worth turning an AR pistol into a SBR? I recently built a pistol and wondering if I should go ahead and SBR it. Especially after reading the other thread about honey badger pistol

---

IMHO, yes, I'd SBR at least one lower now since you don't have one.

My reasoning: I've always thought that braces will at some point be pen-stroked into history. If that happens, the ATF Form 1 process will be a backlogged nightmare.

---

Or you could also keep a lower with just a pistol tube that will not accept a brace or stock. Just a thought.

Q has submitted an iron clad response that will likely be overturned by a district court if needed. ATF would literally have to completely reclassify braces for pistols altogether and this agent that brought this on isn't about to go through that war.

Agree.

In their defense, they actually have way bigger fish to fry than sbr vs pistol rules. We aren't the problem.

What started the whole convo was he had caught someone with an unregistered SBR the night before and was showing off the pics. I joked "Well I'll show mine since you showed me yours, but mine is actually legal" That's when homeboy turned off party mode and turned into a dewsh and made thing out of it. My buddy the host, who is DEA, even told him to cool it and that I was legal as we shoot together. Was a lame flex on the ATF's part.

Probably a silly question, but does an AR with a 7 or 8.5 inch barrel get treated any differently than a longer barrel regarding pistol classification?

JonSnow said:

---

Probably a silly question, but does an AR with a 7 or 8.5 inch barrel get treated any differently than a longer barrel regarding pistol classification?

---

Some states have a maximum barrel length for pistols, but I have never heard anything about minimum barrel length.

That's weird....ATF agents I know love guns and parties.

And it's also sad, because the only difference is a brace or stock.

Quote:

---

My reasoning: I've always thought that braces will at some point be pen-stroked into history. If that happens, the ATF Form 1 process will be a backlogged nightmare.

---

I'm coming around to this line of thinking and am looking at getting at least one SBR registered before the EOY. So far what I've read on the interwebs is you're supposed to send the ATF a letter or something along those lines to switch out uppers, Is that correct? I really just want to SBR one of my lowers and be able to swap uppers out as desired.

J.D. c/o 05 said:

---

Quote:

---

My reasoning: I've always thought that braces will at some point be pen-stroked into history. If that happens, the ATF Form 1 process will be a backlogged nightmare.

---

I'm coming around to this line of thinking and am looking at getting at least one SBR registered before the EOY. So far what I've read on the interwebs is you're supposed to send the ATF a letter or something along those lines to switch out uppers, Is that correct? I really just want to SBR one of my lowers and be able to swap uppers out as desired.

---

I think it's more a courtesy than anything - not sure there is an actual law/regulation requiring this (if somebody can point to something more legally binding I'm all ears). If you want to do something like that:

https://www.guntrustguru.com/how-do-i-change-the-registered-configuration-of-my-short-barreled-rifle.html

FunkyKO said:

---

That's weird....ATF agents I know love guns and parties.

And it's also sad, because the only difference is a brace or stock.

---

Don't forget no vertical foregrips allowed on pistols.