Disregarding for a moment that there is no practical reason for doing so, it comes to this: a stripped AR-15 lower, barring any additional registration action, is considered to be a rifle receiver in the eyes of the law. If you wish to build a pistol, then you need to specifically purchase a receiver that is listed and transfered as such. It makes no difference whether the receiver itself is stripped, or in an advanced state of completion, and the lack of a buttstock does not give you grounds upon which to argue that you intended to build a pistol all along.
I am not trying to argumentantive and really did post this to get the right information. I do not already have my mind made up and will err on the side of caution which at this point seems to be not to do it. However I was under the impression that the above statement was absolutely not the case. I was led to believe that a stripped lower was NOT considered a rifle and was reflected as this since it was transfered as a "other" and required an age of 21 to purchase since it could legally be made into a pistol. My original question, though not worded well, was more to the point of when and how the "other"(not rifle) reciever lost its "other" classification.
For clarity. AFAIK It is perfectly legal to buy a stripped "other" recever and assemble as a pistol. It is also completely an obviously legal to assemble as a rifle. I believe that I can add a pistol buffer, grip, internals then an upper and have legally made a pistol. I can also so the same as a rifle with stock, grip, ect. So when does it loose its "other" status. Does it automatically become a rifle when any assembly is done (such as adding upper), does it remain an "other" untill the buffer tube has been added confirming its role, will it still be considered an "other" with upper parts but no assembly completed on the lower?
That was my question in a nutshell. If my entire question if flawed I understand that none of that applies.
I really wish Mr. Noveske would respond as he deals with this kind of stuff regularly, and reading his explanations on NFA and how it applies to lowers has helped me understand things better.
You can never make anyting idiot-proof, whenever you get close they just build a better idiot.
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