Barrel length legality question?

[cgt4570]

We all know that cutting a rifle down to less than 16" barrel or 26" overall is not legal. What about going the other way and putting a barrel of more than 16" on a handgun frame? I have a project in mind. Think rimfire 'buntline special' or revolving rifle concept with an 16"+ barrel and a butt stock. Is it still a handgun since the donor gun was a handgun frame or does it now become a rifle? I assume that as long as you put the longer barrel on the frame before you install a butt stock, you are well within the law. (of course, do in reverse order and install a butt stock before making the barrel >16" and you're in violation of NGCA of '34). Your thoughts?

[Green Frog]

I am not a lawyer and don't play one on TV or the Internet, but from personal experience, it seems that making rifles and shotguns shorter will get you in trouble, but the guys from the alphabet agencies don't seem to care if you make a handgun longer. JMHO, but it seems to be a concealability issue... a longer barrel makes the handgun less concealable, not more, so it's probably OK. Others may be able to quote specific regs. BTW, don't be tempted to put a shoulder stock on your handgun, though. That seems to be frowned upon if the barrel is less than 16" or can be easily returned to under 16". Thus are the vagaries of the regs!

Froggie

PS I had a High Standard semi-auto with a wire shoulder stock... the stock mounting hardware was on the side of the 16" barrel to make it impossible to use the stock with other, shorter barrels.

[g8rb8]

Originally Posted by cgt4570

We all know that cutting a rifle down to less than 16" barrel or 26" overall is not legal. What about going the other way and putting a barrel of more than 16" on a handgun frame? I have a project in mind. Think rimfire 'buntline special' or revolving rifle concept with an 16"+ barrel and a butt stock. Is it still a handgun since the donor gun was a handgun frame or does it now become a rifle? I assume that as long as you put the longer barrel on the frame before you install a butt stock, you are well within the law. (of course, do in reverse order and install a butt stock before making the barrel >16" and you're in violation of NGCA of '34). Your thoughts?

You'll be happy with my answer if you understand the two rules below:
1. I am not an expert.
2. Don't believe anything I say.

I think you basically understand the law. The barrel must be at least 16.0" long and the overall length of the 'buntline special' you are describing must be at least 26.0" with the butt stock installed. My interpretation of the law is that you can have a removable butt stock as long as the 16" barrel and overall length of 26" are maintained.

The below passage is from The U.S. Department of Justice (referenced below) and in the passage 26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(3) and (a)(4) is referring to SBR's (short barrel rifles). In other words the second word, "firearm", in the below passage is specifically referring to a NFA (National Firearms Act) defined SBR.
"A firearm, as defined by 26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(3) and (a)(4), is not made when a pistol is attached to a part or parts designed to convert the pistol into a rifle with a barrel or barrels of 16 inches or more in length, and the parts are later unassembled in a configuration not regulated under the NFA (e.g., as a pistol)."

http://www.atf.gov/files/regulations...ing-2011-4.pdf