Pistols, SBR's, etc...

[Kswhitetails]

To build a pistol it should start as a virgin lower, now that doesn't mean you couldn't say buy a PSA pre-built lower that may have a stock on it when purchased. The mentioned PSA has not been assembled into a firearm configuration yet so one could remove the stock and proceed with a short upper to build a pistol as it would have been transferred as an "Other", not as a rifle.

The engraving on the lower has nothing to do with determining whether or not it's been assembled as a rifle or pistol, all has to do with how it was originally assembled. Your above paragraph of building a rifle and then deciding to go backwards into a pistol I cannot condone but only you would ultimately know. Lowers are still cheap.

Are you sure about this? This gets into very dangerous territory as far as legal limitations go. From what I understand, not being a lawyer, is that in order for a lower to be registered as an "other" it has to either 1) come assembled with a pistol tube and brace 2) come assembled without any tube included 3) come stripped with no parts at all. Otherwise, if it has a stock, it's a rifle lower. Period. Check into this, OP.

Secondly, from my understanding of the engraving issue, this ONLY comes into play when you want to build an NFA SBR/pistol/FA/"firearm" using something like an 80% lower, at which point you're required by law to engrave the lower with a unique identifying serial number. This gets really hairy when using 80% lowers which is another facet that I do not deign to give advice on. Otherwise, the lower can say whatever it says, and not be an issue, because any lower that can be transferred legally already has a factory engraved serial number. (There are requirements written into the law that define the size and depth minimums of this engraving, you can't just scratch in a number and call it good.)

The "other" part of the lower registration happens when your FFL receives the lower from the sender, or when the sender transfers it to your FFL; and then transfers it to you as an "other". Basically, when your FFL transfers the lower to you, if it has a stock on it, it's a rifle lower. If there isn't a rifle or carbine tube with it, and no stock, then it's an "other". Advisable to check with your FFL before embarking on this trip. You can make a registered "other" lower into either a pistol or a rifle, or an SBR/FA/"firearm" (if you pay and wait), but you CANNOT make a "rifle" registered lower into a pistol.

This is serious stuff, and DB, as you say, you've already got the right source of info. Even a mistakenly erroneous or mis-typed or poorly worded post could lead someone to a bad end. There are a few good places for information, but finding an attorney who's familiar with FFA/FFL law is my best advice. Even if the OP has good representation inside his circle of friends, the next reader is likely to be less well endowed in the Rolodex.