encore rifle to hand gun

[RJY]

Save your money. I read in another forum on this same subject. Someone called the ATF about this and he was told that it is legal to swap them. You just can't leave the rifle stock on with the handgun barrel.  

[K.K.]

Be careful.  I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong, and things could differ from area to area, but my shop (owned by a State Trooper), told me to buy it as a pistol frame, put the serial number of the frame on my pistol permit, then the caliber of barrel as well.  He said that you can change the pistol into anything (mine's a muzzleoading rifle now), but not vice versa.  I took his word for it.  It is now on my permit.  

I will say that I asked several gun dealers and got several different answers.  It would pay to find out on an individual basis.  I wouldn't want any law abiding gun owner to get into trouble.

I do love my Encore, though!

[palgeno]

Well, who the h@#%$ knows what could happen in a court room, but if you don't have a state (or local) requirement for  some stupid permit to own a handgun, then seems like the federal regs on barrel length, type of grip or stock and overall length would apply. Is that too logical for the jerks who want to give us layer upon layer of conflicting laws?  :x  :x  :x pg

[muzzleblast525]

In Texas you don't have a problem.  And the only permit you need is for conceal carry....

[Redhawk1]

I am not going to go either way on this one. But I have gone from handgun to rifle and vice versa. I can't remember which frame I bought as a pistol or rifle. I have 4 Encore frames now and all sport rifle or muzzleloader barrels.  

[Steve P]

You will hear different stories and interpretations of law.  Unfortunately the only configuration known is "as shipped" from the factory.  You can purchase a frame, stock, and carbine barrel from your dealer and walk out the door ready to make a rifle.  You can purchase a frame and pistol barrel and walk out the door with a ready to make pistol.  

If you put your rifle stock on a frame with a less than 16" barrel, you can be arrested for an illegal weapon.  

If you are stopped with a frame with properly installed pistol barrel and grip (pistol), or with properly installed rifle stocks and carbine barrel(rifle), they will have hard time proving you have done anything illegal, regardless of any interpretation of the law.  

Just my opinion.

Steve  

[Keith L]

This comes up all the time around here.  My best guess is that if you buy as a pistol it is leagal by Supreme Court ruling to convert to a rifle, so long as you remove the barrel first prior to attaching the rifle stock.  Then the barrel must exceed 16 inches or you have an illegal gun.  The ruling didn't cover rifle to pistol conversion.  Some say all Encorers/Contenders are shipped as pistols regardless of barrel/stock installed.  I bought all mine as pistols just to make sure.  I have no interest in being someone's test case, winding up with a roomie that has ideas for my body that I never wanted.

[TCShooter]

I WAS TOLD IT IS NOT LEGAL TO CHANGE THE RIFLE TO A HAND GUN.BUT WAS OK TO DO THE REVERSE.PLEASE HELP! I SURE DON"T WANT TO BUY ANOTHER FRAME IF I DON"T NEED ONE.

Well here's my 2 cents.  

When I registered my frame I was told by the person at the pistol dept. that they don't designate frames as pistols or rifles.  The designation comes when you make it a pistol or when you make it a rifle.  A frame is a frame, but if you want to make a rifle into a pistol and live in a state like New York you better have that frame on your permit before you do it.  And if you live here you have to register each barrel also.

So save your money and just register your frame!  

Mario    

[armory414]

How do you register a barrel that has no serial number on it?

[TCShooter]

How do you register a barrel that has no serial number on it?

 :roll:  Good question....wish I had a good answer.  Just looked at my permit and the barrel is not listed separate.  All I know is what she told me.  She said that each barrel had to be added also....for a small fee of course!