hypothetical question

what designation NFA would a handgun that fires a 12 gauge slug fall into, provided it is has a rifled barrel? If the a-fore mentioned handgun only chambers a 2 inch long cartridge would it be possible to get a sporting designation for that cartridge?

 

....ouch.

That might be a Destructive Device, seeing as it has a bore diameter greater than 0.50".

Taurus was developing a 20ga companion to the Judge and it got canceled by the ATF because it really had no use other than 20ga shotshells.

The judge, on the other hand, can chamber both .410 and .45LC and is technically just a .45LC with really long chambers.

 

Destructive Device would be my guess. What's the sporting purpose? I'm not familiar with the process, but the only rifled barreled firearms I know of that exceed .50 caliber with a sporting designation would be the elephant guns - .577s and such. Home defense is not considered a sporting purpose, btw...

 

If the manufacturer could get it past the ATF's review, it would simply be a handgun. Otherwise it could end up in the DD category.

btw
The ATF did not cancel the 28ga. Taurus Revolver. American Rifleman went to the extent of a press release to try and kill that internet rumor: Quashing Raging Judge Rumors

 

The law sets the "sporting purpose" criteria, but gives the Attorney General wide leeway in that area to determine whether a gun meets it. A double rifle in .600 Nitro clearly does, but a 12 gauge pistol? Even I, hardly hostile to guns, find it hard to think of sporting clays with a 12 gauge revolver.

And shooting a home invader is self defense, not a sport.

Jim

 

Note that the gun is for slug use. I don't think anyone questions the legitimacy of a .500 S&W revolver for sporting use, I was thinking about a 4 shot revolver with 2" or even 1.75" brass loaded with slugs pushing to 1400 FPS. Should be about right for deer. I realize there is potential for this to be reloaded with shot, so what if was a 70 caliber to make 12 gauge reloading item incompatible.

 

That'll be a mighty big revolver. And recoil.... once again, ouch.

In the end, it's all up to ATF...

 

Hey dude, you have a cool idea nonetheless. May be more useful than a Judge (can't see how it wouldn't, but I haven't seen your design). Anyway, if you do indeed have a good drawing, copy that and do a writeup on it and how it would be use and maybe include some persuasive paragraph to sway them your way and send it off to Technology Branch. They can at least look it over and give you some advice. Ask for an exemption. Some weapons you'd think are DD aren't. The Serbu Super Shorty, it is an AOW (perhaps for other reasons, but still...) and isn't that 20mm sniper rifle exempt too? You gotta get a letter, but they can at least tell you I'd think based on a good set of drawings, diagrams, and information and writing.

If you have the shop to buid it and the material and know how, then this may save you some grief. Worth checking out. Because of the size, weight and limited capacity of a 12ga. revolver, along with the fact it will be single or small production, they may be okay with it.

 

Bah, its always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

...only kidding

 

As said, that would be a large bore destructive device, unless exempted. The destructive device exemption isn't terribly hard to get (JD Jones's .950 JDJ is exempted!) but you'd want to get that duck in a row (what an awkward metaphor ) before you build one.

 

An AOW as a smoothbore handgun firing shotshells.

No. 20 mm is not exempted.