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AR Pistol Braces.......Correct me if I'm Wrong

Horse Plains DrifterHorse 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

Comments

  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    Yes...until the BATF makes an example of a few high profile gun reviewers folks will continue to flaunt it.   The Dems get back in charge you'll probably see an increase in enforcement.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
  • medic07medic07 Member Posts: 5,222 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    The BATFE Directors have gone back and forth on this point several times.
    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
  • US Military GuyUS Military Guy Member Posts: 3,643 ✭✭✭✭
    medic07 said:
    snip . . .
      I personally wish Trump would just change the law and get rid of the regulations on suppressors, SBRs and SBSs. 

    . . . snip
      Careful what you wish for.  The law might get "changed" - - - just like it did for bump stocks.
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    The presence of a specially manufactured brace determines whether or not the firearm is a pistol or an SBR. Trying to regulate how someone holds their firearm is virtually impossible, and unenforceable. For instance, the legal definition of a pistol is:
    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. 
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,500 ✭✭✭✭
    My AR 7.62x39 is stamped Pistol on the receiver. Brace or no brace it can be shouldered or held as a rifle.
  • redneckandyredneckandy Member Posts: 9,714 ✭✭✭✭
    Mark, what is the model of uppers you have and how do you like em? Waiting on my 9mm lower to come in and I am looking at uppers.
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    Both are from Palmeto State Armory. The SBR (top) has an 8 inch barrel while the pistol (lower) has a 10 inch (longer with the flash can attached). Because I normally fire the SBR with a suppressor, keeping the OAL a short as possible was important and going with the 8 inch barrel made sense.
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,133 ✭✭✭✭

    "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.
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    There are many different type of pistol braces, but lets take a closer look at the SB PDW-type brace with I use on my 9mm pistol:

    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.
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 21,996 ✭✭✭✭
    The law/rule of adjustable positional "brace" confuses me. I know it's a "pistol" so it shouldn't apply to them but being in California where one can get arrested for 15 round magazine purchased legally I shouldn't push it. I was thinking of a Blade for my AK pistol but I haven't looked in a while. But I should get sorted by 2022 (was 2024) to get everything for my collection to avoid papering components for my builds.
  • WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,928 ✭✭✭✭

    No it does not “create an SBR situation.”

    ATF changed their tune in 2019.

  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    Warbirds said:

    No it does not “create an SBR situation.”

    ATF changed their tune in 2019.


    Well that may be changing....seems Rep Gaetz has gotten wind of potential changes in the BATF's view of pistol braces....I'm surprised it's taken this long.  If people are going to flaunt circumventing the NFA then at some point the gun grabbers are going to come with a vengeance. 

    https://gaetz.house.gov/media/hottakespress/gaetz-calls-atf-cease-plans-restricting-arm-brace-usage?fbclid=IwAR0fJxjrtMLJsLWIWFsu4ORv7csijYhl6qRXB6nhwYQq7IOpRIi6OSwYopE


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