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AR Pistol Braces.......Correct me if I'm Wrong
Horse Plains Drifter
Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,191 ***** Forums Admin
Below is a video "reviewing" different braces. In the video guys are shoulder firing pistols using said brace as a "stock". Does not the act of doing that create a SBR situation?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu2piCz8ThI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu2piCz8ThI
Comments
The latest letter from them (dated March 2017 IIRC) states that an unaltered pistol brace when fired from or near the shoulder does not constitute a redesign of the pistol into a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) and therefore does not fall into the NFA requirements.
Again, this can change at any given time and I fully expect it will once the Democrats control the WH and the Hill. I personally wish Trump would just change the law and get rid of the regulations on suppressors, SBRs and SBSs. The only people who follow these laws are law abiding gun owners (imagine that). Criminals have no concern over an antiquated law concerning barrel length.
The law dates from the early 20th century to deal with organized crime (same with regulation of select fire weapons) when most handguns were revolvers and had a capacity of 6 rounds on average (although there were a handful of semiauto pistols). Now days we have pistols that have a standard capacity of 15-17 rounds on average and can easily seat a fresh mag if needed.
ETA link to the Open Letter https://soldiersystems.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Barnes-Stabilizing-Brace-Letter-Final-3.21.179.pdf
The term “Pistol” means a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand...
How many times have you seen someone grasp a pistol using two hands? How many times have you done it? I do it all of the time- in fact most of the time.
The pistol brace is intended to allow an AR-type pistol to be fired with one hand; which it will do. Putting the brace on your shoulder does not instantly make the brace non functional, so it does not alter the firearm's classification as a pistol.
Shown are two 9mm ARs. The firearm at the top has a conventional butt stock, which makes it an SBR. The firearm below is fitted with a pistol brace, which makes it a pistol.
Although rifles are designed to be held with two hands and braced using a buttstock placed against the shoulder, there is nothing to prevent you from firing a rifle with from the hip, or firing a rifle by holding it with one hand and away from your body. Doing so in either case does not make the buttstock nonfunctional, so it does not change the firearm's classification as a rifle.
"The pistol brace is intended to allow an AR-type pistol to be fired with one hand; which it will do. Putting the brace on your shoulder does not instantly make the brace non functional, so it does not alter the firearm's classification as a pistol."
Mark, you are correct based on my interpretation of the regulations. The current definition allows the "shouldering of the brace w/o changing the intent of the design".
FWIW, my latest project is a 22 rim fire rifle with the suppressor's mono core pinned and welded to make the barrel legal rifle length. That makes a really neat pickup rifle.
It is 3 position adjustable and shown fully extended. Due to the fact that people have differing lengths of forearms, making the brace adjustable makes perfect sense. Notice that there is a Velcro strap running around the rear of the brace. This strap serves an important purpose:
After loosening the strap, you insert your forearm into the opening at the rear of the brace and and then readjust the strap to hold the brace in place. This make firing with one hand rather easy. Whether or not anyone actually uses the brace in this fashion is immaterial. It was designed to function that way...and it does.
By the way, as always, these are my own photos of my own firearms. You'll never see me link in a YouTube video to explain anything firearms related.
No it does not “create an SBR situation.”
ATF changed their tune in 2019.