ATF to modify pistol-to-rifle rule to better meet Thompson Centerfire

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Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
According to the blog at Prince Law Offices, today Deputy Chief Steve Albro stated that ruling 2011-4 would modify the existing rule regarding pistols that can be converted to rifles.

Under the new ruling, a pistol could be converted to a rifle and back again without having to register the firearm as an SBR. However, the opposite of that will still be forbidden (a firearm that starts out as a rifle can never be a pistol without being registered as an SBR). The ruling has not been officially released yet, so I guess we will wait and see.

As rulings go, it maintains the total nonsensical nature of most firearms laws; but at least it is a step in the direction of the holding in the Thompson Centerfire Supreme Court case. Previously the ATF had taken a very narrow view of the holding in that case by saying it only applied to that specific firearm model (and not even other Thompson Centerfire products). I guess with Chicago getting smacked down, the ATF decided that there wasn't much to gain by deliberately thumbing their nose at the Supreme Court.
 
Huh. Cool. I predicted something like this - that if challenged, the restriction on this rule to just the Center would fail hard.

So when this kicks in, the sales of, fr'instance, AR-based pistols will go through the roof. People will be able to mix'n'match 'em to rifle spec and back at will, playing "tinkertoy parts".

And remember, there's another odd twist in the mix: somebody figured out you can have a critter with no shoulder stock, overall length of at least 26inch, no minimum barrel length and a forward pistol grip. Oddball for sure, but, would this bizarre thing fit into the mix, as one of the options you could take it to starting with a normal pistol base?

I predict some damned interesting things from some of the manufacturers.
 
That still isn't going to solve the T/C problem because they put absolutely no identifier on their frames saying whether they are being sold as a rifle or a pistol - not to mention the frames that are sold totally bare (yes, they still sell bare frames with no stocks or grips at all).

You could easily buy a used frame and have absolutely no idea how it started out life.
 
You could easily buy a used frame and have absolutely no idea how it started out life.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty derned sure that Tompson Center along with every other manufacture is required to record the serial numbered reciever as either pistol or a rifle when manufactured. Whomever you buy it from should inform you of such.
 
teeroux
Quote:
You could easily buy a used frame and have absolutely no idea how it started out life.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty derned sure that Tompson Center along with every other manufacture is required to record the serial numbered reciever as either pistol or a rifle when manufactured. Whomever you buy it from should inform you of such.
Click to expand...
ATF considers frames, receivers and AR lowers as "Other firearms"....a category of firearms that are neither handguns or long guns. A receiver or frame only becomes a long gun when a barrel AND shoulder stock is attached.
 
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Yep, ol Billy Bad Butt was shot dead at the scene of the robbery attempt when he got his Super 14 hung up in his shorts!:D
 
To make it a rifle you have to meet ALL the specs: stock, 16" barrel, 26" overall.

You can do that now. What will be new is the ability to go back to pistol-spec.

You still won't be able to stop in the middle in an SBR configuration.
 
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