Four Winds Shotgun - Legal?

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War Squirrel

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Would a "four-winds" type shotgun be legal, if it had an 18 inch barrel and a stock, and the proper overall length?
 
Yep, as long as it has an 18 inch barrel and 26 inch overall length. A company used to actually make one called the guerrilla gun, here is a picture of it.

lf
 
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I had to Google a picture to see what a 'four winds shotgun' is.

CLICK HERE, OR HERE - LOOKS LIKE IT'S A ZIP GUN

Zip guns are illegal in some states. Texas for example:
§46.01.(16) a zip gun is "a device or combination of devices that was not originally a firearm and is adapted to expel a projectile through a smooth-bore barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance."

§46.05 of the Texas Penal Code it is a crime to intentionally or knowingly possess, manufacture, transport, repair or sell a zip gun. §46.05(a)(9).
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On the federal level, devices that operate like a firearm but are disguised or do not appear to be an orthodox gun (i.e. pen-gun, cellphone gun, cane-gun), can end up being categorized as NFA regulated AOWs. The picture that Kush posted wouldn't seem to apply to this though.
 
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§46.01.(16) a zip gun is "a device or combination of devices that was not originally a firearm and is adapted to expel a projectile through a smooth-bore barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance."
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Does that mean if it's rifled it's legal? :neener:
 
Yes, they are legal. I've seen them for sale at an FFL. If you rifle the barrel, you've basically created a destructive device and need to Form 1 it.
 
War Squirrel Would a "four-winds" type shotgun be legal, if it had an 18 inch barrel and a stock, and the proper overall length?
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Federal law does not prohibit you from manufacturing your own firearms.....as long as you do not violate Federal law.
Shotgun must have a minimum 18"bbl, 26"OAL.


25cschaefer If you originally make it a firearm, it would be legal, right. I guess if you pulled some pipe out from your walls, it would be illegal.
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Federal law doesn't care what materials you use. (as long as they show up on xray)

Prince Yamato Yes, they are legal. I've seen them for sale at an FFL. If you rifle the barrel, you've basically created a destructive device and need to Form 1 it.
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Not necessarily.
Whether you would need a tax stamp would depend on the bore diameter.
 
Thanks everyone! I've got a whole bunch of neat project coming up in the coming months, and I think you'll like 'em. One is going to be a poor-man's shotgun, based on the "four winds" slam-bang and a break action design, all in one, similar to a Cobray Terminator, but with a break action feature. I appreciate it, thanks.
 
I would be worried that a common cast iron pipe might break under the stress of being fired with modern smokless powder. After all, no modern firearm is made of cast iron. They use steel.
 
Uh, you DO realize there are rifled shotgun barrels for shooting slugs, right? Just adding rifling does not make it a Destructive Device. It makes it a slug barrel. And yes, there are rifled slugs that are designed to work in unrifled barrels, but standard slugs are still around.
 
Uh, you DO realize there are rifled shotgun barrels for shooting slugs, right? Just adding rifling does not make it a Destructive Device
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Yes, but they are exempted for "sporting purposes".
 
I have seen a cast iron pipe cap break in half. Really, don't try this with common plumbing pipe. If you wish to make one use proper steel for the breech.
 
Oh don't worry about that, Owen. Mechanical Engineering student here. ;) I'll be using seamless hydraulic tubing, heat treated if I can find a cheap supplier. Got any materials suggestions?
 
Oh don't worry about that, Owen. Mechanical Engineering student here. I'll be using seamless hydraulic tubing, heat treated if I can find a cheap supplier. Got any materials suggestions?
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Are you wanting to do this just to prove you can do it or because you really want an inexpensive shotgun? If it is the latter, spend some time looking at local pawn shops. Single shot and some pumps can be dirt cheap and maybe cheaper than the cost of the heat treated materials you would likely need to buy in much larger quantities than you would actually need.
 
I wonder if there is a way to make a 'reverse pump' repeater where you manually slide the barrel back and forth rather than bolt. Come to think of it, it would be very hard to hold on target while sliding the barrel like a trombone.
 
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I just had a revelation.

If you were able to get close enough to shoot an occupying soldier with a four winds shotgun, you are probably close enough to simply whack him over the head with it. A length of steel pipe to the head or neck can be every bit as deadly as a single shot 12 GA, plus it does not make any noise. A more practical use for these things might be as booby traps rather than hand weapons.
 
Owen Sparks said:
I wonder if there is a way to make a 'reverse pump' repeater where you manually slide the barrel back and forth rather than bolt. Come to think of it, it would be very hard to hold on target while sliding the barrel like a trombone.
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The South African Neostead shotgun is actually designed that way, along with Russain RMB-93, there is also one that I don't remember the name of that feeds from detachable magazines that is from one of the former Soviet Union countries other than Russia.

Owen Sparks said:
I just had a revelation.

If you were able to get close enough to shoot an occupying soldier with a four winds shotgun, you are probably close enough to simply whack him over the head with it. A length of steel pipe to the head or neck can be every bit as deadly as a single shot 12 GA, plus it does not make any noise. A more practical use for these things might be as booby traps rather than hand weapons.
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They weren't used for actually approaching soldiers with them, they were used for ambushes with several people, sometimes set up by luring soldiers into a building and as soon as they entered everyone would jump out and open fire on them. Also they would still be effective out to around 20 yards or so before the shot spreads out enough that not all of it hits, so unless you are good at throwing the shotgun it would be better to shoot the enemy soldier with it.
 
Owen Sparks said:
I would be worried that a common cast iron pipe might break under the stress of being fired with modern smokless powder. After all, no modern firearm is made of cast iron. They use steel.
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Why not use a section of 4140 steel with a 28-32 HRc tube of the proper dimension instead of a pipe?

Another option would be to get a removable barrel from a pump gun and build the sliding bolt/firing pin yourself that fits over it's breech.
 
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