Is it legal or not...

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jobu07

jobu07

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I think I know the answer to this... However, I wanted to check with the braintrust at THR to be sure.

Does a 14.5" AR upper half, with a standard A2 FH that is permenantly attached measure 16" overall?

Or must it go the SBR route.
 
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It's still legal even if below 16" as long as you comply with SBR regs and pay the tax stamp if allowed in your state.

If you're asking how to avoid it being an SBR, then a permanently attached flash hider should be OK.
 
I dont think a standard hider is long enough to be legal. Something like the phantom hider that is longer is needed to get the legal length. Then permanently attached.
 
Bushmaster's #1 selling AR-15 is exactly that, an A1 upper receiver with a 14.5 inch barrel and permanently attached phantom 5C2 flash suppressor. There are regulations about whether the flash suppressor is really "permanently" attached (ie, it has to be a certain temperature before the welding melts, or it has to be pinned to the barrel), and if your setup meets those regulations, you're good to go. Your rifle is still a title 1 firearm and not regulated by NFA
 
Agreed in that it seems to me that an A2 flash hider is just a hair too short to be non-SBR. I recall there is a slightly longer A2 hider out there somewhere, or you could upgrade to another brand.
 
A 14.5" barrel with a standard A2 flash hider will NOT be long enough to be legal without being an SBR. (Denny's) Global Tactical, Sabre Defence and CNC Warrior, amongst others, sell extended A2 flash hiders made specifically for this application.

The FH must be permanently attched, the most popular method being with a blind pin welded over.

There are other muzzle devices that will work to get the barrel to legal length including the Phantoms, the Vortex and the AAC Blackout.
 
Good idea. The measured length cannot be LESS than 16 inches but a bit more is probably an excellent idea.
 
The flash hider must be attached such that it is a permanent assembly that would have to be sawn off to remove it. Welding is good, ATF has spex published on the sliver soldering techniques accepted. A blind pin with the hole welded over is good.. In other words, if you can clamp the barrel in a vise, put a wrench on it, and twist the extension off, ATF does not consider it a permanent extension. A pin that can be drifted out is not accepted.
 
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