Shotgun barrel length

[Robbins290]

I was just giving a shotgun. It only has a 14'' barrel. I know it does not have it legal paper work. If i weld a long flash hider on the barrel to 19". Would it be legal? I know you can do that with rifles. My ar15 is a 14 1/2" barrel with a 1 1/2 inch flash hider. I work in a machine shop and i have a tig welder. I just want to know. If not, i will cut up the barrel amd buy a new one.

 

[Chopdoktor]

You need to remove the barrel from the shotgun immediately. Yes, you can weld on an extension to bring it up to 18", which is minimum legal length, but I'd add a 1/4", if I were you. This length is measured from inside the barrel, from the bolt fact to the tip of the barrel. But first things first- REMOVE THE BARREL. 10 years in prison and a huge fine is not worth getting caught with it. Also- it would be wise to not advertise that you have it, here on the internet for everyone to know (including the BATFE).

 

[Robbins290]

True. Its not in my possian yet. Ya, i am planning on making 19" long so here no question. Thanks for your in put.

 

[Chopdoktor]

Sure thing. Play it safe, and have fun!

 

[Sam1911]

I'd suggest you buy or be given ONLY the barrels. Take the barrels -- do NOT take the receiver -- and do your modifications.

Then, later, take possession of the receiver.

Possessing an unregistered NFA Title II weapon -- even just for a bit, even so you can make it "legal" again -- is a federal felony worth 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Read that twice, and sit and think about it for a while.

Possessing a 14" shotgun BARREL by itself is no crime at all. Possessing a 14" shotgun barrel and a receiver to go with it is possession of an unregistered NFA weapon. DON'T do that.

 

[Owen Sparks]

You do not want the barrel and ANY shotgun that it could fit in your posession at the same time. For the time, cost and trouble of welding something on the end you might be better to just buy a used barrel. I gave less than $100 for a like new 870 slug barrel a while back.

 

[bushmaster1313]

What would it take to demill a barrel?

 

[JMI]

What would it take to demill a barrel?

Cut off or drill through the chamber section

 

[drsfmd]

The gun in question is ALREADY an unregistered NFA item.

I would suggest that you run away from this deal and encourage the owner to voluntarily turn it in to the ATF for destruction.

 

[MrDig]

Sounds like a sting to me. Trying to get you to buy an illegal firearm so they can then arrest you for possessing said illegal firearm.
Tell him you will take possession if and only if the 14 inch barrel is rendered inoperable.

 

[Sam1911]

The gun in question is ALREADY an unregistered NFA item.

I would suggest that you run away from this deal and encourage the owner to voluntarily turn it in to the ATF for destruction.

And that is actually the very best advice.

Technically, if this is now an unregistered NFA Title II weapon then it is now, and forever will be, contraband. The only lawful recourse granted by the BATFE is to surrender the weapon to them (preferably through your lawyer!).

If all you own is one barrel, and all someone else owns is one barrel-less receiver, it becomes a bit of a "tree falling in the forest" kind of situation, as the de facto SBS does not physically exist.

I've never heard of someone being prosecuted for taking possession of a firearm that they had reason to believe had once been configured as an unregistered NFA item (so is technically now once-and-forever illegal), but I sure wouldn't want to have to fight that charge, either.

Truth be told, I'd personally have no compelling desire to have any involvement whatsoever with such a thing.

 

[Robbins290]

Its not a sting, someone i knew passed away and his wife is giving me all the guns. She found the one in question in a shed. I want to make it legal and keep it as a momento.

Owen spraks. I work in a machine shop and i have a tig welder. It wouldnt cost anything to me for a barrel extension. I could do it on my break and not pay for materials

 

[Owen Sparks]

What type of shotgun is it? If it is something common you can find another barrel. I knew someone in a similar situation where he tried to fix a damaged barrel by cutting it off. There was no way to salvage it without getting it a little bit short so he threw it in a lake when no one was around and bought another barrel.

 

[Tom488]

10 years in prison and a huge fine is not worth getting caught with it.

At best, 10 years in prison. At worst, they kill your dog, kill your son, shoot you in the back, and shoot your wife in the head.

 

[mgkdrgn]

At best, 10 years in prison. At worst, they kill your dog, kill your son, shoot you in the back, and shoot your wife in the head.

And then they start getting nasty ...

 

[Owen Sparks]

The gun in question is ALREADY an unregistered NFA item.

If it is unregistered how would they know? Can they look at a shotgun and tell that it once had an evil short barrel installed?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

We had a local guy receive a Winchester Model 12 in a police auction (prison guard surplus). He discovered the barrel was less than 18" and contacted ATF. They advised permanent attachment of a barrel extension. They did not swoop down and drag him off to Leavenworth. (However, if he had been caught in possession of an illegal length gun that would have been different.) Shotguns were often cut less than 18" before installation of a Cutts compensator and choke.

(Anyone ever see a 20ga Ithaca "stake-out" gun with what appears to be a section of 10ga barrel welded or brazed over the end? That's oneway to make them legal.)

 

[bushmaster1313]

When I was looking at 18" or 18.5" riot guns on Gunbroker I always asked the seller to measure the barrel on the inside and tell me if it was exactly 18" or 18" and a bit more.

If it was not 18" and a bit more I was not interested.