Rifle VS Pistol

McReef

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I believe I read something on this elsewhere, but can’t seem to locate the discussion specific to this question.

Scenario: Person X has a legally registered standard pistol within MA. The barrel on said pistol is swapped to something greater than 16”.

Question: Is the device in question now considered a rifle, and subject to rifle law/decree, or is the device still a pistol, subject to pistol law/decree?

I am wondering about MA law specifically here. Not sale, just possession and use, assuming person X is not LEO, an FFL, or anything else special other than a Class A High Cap permit holder.

Thank you.
 
Well Ch. 140 S 121 says: ''Rifle'', a weapon having a rifled bore with a barrel length equal to or greater than 16 inches and capable of discharging a shot or bullet for each pull of the trigger.
 
From ATF Website:

Can I lawfully make a pistol into a rifle without registering that firearm?
Assuming that the firearm was originally a pistol, the resulting firearm, with an attached shoulder stock, is not an NFA firearm if it has a barrel of 16 inches or more in length. Pursuant to ATF Ruling 2011-4, such rifle may later be unassembled and again configured as a pistol. Such configuration would not be considered a “weapon made from a rifle” as defined by 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(4).

[26 U.S.C. § 5845, 27 C.F.R. § 479.11; ATF Ruling 2011-4]


However, I think once you go pistol to rifle, you can't then go back to pistol at a later point.
 
Pistol conversion to Rifle is ok
Any rifled barrel 16"+ weapon is a rifle under MA law.

What are you concerned about? As a rifle it is subject to the rifle AWB, so do a rifle feature test.

I think without more details (what pistol, what barrel, what final configuration) it is hard to give a good answer
 
From ATF Website:

Can I lawfully make a pistol into a rifle without registering that firearm?
Assuming that the firearm was originally a pistol, the resulting firearm, with an attached shoulder stock, is not an NFA firearm if it has a barrel of 16 inches or more in length. Pursuant to ATF Ruling 2011-4, such rifle may later be unassembled and again configured as a pistol. Such configuration would not be considered a “weapon made from a rifle” as defined by 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(4).

[26 U.S.C. § 5845, 27 C.F.R. § 479.11; ATF Ruling 2011-4]


However, I think once you go pistol to rifle, you can't then go back to pistol at a later point.

As long as it started life as a pistol you can go back and forth from a federal standpoint. I will often throw a brace on a registered SBR lower if I failed to file a 5320.20 in time. With a brace you can leave it loaded on the the front seat of the truck here in PA, in its SBR form it has to be unloaded.
 
As long as it started life as a pistol you can go back and forth from a federal standpoint. I will often throw a brace on a registered SBR lower if I failed to file a 5320.20 in time. With a brace you can leave it loaded on the the front seat of the truck here in PA, in its SBR form it has to be unloaded.

Thank you--good to know. Disregard my comment then.
 
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