The time has come where I can remove the pistol braces from my AR-style pistols, replace them with traditional rifle stocks, and not need to ask the government for permission. I will no longer need a tax stamp.
Well.… Almost. But we are making progress. Big progress.
While a judge in Texas appears to have made it legal for certain groups of people to purchase suppressors and SBRs without NFA paperwork and delays, there is still some confusion about how this sudden change will be implemented and when.
I am a member of both the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America, both plaintiffs in this case, so I am included in the “certain groups” of people who were “granted relief” from this onerous clause of the National Firearms Act. Nevertheless, I am holding off on making these changes because of the many unknowns. For example, if I create an SBR, do I still need to engrave my name, city, and state on it? No one can say. If I have a legal SBR that is not on the NFA, can I travel with it to another state without notifying the ATF? Currently unknown. I hope there will be more clarity in 30 or 60 days. So, for now, to be safe, I wait.
Why a Short-Barreled Rifle
For distances up to 200 yards, the FBI’s Firearms Lab considers a 11.5-inch barrel with a 1-in-7 twist the best length for a 5.56 rifle shooting 64 to 75 grain solid-base bullets such as the Winchester Ranger Bonded 64 grain or the Nosler Defense 64 grain Bonded Solid Base bullets. Under 200 yards is the sweet spot for me because our woods are so thick that it is rare I would need to shoot further. If I need to reach out and touch someone, the same bullet will perform well at 300 or 400 yards with a 16 or 20-inch barrel, which gives the bullet more muzzle velocity.
Coincidentally, I have an 11.5-inch 5.56 upper—and it really is a coincidence; I bought the upper years before I heard about the FBI’s testing. I have my 5.56 suppressor on this gun. The shorter barrel keeps the overall length with the suppressor about the same as a standard 16-inch barrel with a flash hider.
My issue with the pistol brace setup is that you can’t get a good cheek weld, and doing so with an arm-braced pistol might have been illegal prior to this ruling. With a standard stock, or my favorite Magpul ACS stock, I should be able to shoot more naturally and more accurately.
Shorter guns also have other advantages. They are lighter, faster handling, and easier to use in tight surroundings or when deploying from a vehicle.
I’m not planning to convert all my AR pistols to SBRs. My plan is for the 9mm AR pistol in my backpack to remain a pistol so I can carry it concealed and travel across state lines. As a pistol, it will be covered by my concealed carry permit. As an SBR, it won’t be.
Palmetto State Armory and Silencer Shop Act Quickly
You may have already heard or seen that the Silencer Shop transferred two suppressors at 12:01 the day the law became effective. That same day, PSA produced a video spelling out the conditions under which GOA members could legally convert pistols previously purchased from PSA to an SBR. They are also selling suppress from their South Carolina stores to South Carolina residents without going through the federal review and tax stamp process.
You’ll note they are not selling suppressors to GOA members around the country, although in my opinion, they should be able to do so. And speaking of opinion, keep in mind that I am not an attorney, this is not legal advice, and please read our disclaimers.
The Prepper Perspective
Let’s cut to the chase: what does this court decision mean for preppers? It means that within the next few days or months you should be able to buy a suppressor or an SBR and not end up in the ATF’s registry. Pay cash, and no one should know you bought it except you and the FFL who sold it to you.
If you have some gunsmithing capabilities or are good with tools, you should be able to build your own SBR—which is especially easy with the modular AR-15—or even a suppressor. I expect we’ll see do-it-yourself suppressor kits on the market within several months. They will probably be like 80 percent suppressors and you’ll need to bore and tap a hole or source your own baffles. We may also see oil filter and other homemade suppressors soar in popularity.
And before you ask why you need a suppressor, which the media and the movies tell us is an “assassin’s weapon,” it is to protect your hearing and enhance communication when shooting with two or more people. If you need to yell “reloading” or “cover me,” it’s good to know that your other team members will hear you. There are other tactical reasons as well, such as hiding the origin of the shot.
An SBR is unlikely to make a big difference in a post-SHTF scenario, unless it allows you to bring a gun that you might otherwise have left at home. If having a smaller, lighter gun means you are more likely to carry it, then SBR the heck out of it. Just keep in mind that a seven-inch barrel on a 5.56 might be OK for CQB, but it does less damage out past 100 yards, no matter what bullet you are using.
A Limited Window?
Here’s something important to consider and why you may want to take advantage of this window of opportunity: the law could change back. If a less gun-friendly Congress or president is in power, all they have to do is reapply the tax that the Big Beautiful Bill set to zero, and the reason the law was ruled unconstitutional goes away. This same anti-gun administration would likely implement immediate changes in how SBRs and suppressors are sold, returning to the prior status where you had to pay $200 and wait months for approval. In fact, they could change the law so it costs $2,000 or $20,000 to register a suppressor or SBR.
Whenever an anti-gun president is elected, gun sales rise and we often see ammo shortages. If the ability to get an SBR or suppressors are threatened by an election, it may be too late to get one. That’s why you need to act during what might be a limited window
It is also possible that the DOJ could appeal this ruling to the circuit court, and it could be reversed. Based on what I have heard, that seems unlikely, but that could just be wishful thinking.
I’m not saying Congress or the courts will act, only that it could happen. That’s why I plan to SBR these guns as soon as the unanswered questions are cleared up, and while the opportunity to put these formerly-restricted weapons in the hands of citizens remains available. It’s also why I plan to buy at least one 9mm suppressor while Trump is in office. (I am leaning to the YHM R9. Post in the comments below if you have a different recommendation.)
Short-Barreled Shotguns
The same ruling allows short-barreled shotguns, or SBSs, as well as SBRs. I have a Mossberg Shockwave, which has a 14.375-inch barrel. For certain technical reasons, it is not considered by law to be a shotgun, even though it shoots 12-gauge shotgun shells.
I bought the Shockwave years ago thinking it would be a good vehicle defense gun. The theory went, I could shoot it one-handed and the shot might give me a better chance of hitting a moving vehicle from another moving vehicle. After using the gun, I realized that was a fantasy, not reality. Plus, it’s not the most accurate of guns or the easiest to shoot because you can’t rest it against your shoulder and have three points of contact.
But… if I added a stock to it, my not-legally a shotgun becomes an SBS. That means more stability, more accuracy, and it’s still handy. Something else to consider in the future.
Let’s Talk About FRTs
I don’t have an FRT, but the longer they remain on the market without a challenge, the more companies that make and sell them, and the more large retailers sell them, the odds that I will pick one up increase. Ideally, I’d pay cash at a gun show, not buy them online, although I know Optics Planet and many other online stores sell them.
For those who don’t know, an FRT is a device that makes a semi-automatic rifle shoot faster without legally meeting the definition of a machine gun. Most people get them because they are fun, but they could have a benefit for preppers under attack.
I’m not suggesting that you outfit basic homestead defense rifle with one, but I can see the value of having a heavy-barrel AR with a couple of 60-round magazines set up with an FRT for defensive purposes. Treat it as a light machine gun, not an EDC weapon.
If I buy one, I will set up the gun, run hundreds of rounds through it and optimize it with different buffer weights and triggers (if necessary), and then take the parts out and store them somewhere safe and hidden. Because while the original FRT won its court battle, there is no guarantee that a future ATF will not try to outlaw other FRT-like devices and try to confiscate them one day in the future. If they show up at my door with a search warrant, I want to think, “I’ve got 20 acres, knock yourself out.”
But I have to admit, having a 9mm AR with a FRT would be fun, and 9mm ball is less expensive than 5.56…
Guns and Preppers
I own and enjoy shooting guns and have carried for more than half my life. I have extensive training, and I have been a firearms trainer, but I also understand that there is far more to prepping than guns.
In the majority of local and regional survival scenarios, you are more likely to need food than to need your gun. Of course, when you need your gun, you will NEED your gun, and probably a few friends with guns. But you have to eat, and so do those brothers in arms.
So if you visit this site just to read about guns and preppers, welcome, but think about buying some food. Not from me (we don’t sell food or survival supplies) but from the grocery store, for starters. Make sure you have enough food to last three months before you spend $400 to $1,200 on a suppressor.
There are reasons preparedness focuses first on The Big Three—food, water, and shelter. Self-defense, first aid, and communications are the next three. I got guns. I got cases of ammo, but I also have cases of food and multiple ways to purify water. You should too.
