What (legally) defines a pistol.

[fatNINJA]

After seeing a image of the new pistol Bushmaster will be producing I got to thinking: what legally defines a pistol, especially when it's very similiar to a rifle? I think it has to do with what the reciever is registered as when it is first made/imported, but I am not certain.

Also I'm curious if any company has plans or has considered makeing an all US made pistol version of the 'Krinkov' AK variant.

 

[Tamara]

It'd look weird without a fore-end.

 

[fatNINJA]

"It'd look weird without a fore-end"

True and so does that Bushmaster pistol, IMHO. I've just always like the concept of a "assault pistol". If nothing else for the ample intimadation factor.

If I had more machineing and buisness knowledge I'd look into making them myself. Although chopping the weight down to under 50 ounces would be a pain, also the ATF would probably call it a "semi-automatic version of a automatic firearm". But since Bushmaster is making a AR-15 type pistol maybe they wouldn't consider it like that.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Just put a vertical foregrip on it and register it as an AOW or wait until next year when the weight restriction ceases to exist.

 

[Jeff OTMG]

To answer your question, this is the definition of 'handgun' according to US Code.
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 44 >
Sec. 921. - Definitions
(29) The term ''handgun'' means -
(A) a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand; and
(B) any combination of parts from which a firearm described in subparagraph (A) can be assembled.

A frame or receiver is a 'firearm', it isn't a handgun, rifle, shotgun, short barrelled rifle, short barrelled shotgun, or AOW until it is completed. It can be determined to be a machine gun by just the receiver, since the definition of a machine gun has nothing to do with its' dimensions. So to explain further, a receiver is registered and transferred just that way, as a firearm, but the specific type of firearm, caliber or guage, cannot be determined. This is very handy as a 'firearm' may be sent via USPS by an individual, but a 'handgun' cannot.

 

[Hal]

It'd look weird without a fore-end

I dunno,,, I kinda like the looks of the 1860 Henry.

 

[E357]

This is very handy as a 'firearm' may be sent via USPS by an individual, but a 'handgun' cannot.

Jeff: So are you saying that if I want my 1911 refinished, I could just remove the barrel and send the frame and slide in one package via regular first class mail without having an FFL

Elliot

 

[Jeff OTMG]

Technically that would be legal, BUT the only 1911 I sent was a stripped frame via USPS and it is the dedicated receiver on my MecTech carbine. I have sent a 'handgun' in separate boxes, one declared as a 'firearm' (frame assy), the other as machine parts (the complete) upper. I do not recommend doing this when sending to a big name smith who gets in many guns a day, nor to a manufacturer for the same reason. You wouldn't want the two boxes to never find their way back together again. When I go to the post office I have printed out the USC 18, Sec 922 part as well as Part 52 (I think) of the US Postal regulations. One helpful part of Part 52 is that it prohibits the postal employee from interpreting the law, so if they try that point it out and have them call a postal inspector, they could lose their job over it. I have had them give me crap for trying to mail ammunition magazines, so you have to go there being ready to argue.