SBR length question

[utahjeepr]

I am getting ready to form 1 my 9mm AR using a 3.5 inch barrel. It will have a 9 inch hand guard with the can buried inside the guard. My thought is to use the OAL based on the barrel, ignoring the hand guard. This is just in case I choose to use a shorter rail in the future. Good idea, or am I over thinking this?

[BigWaylon]

Because you can remove that handguard and the rifle will still function, it's not part of the OAL. Measure to the muzzle.

If it was a monolithic upper (like my AR57), the answer should be to the end of the handguard...but you could get a variety of answers depending on who you ask.

[texascavediver]

You measure from the end of the barrel to the end of the extended stock for SBR OAL on your Form 1.

[BigWaylon]

You measure from the end of the barrel to the end of the extended stock for SBR OAL on your Form 1.
And if you want to be exact...

The overall length of a firearm is the distance between the muzzle of the barrel and the rearmost portion of the weapon measured on a line parallel to the axis of the bore.

[utahjeepr]

Thank you gentlemen. Seemed like a silly question but thought I should double check. Form 1 is in, tick.... tick...

Feel like a 5 year old waiting on Christmas.

[Bret]

utahjeepr, the "barrel length" for NFA is the distance from the bolt face to the muzzle. A manufacturer may state that the barrel is 3.5" long, but when you measure you'll likely get a little bit longer measurement. I always use a wooden rod down the barrel to measure the exact length and then round down to the nearest 1/4".