New to the pisols: so what is the skinny?

[Optimus Prime]

When did the pistols first come legal, after the expiration of the AWB?

Is there a parts count, if so what is the formula?

Forgive my ignorance, but it was like one day I woke up and there were all these AK pistols on the market.

Needless to say I want one in a real bad way.

[imanaknut]

Pistols cannot be assault rifles, so the parts count rule doesn't count. To be a pistol, the receiver can never have been registered as a rifle, or built as a rifle.

[Optimus Prime]

Why exactly can we not have a forward pistol grip mounted to a pistol?

I know this makes it an AOW, but what law concerns this?

NFA of the 1930s???

[imanaknut]

Yes, I believe it was the 1934 National Firearms Act. Back then, the congress knew that it was unconstitutional to ban certain firearms. To regulate firearms what were "out of the normal", like short barrel rifles, machine guns, pistols with forward grips, etc. they taxed them and required registration. Today, congress doesn't care about the constitution, so they just out right ban them.