Pistol grip Shotgun

[tacdad]

I was at a local gun shop the other day and saw a pistol grip Mossberg 500. I got talking to the salesman about it and he said that it MUST be registered as a pistol and that he can only sell it to someone that is 21 years of age or older. I don't quite get that. we measured the over all length and it was over 26" and the barrel is 18". I've bought many pistols in my time but I never thought that that would be considered a pistol. Is this guy off his rocker or is he correct?

 

[dbarale]

He's wrong or just didn't want to sell it to you if you're not 21, which I could honestly understand.


EDIT: See Sam1911's post below, though not a pistol this cannot be sold to someone under 21. I stand corrected.

 

[MtnCreek]

If it were a pistol, a vertical grip on the forearm and the smooth bore would make it an NFA item. Did you ask him if he was licensed to deal in NFA weapons?

 

[tacdad]

That wasn't the reason. I'm 26. So it can be sold as a regular shotgun with just filling out the 4473?

 

[tacdad]

It just looked like a regular shotgun with a pistol grip. Nothing to put on your shoulder. He's not a NFA dealer and it is brand new and came from one of their distributers. I can't see ANY distributer not checking to see if a dealer has a NFA license if said dealer is asking for an NFA weapon.

 

[dbarale]

As far as federal law is concerned, yes. I do not know about any other law regarding your state...

EDIT: See Sam1911's post below, though not a pistol this cannot be sold to someone under 21. I stand corrected.

 

[Sam1911]

The facts:

A 'shotgun' sold with a pistol-only grip (no buttstock) is not a "shotgun" on the 4473 form, but an "Other firearm." "Others" include stockless rifles and shotguns, as well as bare receivers -- like if you order an AR-15 or AK receiver to build a gun on.

"Others" are Title I firearms just like shotguns, rifles, and handguns, (NOT NFA weapons) but they fall into the same rules as handguns and cannot be sold by an FFL dealer to anyone under 21 years.

There is no registration of firearms in PA so that was a mis-statement on his part.

 

[Sam1911]

You're in central PA -- what shop was this?

 

[tacdad]

Sam1911 that explains it. He said that there was something written on the box about being 21 years old. That must be what he was thinking. Thanks for explaining it.

 

[Sam1911]

No problem! Where was this?

 

[tacdad]

It was a small hole in the wall place that I was driving by. I cant remember what it was called.

 

[dogmush]

'shotgun' sold with a pistol-only grip (no buttstock) is not a "shotgun" on the 4473 form, but an "Other firearm." "Others" include stockless rifles and shotguns, as well as bare receivers -- like if you order an AR-15 or AK receiver to build a gun on.

"Others" are Title I firearms just like shotguns, rifles, and handguns, (NOT NFA weapons) but they fall into the same rules as handguns and cannot be sold by an FFL dealer to anyone under 21 years.

Sam is 100% correct, but if I may add to it. "Other Firearm" on the 4473 is not the same as, and should not be confused with "Any Other Weapon" under the NFA.

I've seen many a thread, and several real life conversations go compleatly off the rails when one person says "it goes down under Other Firearm" and the other person goes tearing off on an NFA tangent.

 

[scramasax]

This also why you see mossberg pistol grip shotguns cut to a small "pistol" size. They are cheaper to register.

Cheers,

ts

 

[Sam1911]

This also why you see mossberg pistol grip shotguns cut to a small "pistol" size. They are cheaper to register.

Not exactly. The MAKING tax (Form 1) for an AOW is still $200, just like for making an SBS. However the TRANSFER tax (Form 4) is only $5, instead of $200 like for SBSs.

If making your own going the AOW route is pointless. Commercially-made ones made by SOT2 manufacturers (like the Sebus) are often AOW'd because transferring them to the new owners (and subsequent owners) is cheaper.