Augmenting barrel length

[78marz]

I was looking at some older used shotguns and thought how I would like one but with a shorter barrel. I know it needs to be 26 in. total in lenth but who can legally cut the barrel and r there registration issues?

[swifty]

The barrel needs to be 18". The overall length of the shotgun needs to be 26".

[BigDogatPlay]

Anyone with simple handtools can cut a barrel down. Whether they do it well or not is another question. Bear in mind that sometimes older shotguns can have some collector value and chopping them down flushes that.

If they shorten the barrel to less than 18 inches in length, it's a felony in California as it is a Short Barreled Shotgun (SBS). Period, end of story.


.In many states outside of California an SBSn can be owned / transferred with a federal tax stamp but that's not in the cards in California. Certain guns like the Serbu Super Shorty can be transferred / owned in California as AOW's but there is a bunch of paperwork and $$$ involved.

Best advice is to make the barrel no less than 18.5 inches, using a dowel of that length run down the bore with the action closed. That eliminates pretty much all guesswork on the length. Measure three times, cut once.

[jpscoot_21]

Use a pipe cutter and finish up with a file. You could also use a marble and lapping compound to cone the muzzle.

[Utha Schleigle]

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=330320

Not argurmentington -

For me 28 inches for over all length for shotguns in CA. Federal overall length 26 inches for shotguns. Allways check loco local laws.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=360115

other members did not like this thread but - it has pictures also - dowel method explained.



as mentioned above posts - I use the dowel measuring metod.

good luck - I like short shotguns.

[78marz]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if I needed to have an ffl possessing gunsmith do it or if I could