According to this letter. You can use a standard buffer tube on a pistol, as long as you're not in possession of a rifle buttstock that could readily be installed on your pistol. Which then becomes an SBR.

I don't pretend to understand what this all means, but can someone break it down why most of us care? If I have a pistol brace do I care so long as I don't have a VFG? Angled foregrips should still be ok for pistols? As best I can tell, this only applies if you have a VFG, which I thought was a no-no for a pistol anyway.

Once a pistol goes over 26" long you can put a VFG on it and it is just a 'firearm'. Now that a brace doesn't count towards the OAL people who previously used a brace to get past the 26" limit to make 'Firearms' now have AOWs (Any Other Weapon) which are regulated under the NFA

For most people this does nothing. VFGs are not as popular as they used to be and AFGs are acceptable. It's easy enough to take a VFG off most things to be in compliance

Some people get screwed though. Taking the VFG off Ryan's Black Aces DTRS kinda changes the function of the gun and it looks like it's not as easy as just unbolting it

The most worrisome aspect is the wording that they use to say that VFGs aren't allowed on pistols. It wouldn't be a stretch for them to say ANY device, accessory or modification to allow gripping the front of a pistol makes it no longer a pistol

....mmmm, ya. On the DTRS the verticle portion is necessary to manipulate the pump action. So if it's removed it's rendered inoperable. After watching the above video I interpret it as necessary therefore vertical foregrip stays but the folding arm brace does nothing for function in or out.

Possibly you might still be screwed since it doesn't meet the criteria for the pistol exemption. It says the barrel has to be rifled

I'm having a hard time finding concise definitions though. To me it looks like it would meet the definition of a pistol

Well, if we assume that the brace doesn't count at all . . . then I think your DTRS becomes an AOW, right? It's not a pistol.

I'm in a similar position. I have a Mossberg Shockwave; I removed the birds head grip and replaced it with a brace. (No VFG.) This kept the length above 26". But if I can't count the brace . . . then is it an AOW? The birds head grip will count towards overall length, but not the brace?

It's all pretty fucked. RocketScott, thanks for pointing out the second page; I hadn't even looked at that. Even the second page is kind of confusing to me, though.

I think you'll have to put the birds head grip back on. It looks like most of the shockwave models are 26.37" with the birds head. Swapping that for a pistol grip and brace will make it less than 26"

IIRC a VFG is strictly a grip at 90 degrees to the bore as the ATF defines it. Anything less then that and you're legal - so replace your 90 degree grip with a 75 degree angled grip , BCM and other makes something similar thats less than 90 degree with approaching the angle of Magpuls AFG. I seriously doubt that there would be any noticeable difference in performance

Much ado about nothing.

Please excuse me while I go attach a windsurfing mast to my Fountain 42 and claim SV ROW privilege.

If you can get that thing to move with a windsurfing mast I believe you have the right to run over whomever you can catch


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How is this all going to play out on the 12 guage side of things? Will the Typhoon 12 no longer be classified as a firearm because it relies on the brace to get to 26" or can I just not install a folding adapter on the brace?

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At first glance I would say that is an AOW but if the brace is part of the grip *maybe* that makes a difference?

IDK

You and Ryan should email the manufacturers and see what they say


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Already sent Black Aces an email. Since I couldn't find my copy I asked for another copy of the the approval letter from BATFE, how this new letter affected current owners, and why they no longer list any of the DT series for sale. Stay tuned....

***edit***

Found the BATFE letter of approval to Black Aces on the snazzy link on SB tactical website. It was dated 2014. Great resource for those who need it.

The brace should have never been considered into the overall length so this is a good and fair revision.