TYR Tactical

ATF Clarifies Ruling on Pistol Stabilizing Braces

Newington, N.H. (April 25, 2017) – SIG SAUER, Inc. announced news of a welcomed clarification from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on pistol stabilizing braces (PSB). The ATF’s refined position is that placing a PSB against the shoulder does not, in and of itself, necessarily alter the classification from pistol to short-barreled rifle (SBR).

In a letter dated March 21, 2017, ATF reexamines its earlier position, which stated that shouldering a PSB-equipped firearm could constitute the making of an unregistered short-barreled rifle under the National Firearms Act (NFA). ATF now states:

“With respect to stabilizing braces, ATF has concluded that attaching the brace to a handgun as a forearm brace does not ‘make’ a short-barreled firearm because … it is not intended to be and cannot comfortably be fired from the shoulder.” The letter continues: “Therefore, an NFA firearm has not necessarily been made when the device is not re-configured for use as a shoulder stock — even if the attached firearm happens to be fired from the shoulder.”

The following passage from the letter acknowledges the confusion surrounding the January 2015 “Open Letter on the Redesign of ‘Stabilizing Braces’”, and clarifies that ATF does not consider shouldering a PSB-equipped firearm, in and of itself, to render it an SBR.

“To the extent the January 2015 Open Letter implied or has been construed to hold that incidental, sporadic, or situational ‘use’ of an arm-brace (in its original approved configuration) equipped firearm from a firing position at or near the shoulder was sufficient to constitute a ‘redesign,’ such interpretations are incorrect and not consistent with ATF’s interpretation of the statute or the manner in which it has historically been enforced.”

Click here to read to read the ATF letter in its entirety.

SIG SAUER is pleased that ATF has clarified its prior position. To view the SIG SAUER selection of pistol braces and pistol-brace equipped firearms, go to sigsauer.com.

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11 Responses to “ATF Clarifies Ruling on Pistol Stabilizing Braces”

  1. Baldwin says:

    Did ATF hell just freeze over????

  2. Bad Dancer says:

    Tin foil hat but could the change of POTUS and SCOTUS have affected this issue this quickly? Basically BATFE or people inside it saying they are willing to play ball, that is follow the daw` gon` actual laws, in response to months of lobbying and legal contesting by hard working pro-2nd amendment peeps? Other option is this is a way to shortcut the amount of people filing for SBR stamps to try and prove they are not in common usage by reducing the numbers.

    Either way…..waiting for the other boot. In the mean time…..HUZZAH!

  3. PTMcCain says:

    “incidental, sporadic, or situational ‘use’”

    Now, please..nobody ask the ATF for clarification of what they mean by “incidental, sporadic or situational use”

    🙂

    • Bill says:

      Brother you and I both know the amount of stupid that will be flowing because of this will result in as Bad Dancer put it the “other boot to drop”.

      We always do it to ourselves

  4. badjujuu says:

    According to the FB Post by Shockwave Technologies, this also applies to the Shockwave Blade…hmm

  5. mike says:

    Nothing in this letter says it’s okay to shoulder the brace, though.

  6. Rodney says:

    The ATF became irrelevant in 1992. They aren’t welcome in North Idaho.