...to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of projectiles (ball shot) or a single projectile ...
However the shotgun has a bore over .50 inches, and if considered a rifle would be a destructive device.
If considered a shotgun it would be a short barreled shotgun because it does not have an 18" barrel.
If the barrel is fully rifled and If the bore is under .5" than its simply a rifle and could be 16" ... if the bore is over .5" than its a "destructive device" and needs to be registered as such with the ATF (then at that point I believe barrel length is a moot point).But notice the definition of shotgun says 'smooth barrel'
What if it came from the factory with only a rifled slug barrel installed?
Why couldn't such barrel be 16 1/2 inches?
Those are old hunting calibers and were grandfathered under the NFA (I believe this is where all the "Sporting Purpose" nonsense started).Possibly a stupid question, but would a 600 Nitro Express be considered a DD? What about a .577 Tyrannosaur?
A rifle with a bore over 1/2" designed,posessed, and purchased specifically for sporting purposes is exempt from the DD classification.Those are old hunting calibers and were grandfathered under the NFA (I believe this is where all the "Sporting Purpose" nonsense started).
Notice the last few words of the definition:But notice the definition of shotgun says 'smooth barrel'
What if it came from the factory with only a rifled slug barrel installed?
Why couldn't such barrel be 16 1/2 inches?
Every slug gun I can think of can fire birdshot and buck-shot loads in addition to slug loads. They can also be converted VERY easily to smoothe-bore by swapping out the barrel.and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed shotgun shell.
I'm not sure if this is because of statute or not, but I noticed something peculiar about my Rossi Matched Pair- the .22LR barrel is 18.5"- this happens to also be just over the minimum shotgun length (the other barrel is a 20 gauge shotgun barrel).Why couldn't such barrel be 16 1/2 inches?
A rifle with a bore over 1/2" designed,posessed, and purchased specifically for sporting purposes is exempt from the DD classification.
If you are buying any .600 NE or .577 Tyrannosaur or whatever, manufactured , then yes, the Destructive Device requirement applies because they are rifled-bore weapons of over .50 cal. Same would apply to 20mm Boys Anti-Tank rifles, etc.
If it was manufactured before 1898 then it is an "antique" but if it is a replica and uses center-fire ammo then it is not an antique.
Hey "mp510",
Do you have some links or background on the exemption of .600 NE and such for "sporting purposes?" I've seen that in the NFA many times but always assumed it was too nebulous as to be sufficient for exemption. Is there an ATFE letter on this or legal cases that discussed it?
This would seem, on the face of it, to allow such things as the .577 Tyrannosaur but disallow a 20mm Boys Anti-Tank rifle. Even though, were I to own either, it would be for the same purpose. (Sporting uses, of course -- but then, again, any arm--even a Purdy double rifle in .600 NE could be raised in self defense under SOME foreseeable circumstance, which gives the lie to the whole question!)
Thanks!
-Sam
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