Posted on 04/26/2017 10:41:29 AM PDT by Joe Brower
ATF Clarifies Legality of AR Pistol Arm Brace Use
Posted on April 25, 2017 by Dean Weingarten
Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- Late in 2012, the ATF approved of a device that fit on the buffer tube of AR-15 style pistols. It made one handed shooting of these firearms much easier, and hence more accurate.
The SB15 was invented by a disabled veteran, Alex Bosco. He quickly sold the rights to produce the arm brace to Sig Sauer.
As you can see, the device can also be used as a very short stock for the AR-15 pistol, even though that is not what it is designed for. Many people have put the brace to this use, as it is much easier to purchase AR-15 pistols and a brace than it is to go through all the bureaucratic and bizarre requirements to obtain a legal short barreled rifle (SBR) or short barreled shotgun (SBS). The legal restrictions on SBS and SBR firearms never made any sense. They only made sense if the federal government put the same restriction on handguns, as FDR attempted to do in 1934. That attempt failed, due in large part because of lobbying by the NRA.
In 2015, the ATF issued an open letter claiming that using the arm brace as a shoulder stock was a “redesign” of the pistol as an SBR.
*snip*
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Isn’t it nice some un-elected federal stooge can declare an attachment to my gun legal or not.
That said, I'm looking to set up a .300 Blackout with this arrangement. Seems like pistol ARs have yet a third buffer-tube dimension (1.125"), in addition to the military (1.14") and commercial (1.17") specs. That's the beauty of standards... so many to pick from. :-)
And does anyone have an suggestions regarding the braces themselves. I see models made by Sig-Sauer, SB Tactical (SBM4) as well as KAK (ShockWave). There are likely others.
Decisions, decisions...
Thanks for posting. Although I am not interested in purchasing one I do like staying up to date on legalities.
We’re reaching peak gun law absurdity if a firearm is legal when you hold it one way, and illegal if you hold it another way.
This Ping List is for all things pertaining to the 2nd Amendment.
FReepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from the list.
Neither of which have any constitutional basis. What do they fail to comprehend about "shall not be infringed"?
Use the shockwave blade from KAK Industries, ATF approved...
It’s great that this ruling got reversed, but the very fact that the BATFE and legalize and outlaw things on a whim based on nothing more than what their boss, POTUS, tells them to do, is itself the real problem here.
Yea, saw this yesterday. I still don’t trust it enough to put any real money behind it. It’s OK if you are waiting on a stamp though. I am looking at a Scorpion EVO again now. I think it’s a reasonable solution for a 9mm.
Only as long as you allow it!
SB tactical is the only one approved by ATF so far... I would go with that. MAC says it is his favorite. It is the most stock looking one,ironically.
I bought into the Sig and it is a bit of a bummer.
On short barrela I do not find stocks to be of any value for quick tactical shooting. A sling put in tension while pushing the gun forward is much more stable for that purpose. A stock is good for scopes but scopes are not that useful on short barrel short range guns.
Reading the text of the letter, the ATF doesn't appear to make this distinction just for SBT's product. Nor does it even say how far out on the buffer tube such a device might be mounted, although I have seen elsewhere that 13.5" was the limit, although that is unsubstantiated at this time.
One bit I find concerning is language describing braces that are 'permanently fixed' to the buffer tube. Some, like the KAK Shockwave mount this way.
And so it goes... Anyone with any clarifications to any of this, please chime in.
Only SB Tactical is covered in this clarified opinion. The letter was to them. The letter explicitly mentions requirements that the Shockwave does not have.
MAC says the Sig is made by SB Tactical
Cheap but not yet approved for shouldering. Caution.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.