AOW or SBS?

[Maser]

Just a quick question here. What exactly makes a shotgun an AOW and not an SBS or vice versa? All I know is one is a $5 tax and the other is a $200. Is there a real answer or is it just a way for the BATF to get extra money?

[jbergerud]

AOW = forward grip added on weapon with 16" or less barrel

SBR/SBS = Stock added (and you could even add a grip if you wanted) on weapon with 16" or less barrel

Hope that helps

[Maser]

So basiclly an AOW is a non-shoulder fired weapon and an SBS is shoulder fired?

[VUPDblue]

An AOW is a weapon that started life without a stock attached. If it started life as a shotgun with stock attached, it can only be a SBS.

[Maser]

Aw ok makes sense now. Thanks. Crazy NFA laws. Seems like you need a lawyer just to understand them.

[raymond-]

An AOW is a weapon that started life without a stock attached. If it started life as a shotgun with stock attached, it can only be a SBS.

Shoulder fired AOWs exist and do so legally under this exclusion in the CFR...

"The definition of an AOW includes "weapons with combination rifle
and shotgun barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from
which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual
reloading".

So under this rule, you can take a legally defined shotgun and convert it
to a shoulder fired AOW if the critical specifications are met.

[douglasschuckert]

I guess you could technically consider an AOW by the above rule, although I dont know of any shoulder fired AOW's... Typically you only find stockless items as AOW's. I know that if a C2 SOT puts a stock on an AOW, it must be "re-manufactured" into a SBS. Same goes with SBR's. To do otherwise is suicide to your freedom (the BATF&E will eat your lunch if you didn't).

Pen-guns/knife-guns
Shotguns that began life as a pistol-grip
Pistols that have a forward grip
Holsters that are designed to fire the weapon as well as hold it. (the pocket-holster for the Beretta 21a).

ANYTHING that does not fall under the categories of SMG, SBS, SBR, or Suppressor, but isn't a Title 1 weapon either.

[raymond-]

<......> I guess you could technically consider an AOW by the above
rule, although I dont know of any shoulder fired AOW's... Typically you only
find stockless items as AOW's. I know that if a C2 SOT puts a stock on an
AOW, it must be "re-manufactured" into a SBS.

Untrue...simply because you used "must." Again, refer to the relevant
CFR which clearly, and safely allows for a shoulder stocked AOW if the critical
specifications are met. I agree to your reference of "typically...." There
isn't a demand for these items, therefore there isn't a need to manuf these
in numbers. I can only recall where USAF fueled the demand for these couple
of decades back, though the number couldn't be that high. More of a specialty
and novelty item.

To do otherwise is suicide to your freedom (the BATF&E will eat your lunch if you didn't).

Well, let's not be so overly dramatic about this. If you aren't aware of any,
say that. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's 'suicide to your freedom'
to stock an AOW. Familiarize yourself with 26 USC Sec. 5845. As with any
legal point, it is your responsibility to understand what is and isn't allowed.

I'm at work and not able to spend the brain power conjuring up examples but
easy recall will submit.....Game Getter is allowed by such a law. Also the M6
Scout, if simply cut back < 18" qualifies....which, even to this day, is granted
manufacturing under C2 privileges, or individual Form 1.

Pen-guns/knife-guns
Shotguns that began life as a pistol-grip
Pistols that have a forward grip
Holsters that are designed to fire the weapon as well as hold it. (the pocket-holster for the Beretta 21a).

ANYTHING that does not fall under the categories of SMG, SBS, SBR, or Suppressor, but isn't a Title 1 weapon either.

I concur with the above, though shotguns need not have a pistol grip at birth
to be deemed AOW. As long as they are not shoulder stocked, that suffices.

re pistols - it's not a forward grip, per se, rather a forward vertical grip, ie
it must have been clearly designed to function using two handed operation.
As such, it is no longer a pistol....nor a rifle by legal definition. Then, going through
the CFR list of defininitions, if it fails to meet all of the qualifications (add
destructive devices to your above list), the firearm thus falls under the safety
net, catch all category of Any Other Weapon. AOW also covers firearms which
do not appear to resemble the traditional definition of the above classes of firearms
and will include novelty/gadget...cell phone guns, cane guns, etc.
note also that the most recent Stinger Pen Gun, was Title 1 so depending on its
configuration, not all pen guns are AOWs.