Short Barreled Rifle from a Dan Wesson?

[LoneCoon]

After doing some research and finding that there are 15" barrels available for Dan Wesson pistols (albeit expensive), I thought about making a stock to replace the grip.

It occurred to me that this might be now considered a rifle. Would it be, and if so, would it be considered a short barreled rifle because the length is under 16"?

Overall, what are the implications of modifying a handgun to carbine lengths?

 

[PotatoJudge]

As I understand it, yes it would be a rifle, and an illegal one at that. I assume that if you could find or have made a 16+ inch barrel, you could stick a stock on it and be fine, as people do with contenders.
I think a DW rifle would be pretty cool. If the barrel has an underlug for about the first 12 inches, you could tap it for a handgaurd or sling and have a pretty useful gun.
If DW(CZ) ever starts making the guns again maybe they could try for that market. A $1000 dollar revolver might be an easier sell if it could double as a sub-200 yard rifle. Maybe an expanded pistol pack: Full size and compact grips, 2, 6 or 8, and 16 in barrels, rifle stock, scope mount, belt buckle? Put it in a nice fitted aluminum case, offer it in the supermags and maybe 454.

 

[Outlaws]

You can have any length of barrel you want on a pistol, you just cannot add a stock to it....unless it has a barrel of 16" and an overal length of 26" (I think its 26...).

 

[wdlsguy]

would it be considered a short barreled rifle because the length is under 16"?

Yes.

 

[cuervo]

It would be an SBR, but you could still register it and pay the tax to be legal.

SBRs can still be made for plebeian use, unlike machine guns.

 

[Zundfolge]

A rifle is a rifle because it has a stock, not a long barrel.

You can put a 10 foot barrel on a pistol and you're fine ... but you put a stock on a pistol with a barrel less than 16" and you're a felon.


Of course if you weld a muzzle brake that's at least an inch long on that 15" barrel (making the overall length of the barrel 16") then you can put a stock on it and be fine.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Does it have to be welded on or could the barrel nut be incorporated into an extension (flash supressor, compensator, etc)?

 

[Zundfolge]

I believe it would have to be permanantly affixed somehow.