Sawed-off Shotgun Barrel, but still 18"+, legal?

[Franky4Fingers]

Ok, I have about a 26" barrel on my shotgun. I want it to be about 18", but I really don't feel like spending alot of money to buy one then have to go through the hassle of POSSIBLY reselling my 26" just to save a few inches.

I'm an experienced and trained metal fabricator, I believe I can remove the excess length and still have it look good.

I this legal to do? Or is there a clause that says parts have to be OEM?

Plus, if legal, has anyone else done this?

[scoutjoe]

18" Barrel, 26" Overall

I wouldn't take it below 18 and 1/4" though.

I took my Saiga-12 22" to about 19 1/2" so I could remove the fixed choke inside the barrel and re-thread it.

[knight0334]

As mentioned above, its legal.

18" barrel and 26" overall length is required. To be on the safe side, make it 18-1/4" on barrel length just incase their measuring device isn't quite true. And it'll give you some extra material to work with when recrowning the muzzle.

[Al-Mumit]

What they said, give it some breathing room. No need to tempt fate.

[Franky4Fingers]

Right, I agree, I'll keep it at 18 1/2 or whatever like most do. Thanks I appreciate.

Another question.

When I measure I barrel, I measure the WHOLE barrel, from end to end. Is that how you do it, or do you go 3 inches in to allow for the shell...or what?

Also, my 870 Remington, there is the length of the barrel, plus, there is like a metal tab that helps it fix into the main part of the gun. Do you count that as length as well?


Thanks guys, appreciate it.

[normanvin]

Put the barrel on the gun. Close the bolt. Measure from the bolt face when the bolt is closed.

[tomgun1]

close the bolt measure with a dowel down the EMPTY barrel......THERE IS NO WHATEVER ON THIS MEASUREMENT....18 PLUS

[Biggfoot44]

Another way I have seen it measured W/o the reciever at hand is is to insert a shell backwards (primer facing muzzle) and then measure from muzzle to rim. Same idea, but loose a cpl thousandiths of length. But in any case the hood or bbl extenssion doesn't count.
Are you wishing a cylnder choke onn purpose ? If you are going t have bbl threaded, or custom choke work done, usually they will shorten for little or no extra charge.

[Franky4Fingers]

That's what I figured, thanks.

[daschnoz]

FWIW - There are some SG barrels out there that have a "bulge" in the bore. The bore tapers to a slightly larger diameter toward the middle of the barrel, then tapers back down just before the muzzle. IIRC, it is supposed to improve the shot pattern (or some crap). If you have one of these barrels, your ID at the muzzle may be out of whack.