I’m betting that once tax stamps become free, the number of Form 1s filed to make SBRs will explode. They’ll be everywhere. Everything will be SBR’ed from ARs to derringers. Yeah, derringers, we know someone will turn an NAA micro revolver into an SBR. (That someone is me.)
However, we’ll keep things grounded today. Let’s dig into the five excellent potential SBRs when those stamps go from $200 to $0 in January.
Top SBRs for Your Free Tax Stamp
SIG Sauer Rattler
For years, I resisted .300 Blackout platforms. The ammo was just too pricey for me to justify. These days, the cost difference between 5.56 and .300 Blackout has narrowed a fair bit, which is sad because 5.56 has gotten expensive. I blame Ready or Not for making me want an LVAW, but I’ll settle with a SIG Sauer Rattler with its ultra-short barrel and a can.
The 5.5-inch barrel is begging for a can, and even with a can, we get an extremely lightweight and maneuverable platform. The gun comes stock-ready thanks to the 1913 rail, so getting the stamp and attaching a stock isn’t a problem. The Rattler won the PDW contest with SOCOM, and it’s won the PDW contest in my heart. As far as SBRs go, this takes you in the modern, high-tech, PDW route.
Springfield Kuna
The Springfield Kuna is brand new, but is a prime candidate for the SBR treatment in my opinion. Namely because I love subguns as a whole, but also because the Kuna represents a great value and a gun that’s easy to turn into an SBR. The Kuna is a 9mm large-format pistol that uses a roller-delayed system. It’s affordable and retails for less than a thousand dollars.
The Kuna also has a 1913 rail for adding a stock, which makes it an easy SBR candidate. Add in how easy it is to suppress, and we have a perfect two-stamp gun without spending 400 dollars in just stamps. The Kuna series is extremely modern, has ambi controls, is optic and accessory ready, and the magazines are even affordable.
Rossi Brawler
With stamps being free, I don’t feel silly turning a 200ish dollar gun into an SBR. The Rossi Brawler series are great big pistols that chamber a mix of cartridges. I would personally SBR a Rossi Brawler in .300 Blackout and throw a can on it. These guns are compatible with the stocks from the Rossi Tuffy and LWC series.
The LWC folding stock on a Rossi Brawler with a 9-inch barrel and a folding stock would be an awesome little carbine for hunting. Finish it off with a suppressor and an optic, and you have a very light, efficient, and even affordable firearm. The Brawler is a blast, and with a free tax stamp, it doesn’t seem expensive to make a cheap gun into an SBR.
A Krink Wannabe
“Krink” typically refers to an AKS-74U, which would be a 5.45 platform with an 8.1-inch barrel and a big flash hider. For the sake of this article, I’m using the term Krink to describe any uber-short AK SBRs. The lack of a stamp would make it much more tempting to get a PSA Krink and strap a stock on, but you could also grab a Draco or PAP pistol and slap a stock on and call it a Krink.
With that in mind, you might have to do some gunsmithing work to make it stock compatible. Dracos use an underfolder trunnion, but other variants might need some drilling, welding, and machine work. This makes it a bit more tempting to find an AK pistol with a 1913 rail and call it a day. What’s great about the Krink-style platforms is that 7.62×39 and 5.45 do pretty well from short barrels.
Plus, the fireball is part of the fun!
An Mk 18
I’m almost positive Palmetto State Armory introduced their new Mk 18 style large format pistol because tax stamps are going to zero dollars. The Mk 18 has long been a bit of a standard-bearer for SBR enthusiasts, but admittedly has lost a little sheen as modern systems like the URGI took over. Still, when it comes to short ARs, the Mk 18 is the most proven and arguably one of the best compromises when it comes to size and performance.
An Mk 18 features a 10.3-inch barrel, a quad rail, and a fixed front sight base, and standard AR-type controls with a carbine stock and a flat-top upper. It’s not exactly a fancy rifle, but it’s workable and a great throwback to the GWOT era. The Mk 18 was the platform that helped put the final nail in the coffin for submachine guns. While it has some retro flair, it’s still a competent and capable platform.
Plus, SBRing an AR lower makes it easy to have SBRs in tons of different calibers and configurations.
SBRs: Short Is Better
I like my rifles like I like my chow lines, short. Short rifles are sweet rifles and can be excellent tools for home defense, for USPSA PCC, 3-Gun, and more. SBRs will be a hot commodity, and if you’re wondering what deserves your stamp, I hope I’ve provided you with a little inspiration.
