Cutting Down a Barrel

[CTGunner]

Any idea what a gunsmith would charge to cut down a barrel on an inexpensive HD shotgun and reinstall the front bead? I'm debating whether I should attempt this myself but I can't imagine it would take a gunsmith very long.

 

[788Ham]

Measure from where the barrel meets the breech, out to however long you want the barrel to be, put the barrel in a vise, take a hacksaw and cut it off. Take some emery cloth and smooth the cut off, at the new muzzle end. I wouldn't worry about the bead, you're not going to skeet shoot with it are you?

 

[bushmaster1313]

Make sure you have at least 18 inches measured from the inside to a closed bolt

Measure twice
cut once
measure twice when your done

 

[evan price]

I cut to 19" with the saw, then trim and sand to get it smooth and square. Winds up about 18.5" or a bit more, and I know I won't get the batfeieio on me if I screw it up a fraction of an inch. The extra 1/2" isn't a killer in terms of swing or room anyway.

 

[GLOOB]

1" extra is kinda generous, isn't it? I suppose if you're using an angle grinder to do the final sanding, that might be necessary.

I think there is also a federal law about the OAL of the shotgun, including stock. 26" overall, I think?

 

[Bubbles]

I think there is also a federal law about the OAL of the shotgun, including stock. 26" overall, I think?

Correct, 18" barrel, 26" OAL, unless the OP wants it registered as a short-barrel shotgun. Easiest way for him to do that would be to file the Form 1 with himself as the manufacturer, ship it to an 07/C2 for engraving and the barrel work, and then have it shipped back to him.

The OP didn't say what state he's in, so that also will determine what he can and can't own.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

unless the OP wants it registered as a short-barrel shotgun.

I don't think that is what the OP is after.

inexpensive HD shotgun

 

[Bubbles]

Sometimes the inexpensive ones are the best candidates for turning into an SBS. One of ours spent a week in a creek and was purchased as a parts gun. We cleaned up the internals, replaced the wood stock with a plastic one, cut and re-beaded the barrel, and parkerized it. I think we have less than $100 cash in it.

To answer the OP's question, $125-150 depending on if it's a vent rib gun or not.

 

[cougfan]

I have a Verona (never seen one since I bought mine at Big 5) semi auto .12 gauge with a vent rib. Using a hacksaw a bit more than halfway down one of the vent rib connections I sawed it off and cleaned up the end with a Dremel. The used a bluing pen on the newly revealed metal and put on (with a dab of superglue) a $12 green Hi-Viz sight. This was one of the best things I have done to a gun, before the barrel was one of the longest I'd seen and now it is just above 18" and like a whole different gun