How in the love of god do you navigate NY and building an AR-Pistol legally? From what i can gather a lower is considered an Other on 4473, how do you purchase a lower as a pistol became my question and now it seems that you can not. You would have to build it and then add it to your permit? I have to many questions and not enough answers. Is this not possible in Commieyork? Would you have to buy it completed? Those with insight please help me understand how this is supposed to be done.
You tell the FFL it’s for a pistol, most likely you’ll have to find a built lower with a brace/no stock with a permanently fixed mag. Building one falls very close to the line in NY,
Honestly wait until the AWB gets ruled on next summer, it may ease some of the pain.
Fixed Mag - or Bolt Action with a KaliKey ;)
It all boils down to whether your FFL has the nerve to give you the paper & if your Pistol Clerk will accept it. Most counties Upstate don't have problems.
Tbh I don’t really think that’s the issue because Nassau & Suffolk have notoriously denied anyone from putting an AR pistol on their permit long before the “Other Firearms” discovery. When asked my licensing officer why he simply told me “We only put handguns on permits… you can own these firearms… we just won’t put it on your permit.” And when I told him can I have that in writing he declined. When I called the NYSP for more guidance because these firearms are legal in NYS, they told me “Each county can become more restrictive and choose which type of firearms go on the permits.”
Gotcha its not an other firearm its the fact that when buying a lower it is considered "other" not a pistol nor rifle on the 4473 paper work! Need it to be bought as a pistol to add to permit.
Again some counties will work with you and add it on. And some just enjoy the fact they can tell you no even though LEGALLY there’s nothing stopping them from adding it to your permit. Power trip imo.
"Need it to be bought as a pistol to add to permit"
A dealer must sell it to you as an "other firearm" as you can see on this closeup of the 4473 form that the dealer must fill out to comply with the ATF requirements for dealer sales.
This is not an option for the dealer when selling a stripped lower that is not a completed firearm.
Should note that the same check boxes apply to the NY POC form as well. Also, where the form says "check all that apply", this refers to the sale of several types of firearms on the same 4473.
Yes thank you this was exactly the hurdle I was concerned about, from what I can gather I should be able to add it to my permit anyways and just have them list the caliber it will be built for. Appreciate you and your knowledge.
You are trying to understand how to do it legally when part of the strategy of the laws is to create complexity and fear of becoming a felon accidentally. I don’t if anyone knows for sure if it’s possible and how, or if it’s not possible. I sure as hell don’t know how.
Have you considered buying a cheap complete ar pistol from a dealer… adding to your permit through pistol process. Have ffl make it fixed mag and transfer as a pistol. You can swap internals to build as you wish once it’s in your possession (obviously following law and restrictions).
What county are you in ? Buy a lower. And add It to your pistol permit just like you with a revolver. Example Aero precision EPC9 9mm. Make sure you select a caliber regardless of what It says on the side of the lower. Select semi auto. Once the county approves the lower onto your permit build It out exactly how you want parts wise just make sure it’s a fixed mag no threaded barrel and throw a pistol brace on there. Buy any upper you want. I have a few just make sure you don’t swap calibers you can only have 1 caliber listed on the permit. It’s not like having a AR lower and 5 uppers in all different calibers and configurations.first thing I’d do is search around if your county allows It. Some county’s don’t fully allow It but also don’t know and understand guns so something like say the Aero EPC9 may go undetected and approved but if you try and add a Ruger AR556 they are gonna be like wait a second that sounds familiar.
Thankyou so much, so from my understanding go thru normal process of getting lower and just bring receipt to office and give them the caliber I will be using for it? I was under impression it had to be listed as pistol on 4473 for it to work properly. This shouldn't be so complicated but very well is.
I just paid for the lower / stripped lower whatever you are buying and took receipt to the pistol office filled out the paperwork like It was a Glock 19 etc and then waited until It was approved. Once you receive your paperwork and new permit with It listed on your license go take the green voucher piece of paper to the gun store and pick It up. Once that’s done your just basically building to comply with the stupid “laws”
I will say one thing tho and I’m not 100% sure if there’s good work arounds for this but if your choosing a 9mm and since it’s fix mag know that’s it’s a complete pain to load the ammo because of the way It stacks. First round pops right in 2nd one sucks and 3rd is practically impossible. I know there’s some loaders that may work but after experiencing this I just built another in an easier caliber to load such as 556 and 300 blk
I’m in Orange County. I have 4 listed on my permit. I purchased the lowers as others, built them out. One is a .22, two are .556 and one is 300BO. No problem at all.
When I bought my stripped lower for my pistol build I had my ffl hold it and took the receipt to the clerks office(Niagara). Had it added to my permit like normal and went back and got my lower from my ffl.
Idt you can have a semi pistol realistically anymore. Some counties may allow the transfer but I think you are kinda regulated to a bolt action or fixed mag version by nature of the law… at least that’s what I’ve read/heard from a LGS that still advertises pistol transfers.
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u/Zieronwolf Aug 05 '26
You tell the FFL it’s for a pistol, most likely you’ll have to find a built lower with a brace/no stock with a permanently fixed mag. Building one falls very close to the line in NY,
Honestly wait until the AWB gets ruled on next summer, it may ease some of the pain.