AR-15 Pistols
and Short-Barreled Rifles —
It’s Complicated
Why Would You Even Want One?
One of the hottest “things” in shooting in the last 10 years was the AR-15 pistol — at least until 2021 when the Biden Administration and its minions in the BATF decided those with pistol stabilizing braces were actually turning the combination into a short-barreled rifle (SBR). The pistol braces came off, and honestly, for most folks, AR-15 pistols reverted to the status of “Why bother?”
Once the Trump Administration came to power, the course was reversed, and pistol stabilizing braces became legal once again. For the moment — at least until the political winds of fortune change yet again — you can own a AR-15 (or whatever flavor you choose) pistol with a brace. However, I’m going to acknowledge the 90,000 lb. gorilla in the room and point out what most folks are loath to admit in print: an AR-15 pistol with an attached pistol brace is often used as an ad-hoc SBR.
I’m not encouraging you to do this. It’s not legal, and admitting to the authorities that you intend to shoulder your AR-15 pistol with a brace could get you in serious legal trouble (i.e. felony). So, proceed with care. If you want to be wholly legal about this whole thing, you can fill out a Form 1 (to build a SBR) or Form 4 (to transfer a SBR), submit to a background check, pay your $200 tax stamp and once approved, shoot to your heart’s content.
And yes, there is a possibility the SBR might soon be removed from the National Firearms Act (NFA) and become a non-registered item, but I also think there’s a higher chance of your humble editor being chosen as Queen of Norway. “Black rifles” scare the pants off anti-gunners, while AR-15 pistols cause instantaneous anaphylactic shock among the gun control crowd, so don’t hold your breath on full legalization for now.
The Springfield Kuna, the GUNS Magazine upcoming August 2025 cover gun,
is a prototypical pistol fitted with a brace. The overall package is small,
especially without the suppressor, but offers increased accuracy potentialand
higher velocity of the 9mm cartridge.
Moving On
Stepping outside the swamp of legalities, I want to discuss why you might want to own an SBR in the first place, aside from the “Gee, that’s cool looking.” Non-believers might be shocked to find out there are actual reasons why a SBR — or whatever other firearms fit the archetype (wink, wink) — are highly useful shootin’ irons.
The most common use case for SBRs is a self-defense scenario in confined areas such as residential homes. Even an M4 carbine will seem longer than a radio aerial when you’re trying to maneuver through doorways and hallways. The same goes for vehicles. Having a rifle in your vehicle might be reassuring, but getting it into play is a clunky and slow process even in a full-sized truck. Meanwhile, an SBR is less likely to hang up on your seat belt or knock over all those little plastic duckies on your dashboard.
SBR-type firearms are also useful as a “working” rifle around the farm or ranch, making it a good choice to keep behind the seat of your pickup, stowed on your tractor or in a rack on your UTV. Whether it’s a matter of dealing with 2- or 4-legged predators, having a short rifle at hand is preferable to a pistol.
At the heart of the matter, a SBR can offer the advantages of a rifle-caliber platform in a package not much larger than a big handgun. When you shoulder an SBR, you get a longer sight radius, which makes it easier to fire accurately, plus in pistol calibers, the longer barrel gives you more velocity than the same round in a handgun.
So, do you need an SBR? Not really, but then again, there are advantages in certain situations which make them a leading choice. However, before deciding that a SBR — or whatever resembles one (wink, wink) — is the end-all, be-all, better-than-sliced-bread option, there are a few things to consider. And, of course, a few socialist states don’t allow any of this, so you’re just out of luck there.
The now-extinct Springfield Saint Victor .308 pistol pushed the limits of what should be considered a pistol.
Yep, that’s a "pistol brace" on the end of this faster master blaster.
The Downside
First off are the not-inconsequential legal issues. If you think an AR-15 pistol with an accompanying pistol brace is a good substitute for a SBR, you are treading dangerously on a red line. If you end up being criminally charged with illegal use of an SBR, you’re talking a serious federal felony. The cost-benefit analysis often ends up being “um, no thanks.” Then again, there have been precious few people charged with this crime, even under the Biden administration, so your actual risk might be low. However, I’d point out “low” isn’t “non-existent” when you’re talking about doing 10 years of hard time.
In my non-lawyer, uneducated, non-binding and likely incorrect legal opinion, I believe the odds are low of being charged with illegal usage of a pistol + brace combo. However, if you ever are forced to use the gun to defend yourself, depending on the location and whims of the local U.S. attorney, you might find yourself in a major legal pickle, even if the shooting was otherwise “legit.”
The accuracy potential of the Saint Victor .308 was impressive. Here are three shots with 125-grain Black Hills ammo
in just over a half-inch at 80 yards … from a “pistol!”
The other problem is if an anti-gun administration or congress gets elected in the future, the pistol brace will likely be one of the first things they go after. Thus, like in 2021, you could potentially become a criminal with the stroke of a pen. A SBR is safer in this regard, but could potentially likewise incur the wrath of anti-gun legislation at any time.
As an added bit of fun for a legal SBR, you must file a Federal Form 5320.20 to move it across state lines.
Legal gunk aside, the other considerations are practical.
The CZ Scorpion 3 Plus works the other end of the size scale. At 15” overall length,
it is not much bigger than a full-size handgun and can be fitted with a brace.
As mentioned, pistol-calibers gain significant velocity over the equivalent handgun. However, if you’re talking about a rifle cartridge, such as the .223, you’ll lose quite a bit of velocity and terminal energy, which is obviously a bad thing. Choose your poison.
Rifle caliber SBRs can also be alarming things to shoot. Depending on the brand of cartridge you select, the muzzle flash often looks like a small nuclear explosion and the blast is so loud that even the hearing-impaired will clamor for ear protection. This might not seem like a problem during training, but if you’re trying to defend yourself against a home invasion, having full use of your hearing and night vision could be the difference between life and death.
Fortunately, ammunition manufacturers are working to solve these problems. We recently tried out the new High Performance SBR ammunition from Fiocchi and were suitably impressed. With a flash-suppressed powder and bullets chosen for expansion even at lower velocities, the Fiocchi rounds are a great option for carrying in an AR-15 pistol or SBR.
Fiocchi’s new High Performance SBR ammo shows impressive expansion and velocity out of a short pistol barrel in .300 BLK.
As a bonus, flash retardant in the powder means you can still see after firing a round at night.
You Make the Call
In the end, an SBR … or some kind of roughly equivalent firearm (wink, wink) … is a good choice for situations where a full-sized rifle is desired but it creates more problems than it solves. Provided you keep the limitations and downsides in mind — especially the legal ramifications — an SBR offers you the greater accuracy potential of a shoulder-fired gun in an easier-to-carry package not much bigger than a handgun. It’s a good overall compromise and something more shooters should consider — and there is no winking on that!
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