Can a Stripped Lower be Registered by itself

[Jdougg92]

I found a Black Rain Ordinance stripped receiver on sale. As far as I know it's a rifle. Can I purchase that, take it home, and fill out the form 1 for it?
And how would I fill that out if I can?

[Sharkbite]

Yes, you fill out the form 1 just like any receiver you want to SBR.

You will need to assign it a caliber, barrel length and overall length for when you build it

[Jdougg92]

I'll probably have to go back & look, but last time I did it, it asked me for over all length, barrel length, & caliber. What do I list as those responses?

[Crunchy Frog]

From what I understand a stripped AR lower is neither a pistol nor a rifle; it is a receiver.

You can use that receiver to build a short barreled rifle after you get your SBR stamp. The stamp is issued on submission and approval of an AFT Form 1 "Application to Make and Register a Firearm".

You have to designate the caliber, barrel length and overall length of the rifle you intend to "make'.

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by Jdougg92

As far as I know it's a rifle.

Crunchy Frog is correct: A receiver is not a pistol or a rifle, it's simply a receiver. Even if the FFL is selling it with a stock attached, it's still not supposed to be sold as a rifle, it's still just a receiver. Of course, some states' laws might add complications to this.

Originally Posted by Jdougg92

last time I did it, it asked me for over all length, barrel length, & caliber. What do I list as those responses?

That can be tricky, as you can't assemble it beforehand to measure. One way is to figure out the parts you want to use, and then do some online research. And often it just takes some simple math. For example, if you're doing an AR-15 SBR build with a 10.5" barrel, figure out the overall length by taking the overall length of a 16" barrelled AR-15 and subtract 5.5 inches.

[dakota.potts]

IIRC, you designate the caliber, barrel length, and over all length that you anticipate, but you can list as many configurations as you want. It seems I remember being told that you should list the shortest barrel length you anticipate and then you can go up from there but it is recommended to update the ATF if you plan to put a shorter barrel on it

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by dakota.potts

It seems I remember being told that you should list the shortest barrel length you anticipate and then you can go up from there but it is recommended to update the ATF if you plan to put a shorter barrel on it

That's a common myth, but it's not correct.

There is one configuration listed on the Form 1 or Form 4: caliber, barrel length, and overall length. But you can change this configuration any time you want without notifying the ATF, and it doesn't make a difference if you go shorter or longer; once it's an SBR, barrel length is irrelevant.

However, the ATF wants you to notify them if you plan on permanently changing the configuration listed on the Form 1 or 4 (again, whether you're going longer or shorter doesn't matter). This means you should notify them if you no longer possess the parts required to put it back to its registered configuration.

For example: If I have an SBR registered with an 11.5" barrel chambered in 5.56, I can take that upper off, throw it in my parts bin, and put an 8" 300 Blackout upper on it instead (or any other upper). I don't ever have to put the 11.5" 5.56 upper back on, and I don't need to ever tell the ATF anything.

However, if I decide to sell the 11.5" 5.56 upper (and I don't have the parts required to assemble another 11.5" 5.56 upper) then I should notify the ATF of my SBR's new registered configuration.

Keep in mind that this notification requirement doesn't seem to have the force of law behind it; as far as I know it's just something the ATF requests.