Purchasing rifle barrels < 16"

[Mizzoutiger]

Sorry! The search function fails me. So, I hope this will get a quick answer.

If I want to purchase a rifle in the state of Missouri with a barrel shorter than 16", do I need a class III license? Or do I apply for a concealable weapon purchase permit as I would with buying a pistol?

I've got a 16" CAR-15 now that I would like to convert into an M4gery of some sort. But I don't know how to go about procuring a 14.5" barrel.

 

[wasrjoe]

You have to get a tax stamp for a SBR (short barreled rifle). 200 bucks.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-16371.html

More info there.

 

[Jeff White]

You have a couple options. You could by a 14.5 inch barrel with a permantly attached flash hider that would bring the overall length to 16 inches and just instll it on your M4gery. This would be the simplest solution. No paperwork at all. A standard birdcage isn't quite long enough to bring OAL to 16.1 inches, but the vortex is and there are a couple companies making extended birdcage flash hiders for just this application.

Your other option is to get the proper ATF paperwork to build a short barrelled rifle, jump through all the hoops (photo, fingerprinting, chief LEO sign off) pay the $200.00 tax and wait for the approval to come back then put any length barrel you wanted on it.

Jeff

 

[Mizzoutiger]

Thanks very much guys! That's what I needed!

 

[Zundfolge]

I would recommend you get a lower registered as an SBR before you buy the 14" upper because sometimes the ATF decides that you've violated the law if you own both a regular AR lower and the SBR upper even though they are not put together as one firearm.

 

[Warbow]

Make sure you check your state laws. It looks like MO requires that you have a C&R FFL before you can own NFA items...

 

[PromptCritical]

Well, technically, anyone can buy a short barrel as it is only a metal tube. However, the advice above should be followed.

Ooh, here's a scenario to ponder: suppose I own two AR's. One is registered as an SBR. Further suppose I owned two <16" uppers for the SBR. Boy, it could get ugly.

 

[Warbow]

PromptCritical wrote:

Ooh, here's a scenario to ponder: suppose I own two AR's. One is registered as an SBR. Further suppose I owned two <16" uppers for the SBR. Boy, it could get ugly.

Good question. I was also wondering about that and the results I found are conflicting.

Here's a letter from '00 which states that would be illegal.

But, here's one from '03 which seems to indicate that would be legal.