Category Archives: Firearms Technology Branch

ATF Withdraws Their Ill-Conceived Guidance on Stabilizing Braces

Last week I wrote an article in which I discussed the ATF’s published guidance document in the Federal Register entitled Objective Factors for Classifying Weapons with “Stabilizing Braces”. In that article, I noted that there were numerous problems with the … Continue reading

Posted in Administrative Law, AR Pistols, ATF, ATF Guidance Letters, ATF Ruling, BATFE, Due Process, Federal Law, Firearms Technology Branch, Regulatory Rulemaking, SBR, SBS, Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shotguns, Stabilizing Brace | Comments Off on ATF Withdraws Their Ill-Conceived Guidance on Stabilizing Braces

ATF is trying to redefine pistol braces yet again

UPDATE:  The guidance document has been withdrawn. Before we talk about the latest development, let’s take a second to bring everyone up to speed on the long history of this issue. March 2014 – They are fine Back in March … Continue reading

Posted in Administrative Law, AR Pistols, ATF Guidance Letters, ATF Ruling, BATFE, Due Process, Federal Law, Firearms Technology Branch, Manufacturing, NFA Trusts, Regulatory Rulemaking, SBR, Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shotguns, Stabilizing Brace, Tax Stamp | Comments Off on ATF is trying to redefine pistol braces yet again

Avoiding AOW status with a permanently attached muzzle device on a pistol with a vertical foregrip

In my latest article I discussed how permanently attached muzzle devices become part of the barrel length and overall length of a firearm. With that understanding, a client asked me to revisit my earlier article about vertical foregrips.   As I … Continue reading

Posted in AOW, AR Pistols, ATF, ATF Ruling, Barrel Length, BATFE, CHP, Concealed Handgun Permit, Criminal Law, Federal Law, Firearms Technology Branch, Overall Length (OAL), SBR, Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shotguns | Comments Off on Avoiding AOW status with a permanently attached muzzle device on a pistol with a vertical foregrip

Does putting a bipod on a pistol make it an AOW?

I received an email this morning from a client asking whether or not they could add a bipod to their pistol without making it an AOW. As I have pointed out on more than one occasion, the answer to almost … Continue reading

Posted in Administrative Law, AOW, AR Pistols, ATF, ATF Guidance Letters, BATFE, Criminal Law, Firearms Technology Branch, Stabilizing Brace | Comments Off on Does putting a bipod on a pistol make it an AOW?

The ATF has issued an open letter on the stabilizing brace issue

Update:  The ATF has reversed their position once again.  See my March 21, 2017 update for the latest news. ……… Based upon a flurry of questions from friends and clients, on December 28th of last year I wrote an article entitled … Continue reading

Posted in AR Pistols, ATF, ATF Guidance Letters, BATFE, Firearms Technology Branch, NFA Trusts, SBR, Short Barreled Rifles | Comments Off on The ATF has issued an open letter on the stabilizing brace issue