Interchangeability??

[Shooting Padre]

Does anyone know if the uppers on the M&P 15-22 carbine and the pistol are interchangeable?? The possibilities are interesting, and it seems they would, but need the advice of someone who had successfully done this. Or unsuccessfully as the case may be.

 

[whoppo]

They should be interchangeable, however attaching the 15-22P (Pistol) upper to the 15-22 (rifle) lower would constitute a "Short Barreled Rifle" (SBR) and would require a $200 ATF stamp. To assemble it in this manner without a stamp would be extremely unlawful.

 

[Brett248Vista]

Whoppo is spot on... Can not have a stock, or a vertical fore grip without having it classified as an SBR and it must have the tax stamp. Otherwise you get on the side of the BATFE you don't want to be on...

*edit*

After pondering this for a few minutes... Owning the 15-22P and the 15-22 may even be considered "Intent" by the BATFE. For example, if I purchase a MP-5 Kurtz forward grip for my GSG 5-PK, even if it's new in the package, never installed, that is still
considered "Intent" by the BATFE and is a Felony as such. So owning both the 15-22 and 15-22P could be construed by the BATFE
as said "Intent" because you could easily swap uppers/lowers and make it an SBR.

That's treading Dangerous Ground because the BATFE makes up the rules as they go along.

 

[HalfSwiss]

All good points, but the question now comes down to "did S&W intentionally make the Pistol upper incompatible with the Rifle lower so this potential run in with the BATF does not occur?"

 

[Brett248Vista]

All good points, but the question now comes down to "did S&W intentionally make the Pistol upper incompatible with the Rifle lower so this potential run in with the BATF does not occur?"

Halfswiss,

Good question and they may have, but honestly, I don't even think the firearms manufacturers understand all of the convoluted laws the BATFE has. A good case in point is GSG, my 5PK came with a color brochure on how to order a folding stock and a fore grip for my 5PK, both of which is a NO NO!

 

[whoppo]

All good points, but the question now comes down to "did S&W intentionally make the Pistol upper incompatible with the Rifle lower so this potential run in with the BATF does not occur?"

The bottom line would be that compliance is the responsibility of the gun owners, regardless of what the manufacturer is willing to sell them.

 

[HalfSwiss]

I suspect that there is a lot of compliance that the gun manufacturers are responsible for. S&W has explicitly made and labeled CA compliant, NJ compliant, etc. to accomodate the various states with restrictive laws. I am under the impression that it might be illegal for them to ship a non-compliant model into one of those States. I don't know that for a fact, but I think that might be the case.

 

[Rustpot]

I suspect that there is a lot of compliance that the gun manufacturers are responsible for. S&W has explicitly made and labeled CA compliant, NJ compliant, etc. to accomodate the various states with restrictive laws. I am under the impression that it might be illegal for them to ship a non-compliant model into one of those States. I don't know that for a fact, but I think that might be the case.

They make those versions so they can sell more rifles. It also makes no sense to ship guns to a state they can't be sold in.

It's good business.

 

[Shooting Padre]

Thanks everyone. Good sound advice. Something I hadn't thought about. Smith and Wesson said they probably wouldn't interchange, something about springs, but the tech didn't know for sure.

 

[ken158]

Whoppo is spot on... Can not have a stock, or a vertical fore grip without having it classified as an SBR and it must have the tax stamp. Otherwise you get on the side of the BATFE you don't want to be on...

*edit*

After pondering this for a few minutes... Owning the 15-22P and the 15-22 may even be considered "Intent" by the BATFE. For example, if I purchase a MP-5 Kurtz forward grip for my GSG 5-PK, even if it's new in the package, never installed, that is still
considered "Intent" by the BATFE and is a Felony as such. So owning both the 15-22 and 15-22P could be construed by the BATFE
as said "Intent" because you could easily swap uppers/lowers and make it an SBR.

That's treading Dangerous Ground because the BATFE makes up the rules as they go along.

The S&W uppers and lowers are interchangable. As noted, dont put a short upper on a rifle lower without an appproved form 1 from ATF. As far as intent - just be smart about it and dont mix parts or take a hacksaw to the range... As far as "making up" rules - I will pass on that comment...