Tag Archives: Pistols

The ATF Conducted a Webinar for FFLs Regarding Stabilizing Braces on 1/31/2023 – Here’s a Copy of the Slides

The ATF conducted a webinar on 1/31/2023 to help FFLs understand the new brace rule that went into effect that same day. That means anyone with a braced pistol needs to decide what course of action they are going to take because they have 120 days to comply.

Unless someone gets a temporary restraining order issued to put a hold on this regulation, people must figure out what they are going to do and when. Please notice I said “and when”. Figure out what option you are going to take and when you must start doing it. For example, if you plan to remove the brace and destroy it, when must you do that by? If you plan to make your pistol into a rifle, when do you need to order parts and do it by? Always remember that a whole bunch of other braced pistol owners will wait to the last minute and then get upset when they can’t find parts, their gunsmith doesn’t have time, etc.

So, if you are looking for a quick summary of what the ATF is thinking, click here to get a PDF file copy of the slides they presented on 1/31.

Click here for the ATF page that links to all of the published guidance they have involving braces including the full text of the new rule and frequently asked questions.


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ATF Brace Ruling Published Today – 120 Day Compliance Countdown Starts Today

The ATF’s ruling on stabilizing braces was published in the Federal Register and now the 120 day compliance timer starts. Here’s the link: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/31/2023-01001/factoring-criteria-for-firearms-with-attached-stabilizing-braces

We still have to see what the ATF continues to try and clarify. They have said 922r does not apply and they also said the 88 day background check issue still applies so keep tabs on things.

It’s really an unsettling unsettling time for owners of pistols with braces to be in. The four options in my own words:

  1. Remove the brace and go back to having just a pistol. Destroy the brace.
  2. Turn the pistol into a rifle either changing the barrel to over 16″ or adding an extension. Remember the 26″ minimum overall length limit.
  3. Go the SBR route and register your weapon. Bear in mind selling it down the road would require working with an 03 FFL and not a basic FFL.
  4. Turn in your braced pistol to the ATF to destroy it (I hope nobody has to go that route.

Speaking for myself, I’d either go for #1 or #2. If you’ve always wanted a SBR, then go that route.

The ATF has a web page for this whole mess – click here for it.

Now that the timer is running and the ATF had a webinar for FFL dealers today to try and explain what is going on, I guess we will find out more.


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ATF Letter June 2019: How to Measure The Overall Length Of A Pistol With A Brace

In June 2019, someone as the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Firearms Technology Industry Services Branch (FTISB), what was the correct way to measure a pistol equipped with a stabilizing brace that has a folding adapter (like my Galil Ace in the photo above).

They said that the overall length is measured with the brace in the folded position. So you can confirm this for yourself plus see their reasoning, click here to read the scanned PDF copy that has the names redacted for privacy’s sake.

Please note that I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. I’m just passing along the ATF letter for people to read and interpret themselves.

I hope this helps you out.


If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at [email protected]. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.



Print Your Own Targets At Home Using These PDF Files And Your Printer

Sometimes you need targets and don’t have any handy. This happened to me the other day when I needed to sight in two rifles. Since I needed them right away, I whipped up some targets that I then printed and used. It dawned on me that maybe others could benefit from them as well so I created this post with links to PDF files you can use. A PDF file can be opened by most browsers as well as a number of different viewer apps such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Please note that the below are just thumbnail graphics. Click on each to open the actual PDF file so you can have sharper image to print and so forth.

One Big Bullseye With Crosshairs


Five Circles With Crosshairs

This is the style shown in the top graphic for this post.




I hope this helps you out!


If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at [email protected]. Please note that for links to other websites, I may be paid via an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay.