OT: New ATF ruling - Pistols to Rifles and back again

[41 Redhawk]

Previous rulings by the ATF have maintained that while the T/C lawsuit of 1992 allowed the conversion of a pistol to a rifle (Barrel length of 16+" and overall length of 26+") once converted to a rifle it must remain a rifle. Apparently a new ruling was issued August 2, 2011 reversing that ruling. Now you may convert from pistol to rifle and then back to pistol. You still may not convert a rifle to a pistol when the the gun was originally a rifle. Here are the links:

http://blog.princelaw.com/2011/8/2/batf ... o-a-pistol

http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/ ... 2011-4.pdf

[Hobie]

As to the Contenders I just don't see how they can keep track. The guns have been converted back and forth so many times with transfers in between that it would be a bear of a job to track a single frame back to the original condition, almost all of which were as pistols. This is one of those "rulings" that point up the stupidity of regulators and you really can't do anything to "fix" it but ignore the problem with these as any attempt to modify the ruling is like putting lipstick on a pig.

[41 Redhawk]

As to the Contenders I just don't see how they can keep track. The guns have been converted back and forth so many times with transfers in between that it would be a bear of a job to track a single frame back to the original condition, almost all of which were as pistols. This is one of those "rulings" that point up the stupidity of regulators and you really can't do anything to "fix" it but ignore the problem with these as any attempt to modify the ruling is like putting lipstick on a pig.

I don't disagree at all with what you say. It gets even more interesting when you consider the Encore and how many of those were sold as rifles. T/C even claims that they can not tell how a frame was configured when it left the factory. My Encore was bought as a muzzleloader! PA does require that a 4473 be done on Encore muzzleloaders. I think the new ruling does provide some comfort to those of us with older Contender frames that might want to make a carbine out of it but not dedicate a frame to rifle use. It also helps out the AR owners who might want to do the same.

[AJMD429]

I wound up just sticking with 'pistol' barrels for my Contender frame, and sticking with 'rifle' barrels for my Encore frame. The Encore isn't overly heavy, even for the little rounds like .223 Rem, and the Contender is big enough for any handgun rounds I'm brave enough to shoot.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Previous rulings by the ATF have maintained that while the T/C lawsuit of 1992 allowed the conversion of a pistol to a rifle (Barrel length of 16+" and overall length of 26+") once converted to a rifle it must remain a rifle. Apparently a new ruling was issued August 2, 2011 reversing that ruling. Now you may convert from pistol to rifle and then back to pistol. You still may not convert a rifle to a pistol when the the gun was originally a rifle. Here are the links:

http://blog.princelaw.com/2011/8/2/batf ... o-a-pistol

http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/ ... 2011-4.pdf

Great, finaly a little common sense. So, maybe these will be made again.
This gun was sold as a hand gun with a 16" barrel. Uberti and USFA marketed these at one time.



But, since the previous ruling all you could find were these fixed stock revolving carbines.

[wecsoger]

While I can name a hundred and one things wrong with our government, it's good to know our taxpayer dollars are keeping some bureaucrat employed killing trees and turning out all this fancy paperwork.

What would we do without them?

[FWiedner]

While I can name a hundred and one things wrong with our government, it's good to know our taxpayer dollars are keeping some bureaucrat employed killing trees and turning out all this fancy paperwork.

What would we do without them?

Uh... Would that be a hundred and two...?

[Noah Zark]

My brain hurts . . .



Noah

[COSteve]

My brain hurts . . .



Noah

Well, look for things to get worse, really worse. YOmama and his group are under pressure to do something about the economy and produce more jobs. In their extreme ignorance, they think creating more federal jobs helps the economy when actually its a drag on economic output because federal jobs don't add a single dollar to the GNP. Why? Because they are paid from taxes rather than private taxed money and so the tax bill goes up. Just more drag on economic output when we need less. Anyway, look for federal spending to increase at a faster rate than currently (notwithstanding the purported 'deficit reductions' just agreed upon) and for us to look back not to far from now, at today's mess as 'the good ole days'.

[Streetstar]

All those naughty people committing crimes with Encores and Contenders must be stopped !

[3leggedturtle]

All those naughty people committing crimes with Encores and Contenders must be stopped !

Especially those of us that shoot sealed cans of warm pop and beer

[COSteve]

Have no fear, they'll get bored one of these days and switch the ruling once again.

[horsesoldier03]

I honestly WONDER how many TC Contenders have ever been used in a Robbery??? Sometimes you have to wonder WHAT they are really thinking. Mean while the ATF sells thousands of assault rifles to drug cartel trying to set up a sting and in the process they lose track of the weapons. Maybe they should get all the agents worried about Contenders to give them a hand in tracking the important stuff!

[41 Redhawk]

Do keep in mind that ARs are as easy to convert back and forth as Contenders and Encores.

[Retro]

I honestly WONDER how many TC Contenders have ever been used in a Robbery???

And I wonder why you think gun control has anything to do with crime control

It's all about harassing gun owners and making gun ownership more unpopular.

It's also not working

[Poohgyrr]

All those naughty people committing crimes with Encores and Contenders must be stopped !

Especially those of us that shoot sealed cans of warm beer

Now THAT is a crime!!