AR Pistol vs SBR - What's the difference?

Everyone loves a good ol’ AR-15 pistol. I mean, what’s not to like? A fun and capable platform in a smaller package that is more maneuverable. We’ve all heard about SBRs (Short Barreled Rifles) as well. They look the same to many inexperienced shooters but you need to know the difference as one wrong accessory attachment and a law-abiding citizen can become a "felon" real quick. Let’s take a look at what separates an AR Pistol vs an SBR.

What is an AR15 Pistol?

Let’s start out by defining what an AR15 pistol actually is. We’ve all seen them constantly - a compact AR15. Many shooters use AR pistols as home defense weapons, truck guns or even hunting smaller animals. The AR pistol is usually chambered in a rifle round unless it is an AR9 in 9mm. Some shooters think an 10.5 AR15 Barrel is optimum for shooting suppressed even! This writer personally loves an AR15 pistol in .300 Blackout suppressed! The ATF generally looks at the following when classifying the AR as a rifle or a pistol:

• Barrel length of less than 16”; OR, An overall length of less than 26”
• Equipped with a stabilizing brace or no brace at all
• May not use a vertical foregrip unless overall length is over 26", at which point it becomes just a regular rifle

A couple of notes: Adding a vertical fore grip to a pistol converts it to an “any other weapon” in the eyes of the ATF and must be registered with the NFA. Then we mentioned “stabilizing brace”. More on that below. Read on!

Advantages of an AR15 pistol

So why would anyone prefer an AR pistol to an AR rifle or SBR? The shootability of the SBR is going to be better than the AR pistol so why go through the hassle? There are several reasons, including:

• Maneuverability
• Size makes the weapon easily stowed in a truck or a bag
• Higher powered rifle round
• Not restricted like an SBR
• No $200 Tax Stamp or waiting time for ATF approval

Disadvantages of an AR15 Pistol

It’s very difficult to think about the disadvantages an AR pistol has vs SBR in all honesty. Is a $200 tax stamp actually worth it just to run a stock and vertical foregrip? Some of the new braces are so close to a stock most won’t be able to tell the difference when it comes to their shooting. Let’s look at some disadvantages of an AR pistol:

• Illegal to attach a vertical foregrip
• Illegal to attach a stock

What is an SBR?

As stated above, SBR stands for “Short Barreled Rifle” and is designated by our beloved and revered ATF as an NFA (National Firearms Act) item. SBR laws are very strict being an NFA item. An SBR AR15 has a barrel length of 16” or under and/or an overall length of 26” - same as an AR pistol as stated above. The main differences with an SBR AR15 is the ability to have an actual stock instead of a brace and a vertical foregrip. The ATF isn’t messing around when it comes to NFA guns and Short Barrel rifle laws. Keep in mind an SBR will have to be registered with the ATF (longer waiting period - sometimes up to a year) and it will be an extra $200 stamp. As you can see - short barrel rifle laws can be a bit of a pain. So are SBR laws worth dealing with when we could just build or buy an AR15 pistol? Let’s see.

Advantages of an SBR

The advantages of an SBR AR15 vs AR15 pistol are truly just personal preference and nothing more. Some advantages are:

• Legally using a stock
• Legally using a vertical foregrip
• Still maneuverable
• Small size allows the gun to be easily stored in a vehicle or bag
• High power rifle round

Disadvantages of an SBR

Starting to feel a bit like a broken record here as the disadvantages have already been mentioned but for clarity’s sake:

• $200 tax stamp
• Inability to travel with the gun without informing the ATF
• Long wait times (up to a year at times) and forms for mandatory registration
• Dealing with any potential changes to SBR laws

What is the difference between a stock and a brace?

So what exactly is the difference between a stock and a brace? Well, the answer to that is simple - politics. A AR15 stock is something the shooter can use to stabilize the weapon when it is shouldered to add stability and thus, improve accuracy. A AR15 brace is something the shooter can use to stabilize the weapon when it is shouldered to add stability and thus, improve accuracy.

Confused yet? We get it. Technically an AR15 pistol brace is usually shorter and has a strap on it so the pistol can be strapped to the shooter’s arm and fired one-handed. While the brace might look similar to the stock, the stock will usually be more stable and is far superior when it comes to shouldering the weapon.

Build your next AR Pistol with 5D Tactical!

We hope this has been an informative article that helps you make your decision when choosing between an AR Pistol Vs an SBR. This author firmly believes that unless you absolutely must - why make life more difficult and spend more money? For most of us an AR pistol is just fine and the extra money and time spent simply makes an SBR not really worth it in the end. You might decide otherwise and that is great too! There is no wrong answer here - we’re just happy you are exercising your Constitutional rights!

That being said 2021R-08 is going to have updates from the ATF soon and they're looking to enforce it very soon. Buy your pistol brace while you can. Our favorites from SB tactical include the SBA3 and SBA4 pistol braces.