I would like to assemble a rifle from a Thompson Encore receiver, an after market rifle stock and fore end and an after market rifle barrel. All the components will be purchased separately. At a later stage it would like to get a pistol grip and pistol barrel for the same receiver.

Are there any legalities of which I am unaware that would prohibit me from taking this course of action?

Thanks
Robin

Visit the guys at Specialty Pistols who've actually written the BATF and are familiar with their individual state laws. Generally the answer is "no problem" but there are considerations such as what state you're in, etc.

Robin B Basicly When you have the rifle stock on, have
a barrel at least 16 inchs, If barrel is less than 16inches
Or less than 18 in for shot gun, Thence have pistol grip.
Of course some states have there own laws, Datil

Perhaps in my mad rush through the forum I misread your post.



If you already have a receiver then you have the firearm. You may attach any rifle barrel (16"+ for rifled barrels and 18"+ for shotgun barrels which include RIFLED shotgun barrels )) with any buttstock or grip. You can probably attach any pistol barrel (less than 16" in length) but must have the pistol grip on the receiver. Of course you can use any aftermarket items provided you adhere to these rules. HOWEVER, depending on where you are when you do this you MIGHT or MIGHT NOT be in violation of additional laws. Also, you might not be able to legally hunt with your concoction as some jurisdictions prohibit using pistol barrels of greater than a given length.



Please don't take this the wrong way, but where you live is important to answering your question.



I recently saw a letter answering these questions from the BATF posted on one of these web sites/forums. That fellow really skated around the issue and tried to avoid reference to the Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court ruling basically says that you can do the conversion (pistol to rifle to pistol) but you must never have an firearm which meets the following criteria of less than 16" (18" for shotgun) barrel with buttstock (IOW a "sawn-off" rifle/shotgun). Nor can you have the only the makings of such. So, if you have the less than 16" barrel you must also have the pistol grip in your possession.



You'll find that this is argued incessantly (and will probably be here as well) but this is the upshot of it. Other considerations are practicality (such as will a Fed agent actually walk-in on you while you're switching barrels and maybe have an "illegal" conformation) or your local (including STATE) laws that might limit the shotgun barrel to longer than 20" (NY is one I think) or prohibit hunting with pistols have barrels longer than 14" or some such.

Hob - everytime I persue one of these posts I muse about the total number of gun crimes that have ever been committed where the perp used a TC contender....whether it be pistol or rifle.

The first time I ever saw a contender was in court where it was entered as evidence........I was a juror......so, never say never!



From a legal standpoint, if you bought a bare frame, the way it is FIRST assembled determines it's legal status.......if you assemble it first as a pistol......then it is forever legally a pistol...... even if you change it into rifle configuration and back........if you first assemble it as a rifle...... then it must always stay a rifle.



For what it's worth, the TC Supreme Court case had nothing to do with converting a factory produced rifle into a pistol......at the time the case was first filed, TC did not offer a factory rifle......the case determined the legality of using a "carbine kit" to change a contender PISTOL into a rifle......



Here is the BATF letter........



BATF on TCs