As long as the barrel is over 18in and overall length over 26, is it legal to saw a shotgun barrel?

Yes, you can alter a gun all you want, provided you're within the size limitations that you already know about. The downside to that is that you can expect to draw attention when you have it out in public, and everything that involves, but there's nothing saying you can't hack on a scattergun barrel.

I picked up an 870 some time ago to make a dedicated slug gun, and it came with a standard 26" barrel. I put it in the chop saw and lopped it off square at just a little over 18", so that it would be cut evenly on the vent rib. I bought some aftermarket sights, and now it gets used for rabbit hunting, where it really handles quickly. There's no choke in it, just a cylinder bore, so it opens up in a hurry, but it does okay.

18" Bbl. is legal with the Feds. Be sure your state does not have a stricter standerd.

Check your state regs carefully.

Even with an 18"+ barrel, a shotgun in MI must be 26" minimum with it's buttstock folded or closed (if so-equipped with a shoulder-stock). Felony otherwise.

And be sure you use the same measuring tape as the ATF does. Most folks will make sure they are a little longer, incase the G-man's tape has shrunk some.

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War Eagle! '10 BCS & '13 SEC

Here I go again, getting on Lee's wrong side!

OK, news flash: All cops aren't legal experts. Worse, most aren't gun nuts. Some learn a lot of what they know, just like normal folks, from reading the papers and listening to the news. The daily pounding of evil, things like assault weapons (my 1873 Springfield was designed for that, and even includes a bayonet lug), or sawed off shotguns. Somehow the existence of the bayonet lug or sawing off a shotgun barrel makes it evil by definition. Much like anyone knows a switchblade knife is several orders of magnitude more dangerous than a steak knife.

The above comment on attracting unwanted attention is very important. If you somehow get a badge who is clueless, he'll arrest you for your sins. Even only the ones he imagines in his little mind. It may take an hour to so for them to sort out the idea no crime has taken place. Even the old ATF argued in a case that someone having a shotgun and a hack saw would be a criminal offense (the judge had a lot more sense and tossed it.)

So if you're going to saw one off, use just a tad of common sense and do a workmanlike job of it. Yes, a cutoff saw is nice for getting a square end. If you don't, you may get really interesting patterns. Then dress the fresh cut and crown the barrel. If you can't do that, take it to someone who can.

And here's the hot ticket on measuring: The law states that the barrel length is to be measured from an EMPTY chamber, from the end of the barrel to the breach face. Expecting the street cops to know that is a stretch. But unless you want one 21 1/4 long, you won't win until someone who knows gets involved. Don't be surprised the cop won't take your word for it. When you measure, give yourself a little extra room over the 18" Federal requirement. Most people who do it use either 1/8" or 1/4" as their cushion. Both give enough room to clean up a cutting error and crown the barrel.

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Dick Burg

I'd suggest, if you can possibly live with an extra inch or so, to trim the barrel so that it is at least 18 1/2" of the part you can see outside the receiver. That will give an extra margin of safety when or if it is measured by Barney Fife.

And yes, crowning and bluing over to match the rest of the gun also makes it much less conspicuous and look like a factory "defense" shotgun.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

Hi:
In the past:
Shotgun-
1. barrel not less than 18"
2. overall length not less than 26"
a. stock can be shorten but not modified.
(ie) change design of stock from its orginal shape into a pistol grip.

I had a short 18.5" side by side 12 Ga. At my local range, one of the "big cheese" range masters came up and pulled it out of my hands! He had a tape measure and was saying: "I think you've got an illegal weapon here." It was not illegal, I didn't appreciate the attitude of the range master. Shortened: they attract attention.

Attract attention? Are you going to carry it around on the streets? Put in a case when it's in your vehicle. If you have to use it for defense, I would think you got bigger worries.

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Hold on. SWAT's at my door.

18 1/2 BBL, 35 OA. I call it the "Croud Pleaser".

What he said, twice, see Gary Weaver if you need a confirming reference.

Wow, I see I answered this thread 3 full years ago. And it looks like I was coherent back then (as opposed to now.)

OK, let me preface my current response by saying I know not of what I speak (or write.)

It seems to me like I've never seen a coach gun from the factory with a barrel shorter than 20". I'm not sayin' they don't exist, but all the stoeger or other brands seem to be 20". From that I'm going to guess there probably is one unlightened state or more that has the longer limit and the manufacturer just makes them 20" to satisfy all the states, no questions.

And over the years I've had a succession of short barreled guns. Made some, bought some. For a number of reasons, they don't seem to stay around here long. Had one until 3 years ago when my youngest wanted to borrow it to go shooting/plinking with his buddies. He still has it, and probably (most assuredly) hasn't bothered to clean it. I'm guessing a few hundred rounds, too. And I've got another, but I think its Spanish in origin. They made a bunch of them. Value isn't high, with the gun show prices around here at under $300 for one, long or short.

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Dick Burg

One of the local stores had a Short Barrel Shotgun, I guess it was 8" or 10" long at most, the stock had been cut to a pistol grip only.

It was an intimidating weapon to say the least.

The only down side is its a real SBS and needed a tax stamp, so $200 and six months wait more or less.

The price of the gun was cheap but with the stamp it just didnt seem worth it. Its not quite a practical toy...

It grew roots in the store.

OK, WTH is with these thread resurrections? I'm going to have to put a sticky on my computer to check the date of posts.

SR ... It's part of the coming zombie apocalypse. Even dearly departed and buried threads are rising, then wandering forums as the undead, restlessly waiting to live again.

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I'm with the banned ...

Well, if it's a zombie thread, it should be put out of it's misery. You can use my sawed-off to finish it off.

The stamp for a short shotgun is a mere $5.00. I've got one from Smith's Speed Shop with a pistol grip handle and a 12" barrel. Take your stamp with you when you take it somewhere.

The stamp for an AOW transfer is 5 dollars. A short barreled shotgun is $200. If the shotgun started out as a long gun, and then is cut down, it's a short barreled shotgun. If the gun was produced from the factory as a short gun, like an Auto & Burglar or a Handi-gun, it's prolly papered as an AOW.

You can also make an AOW, but its still $200 bucks. Only the subsequent transfers are $5. Wonderful and confusing world of NFA items.

I bought a New Haven 600AT from K-Mart almost 40 years ago. I later bought a 18 1/2" Cylinder Bore Barrel with rifle sights on it. the distance from the front of the barrel to the front of the receiver is exactly 18". That is an option that lets me go back to the original polychoke barrel for bird hunting.

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Corripe Cervisiam

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He's lucky he did not pull back a stump, and I can assure you that the proper authorities at the range should have been made aware of his behavior. Using a tape measure is pure clownshoes anway; gotta stck a dowel down the barrel and hit the back of the chamber on a closed action.

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NHI, 10-8.

My mother took a old sawed off double barrel for rent money from someone years ago. It was minus the fireing pin on one side and a hammer on the other barrel. It also was sawed off behind the grip. I was afraid of t he legalities of it and buried it.
I had a batch of guns stolen about 10 years ago. One was a old JC Higgins 12 gauge pump. I had it since I was 13 years old. About a year later it showed up. It was sawed off and also sawed off behind the pistol grip and had a doc holiday sling. The detective had me come down but wasnt going to give me the gun as the barrel was sawed. I said, tell ya what. You keep the barrel and I will keep the action. I still havent done anything to it.