SBR back to Pistol for Deer Hunting

[Stimp]

Hey all,
This may have been covered before but could not find anything upon a quick search and hope this is the most relevant location in the forum to post.
I am tossing around the idea to form 1 an AR pistol 7.5" 5.56 into an SBR.
My question is... Come hunting season am I able to reconfigure the SBR back into a legal pistol (in this case would like to convert it back to a 300 black out pistol ~10"barrel) for a legal deer hunting firearm for the season?
Then after season go back to the SBR configuration...
If legal to reconfigure back into the pistol do you still carry around a copy of the stamp?
Thank you for the help.

 

[romad7]

Once a lower is registered as an SBR then it's always a rifle, short or long barrel depending on the upper.

Are you talking about using a single SBR lower and removing the stock for hunting? Not sure about Indiana rules but that's still a rifle under federal rules.

 

[Stimp]

Once a lower is registered as an SBR then it's always a rifle, short or long barrel depending on the upper.

Are you talking about using a single SBR lower and removing the stock for hunting? Not sure about Indiana rules but that's still a rifle under federal rules.

Yes that is what I was intending to ask. Remove the stock and consider it a pistol again. Indiana has different legal hunting cartridges based on rifle or pistol.
That answers my question then as it would be a no go then.

 

[chef1231]

Once a lower is registered as an SBR then it's always a rifle, short or long barrel depending on the upper.

Are you talking about using a single SBR lower and removing the stock for hunting? Not sure about Indiana rules but that's still a rifle under federal rules.

Yes this is right. I was going to convert over a rifle that I have and keep the longer barrel and switch them back and forth but it is always considered an SBR regardless of the barrel length once registered as an SBR. I would call the DNR and get a ruling.

 

[HamsterStyle]

It's much better to err on the side of caution and build.a dedicated pistol lower and swap uppers back and forth.

 

[SteveM4A1]

It's much better to err on the side of caution and build.a dedicated pistol lower and swap uppers back and forth.

This would be the easiest and safest.

Yes this is right. I was going to convert over a rifle that I have and keep the longer barrel and switch them back and forth but it is always considered an SBR regardless of the barrel length once registered as an SBR. I would call the DNR and get a ruling.

According to whom? The ATF does not consider it as an SBR no matter the configuration. Which is why one can have a SBR lower assembled with a 16" barrel and travel freely between states (except for those with specific restrictions), since it is now just a rifle.

 

[ljk]

one thing game wardens can tell is SBR lowers are engraved, at least the legal ones.

 

[KJQ6945]

one thing game wardens can tell is SBR lowers are engraved, at least the legal ones.

Unless it's a form 4 factory gun.

 

[stephen87]

I thought the ruling was "Once a rifle, always a rifle. Unless it starts as a pistol, then it may become a rifle and be converted back to a pistol."

 

[JollyMon]

I thought the ruling was "Once a rifle, always a rifle. Unless it starts as a pistol, then it may become a rifle and be converted back to a pistol."

I think the issue comes up with an sbr, as it starts it's life as a rifle, as you are manufacturing it..... But I don't know the answer

 

[HamsterStyle]

I think the issue comes up with an sbr, as it starts it's life as a rifle, as you are manufacturing it..... But I don't know the answer

Unless it is a pistol lower that you decided to build as an sbr later

 

[Clay]

I think the issue comes up with an sbr, as it starts it's life as a rifle, as you are manufacturing it..... But I don't know the answer

Once a rifle, always a rifle.

Once a pistol, it can become a rifle, but never a pistol again.

For this most part these are true, but there are the rare exception. What he is doing is likely not an exception.

Some of the exceptions I can think of are broomhandle mausers and lugers with their original butt stock/holsters, and something with TC/Contender/Encore kits

 

[buckstopshere]

Build a dedicated 300 blackout pistol for deer season. Blackout bucks are awesome.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Not worth the potential hassle. Many of the game wardens are already not all that fond of AR-15 Pistols. While legal, not everyone knows that and it can result in a lot of questions from the DNR if they decide they want to check it out. Been there done that, and was on the right side of the law with my dedicated pistol lower for the upper that normally rides on an SBR lower.

 

[Stimp]

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[bstewrat3]

I need to get a more definitive answer on this, because I have been considering doing an SBR on one of my T/C pistol receivers so I can use a buttstock with my pistol barrels, but I would still want the ability to use it as a pistol at times. I don't see where it would be any different than when I use it as a rifle with a 16+ inch barrel now and change it back to a pistol.

 

[Bfish]

Not worth the potential hassle. Many of the game wardens are already not all that fond of AR-15 Pistols. While legal, not everyone knows that and it can result in a lot of questions from the DNR if they decide they want to check it out. Been there done that, and was on the right side of the law with my dedicated pistol lower for the upper that normally rides on an SBR lower.

This seems to sum it up well I think. This past season I used a 300blk pistol. Now that season is over it will be converted to a SBR. However, next year I'll have a completely separate pistol lower I'll slap the upper on. (same upper, very different lowers).
I feel like changing the buffer tube and all to go between rifle and pistol is just asking for issues, even if "ok." Putting an extra couple hundred bucks into a separate pistol lower isn't a bad idea.

It sounds like you already have the tube and all for a pistol. So all you need is a lower and lower parts kit. I would say you can easily get a pistol lower together for under $200. At least at prices that were there a few months ago. I haven't looked as of late. Last I knew there had been a slight increase.

 

[patience0830]

Thats what I was thinking. As cheap as lower s and parts kids are right now, why take the chance?

 

[stephen87]

Once a rifle, always a rifle.

Once a pistol, it can become a rifle, but never a pistol again.

For this most part these are true, but there are the rare exception. What he is doing is likely not an exception.

Some of the exceptions I can think of are broomhandle mausers and lugers with their original butt stock/holsters, and something with TC/Contender/Encore kits

ATF 2011-4 states otherwise.

"
Therefore,
so
long as a parts kit or collection of parts is not used to make a firearm
regulated under the NFA (
e.g.

, a short
-
barreled rifle or “any other weapon” as defined by
26 U.S.C. 5845(e)), no NFA firearm is made when the same parts are assembled or re
-
assembled
in a configuration not regulated under the NFA (
e.
g.
, a pistol, or a rifle with a
barrel of 16 inches or more in length). Merely assembling and disassembling such a rifle
does not result in the making of a new weapon; rather, it is the same rifle in a kn
ockdown
condition (
i.e.
, complete as to all component parts). Likewise, because it is the same
weapon when reconfigured as a pistol, no “weapon made from a rifle” subject to the NFA
has been made."

Since your SBR is an NFA item, it cannot be a pistol ever again, per ATF 2011-4.

 

[ljk]

This could be a question which is worth to ask the Gun Guy on the radio.