AR-15–style pistol

Colt's Manufacturing Company began marketing the Colt AR-15 self-loading rifle in 1964. These rifles were assembled from interchangeable parts designed to allow replacement of malfunctioning parts without the gunsmith skills and tools required for most firearms. Other manufacturers produced similar parts with features not found on production rifles. Some of these parts can be assembled to create firearms with overall length or barrel-length shorter than rifle dimensions specified by law. These small firearms may be defined as pistols by local laws. ==Design==

AR pistols were designed to combine the concealability of a handgun with the firepower of a rifle. They are very similar to an AR pattern rifle, with a few key distinctions. They use the standard upper and lower receivers of an AR-15 with a barrel under in length, the average barrel length of an AR pistol is between and . Most importantly AR pistols do not have a buttstock, they are not designed to be fired from the shoulder which is why they are classified as a pistol, and not a rifle. and use a shorter, more compact buffer tube and shorter gas system. AR pistols are commonly chambered in the intermediate cartridges common to the AR platform, including .223 Remington, 5.56x45mm, .300 Blackout, and some are chambered in pistol cartridges like the 9x19mm Parabellum. Stabilizing Braces Many AR pistols are also equipped with a stabilizing brace (commonly called a pistol brace), which wrap around, or rest against the forearm and help stabilize the weapon. The pistol brace was originally designed for use by wounded veterans, particularly those who had lost an arm in combat, in shooting AR-15-style firearms. Braces are usually made with a soft, rubber-like material and slide over the buffer tube the way a stock would, they have two rigid wing-type structures that straddle the forearm and are secured to the shooter's arm with a velcro strap. Following the ATF's approval of the brace for use on AR pistols in 2012, determining that the brace's "soft material was not suitable for shouldering and therefore was not considered a stock", SIG Sauer and a few other companies began manufacturing them for general use. Despite their intended use as a brace, their design has evolved to allow them to be shoulder-fired as well. Sabre-15E Mixtape Vol. 1 .300 Blackout AR pistol with Maxim CQB brace, an example of a common type of pistol brace ==Uses==

As a weapon that is both a rifle and pistol in technical senses, the AR pistol has a variety of uses, advantages & disadvantages. They make excellent self-defense guns, as they are designed to be used and easily maneuvered in compact, tight spaces, and are easily concealable under clothing or in vehicles for those with concealed carry permits. Their smaller size, and lighter weight make them easier to use for people with injuries or disabilities, and the elderly. Advantages • AR pistols are far less regulated under federal law than similar sized short-barreled rifles. • In most states AR pistols are regulated as handguns, allowing them to be carried with a handgun carry permit. • Smaller, lighter, and more maneuverable than a rifle. • Fires more powerful rifle rounds in a compact design. Despite rifle cartridges having less power when fired out of short barrels, they still surpass common handgun cartridges in terms of velocity and energy. • Better accuracy than regular handguns at longer ranges. • Higher magazine capacity than regular handguns. • More legal complications than a regular handgun. While AR pistols aren't regulated under federal law the way SBRs are, their possession is either restricted or banned in a growing number of states that classify them as "assault weapons". • Their magazine capacity is the same as a smaller handgun in states with capacity limits. ==Legal Considerations==

AR Pistol vs. Short-barreled Rifle The difference between an AR pistol and a rifle is largely the lack of a buttstock, meaning the firearm isn't designed to be fired from the shoulder. Since an AR pistol has a short stock (rear pistol grip & brace), and was designed to be held and fired by a single hand, it meets the definition of a pistol. This is also the reason why it isn't defined as a short-barreled rifle, which is defined by the National Firearms Act as a rifle (key word is rifle) with a barrel under in length, or having an overall length (OAL) of less than . The ATF gave owners of AR pistols equipped with braces a 120-day grace period to either: remove the brace, replace the barrel with one at least 16 inches long and add a stock to bring the OAL to at least 26 inches, or register them as a short-barreled rifle to bring them into compliance with the rule, and waived the $200 SBR manufacturing tax for that period. This also caused AR pistol manufacturers to either stop selling them entirely, or remove braces and sell them "bear tubed". a federal judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas determined that the ATF had indeed exceeded their statutory authority, and issued a nationwide injunction against the rule determining it was "arbitrary and vague". Following these court rulings, the ATF released another open letter in October of 2025 stating that AR pistols with braces would no longer be considered short-barreled rifles, and advised those with pending Form 1 applications to register a braced pistol as an SBR that they could withdraw their applications by November 10, 2025 to prevent the weapons from being registered. Vertical Foregrip The legality of forward vertical grips on AR pistols is rather complex, adding the wrong type of grip can potentially change its legal definition and make it regulated as a pistol by the National Firearms Act, unlawful possession of which is a felony. A foregrip is a grip installed on the forward handguard of a firearm, under the barrel, to help stabilize the weapon, and a vertical foregrip is one that extends straight down from the handguard at a 90-degree angle. Under the NFA, at 27 C.F.R. § 479.11(a) a pistol is defined as "A weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having (a) a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s); and (b) a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand and at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).", with pistols falling under the definition in subsection (e) of being an Any Other Weapon (AOW), which is defined as "... any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive...". The ATF determined that by installing a foregrip on a pistol, it is no longer designed to be fired by the use of a single hand, and therefore meets the definition of an AOW under the NFA. Therefore, legally installing a vertical grip on most AR pistols requires registering it with the ATF as an AOW. State Laws on Forward Grips Forward grips on firearms are either banned or restricted in the following states: • Washington: Forward grips of any kind, including angled, stops, vertical, or any grip designed for use by the non-firing hand to improve control, are prohibited as an assault weapon feature. ==Popular Culture==

AR-15–style pistols have been publicized by Hollywood films including Clear and Present Danger, Bad Boys, and Spawn. ==Criminal use==

AR-15-style pistols have been used in several mass shootings in: • Dayton, Ohio (August 4, 2019) • Boulder, Colorado (March 22, 2021) • Collierville, Tennessee (September 23, 2021) • Nashville, Tennessee (March 27, 2023) • East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania (February 7, 2024) • Manhattan, New York (July 28, 2025) ==References==