Inline FabricationWidenersRotoMetals2Reloading Everything
Titan ReloadingLoad DataRepackboxMidSouth Shooters Supply
Lee Precision
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 35 of 35

Thread: how short can a shotgun barrel be ?

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    5,252
    Quote Originally Posted by hwilliam01 View Post
    Shtgun barrels need to be 18 inches or greater, rifle barrels must be 16 inches or better AND the overall firearm length must be 26 inches or greater.

    Well, yes & no.

    Smoothbore firearms originally issued as a full-stocked shotgun must have a barrel that's a minimum of 18" from closed breech face to the muzzle, and if the buttstock is altered, the gun's OAL must be a minimum of 26" with any folding stock in the extended position.

    Smoothbore firearms originally issued as a pistol-grip-only (PGO) guns can have a barrel shorter than 18", provided the OAL minimum of 26" is observed.

    Rifles must have a minimum 16" barrel length, and an OAL of 26".

    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    2,794
    Thanks Mc, I guess it must not be an issue unless you actually assemble it, kinda like a tc contender. I may have to have me one , just cause
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  3. #23
    Boolit Master wonderwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    1,653
    Quote Originally Posted by jmort View Post
    The fastest Jerry Miculek can shoot 6 rounds with a pump action is north of 2.5 seconds
    Saying you can "dump" 6 rounds out of the Tac-14 "...in 2 seconds easy..." makes no sense to me.
    I'll put it to the timer next time I'm out, right now I have a video of me shooting at 7 yards from the hip but no timer on it. Video info says its 2 seconds from first shot to last. Let me know where to send the video and the one I'll take on thursday when I go out with a shot timer.

    2.5 seconds for Jerry seems sloooow, looked up one of his vids and his rough run was under 2 seconds without reaction time for 6 rounds.
    Last edited by wonderwolf; 02-12-2018 at 07:49 PM.
    My firearms project blog

  4. #24
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    1,091
    So if a company manufactured a double barrel pistol , with rifling and 12 inch barrels, that would be legal ? I think I want one.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master wonderwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    1,653
    Quote Originally Posted by Gewehr-Guy View Post
    So if a company manufactured a double barrel pistol , with rifling and 12 inch barrels, that would be legal ? I think I want one.
    I've always found the double couch guns to be lighter and a harder to hang on to....I can't imagine how a 12" version would be to shoot, that isn't to say I wouldn't try a couple dozen rounds through one
    My firearms project blog

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    346
    NOT sure how true this is but the story going around at that time , was "ATF" grabbed up a guy for the shotgun being one hack saw blade too short, as in he cut on the line not the other side + that 1/8th or even better that 1/4,
    the thickness ( half actually) of a hack saw blade was all it took to got to jail?? that stuck in my mind for ever - never wanted to cut anything ( shot gun barrel wise) after that..

  7. #27
    Boolit Master wonderwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    1,653
    Quote Originally Posted by Littleton Shot Maker View Post
    NOT sure how true this is but the story going around at that time , was "ATF" grabbed up a guy for the shotgun being one hack saw blade too short, as in he cut on the line not the other side + that 1/8th or even better that 1/4,
    the thickness ( half actually) of a hack saw blade was all it took to got to jail?? that stuck in my mind for ever - never wanted to cut anything ( shot gun barrel wise) after that..
    I'm sure a small town could be built on the amount of wood, steel and PVC that was cut in error by somebody not really understanding kerf and how it adds up.
    My firearms project blog

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    4,610
    You can cut your shotgun Barrel off as short as you want it, without a permit.
    As long as you dont mind having a wife named Bubba for the next ten years.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    East Texas
    Posts
    3,624
    Local ordinances may be stricter, a parish in Louisiana had a 20” minimum!

  10. #30
    Boolit Buddy fralic76's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Posts
    114
    Being in Canada we have strict rules on this stuff. I have purchased a pump shotgun with a 13" barrel factory barrel. This is legal because the overall length is ok. The shotgun is a Dominion Arms Kodiak Tac shotgun with collapsible stock.

    Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  11. #31
    Boolit Master wonderwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    1,653
    jmort, looks like I owe you an apology. Got out to the range today and got 6 rounds off in 2.06 seconds on the first try so it looks like its not THAT easy to do even for an experienced shooter. Would have given it a few more tries but I let a couple burn up some of my ammo through the tac-14 and it started to rain. My tac-14 is still tight even after a couple hundred rounds though, not as slick as a gun that has a few k through it...Curious if I can do better with my riot gun. I think we can both agree though 6 rounds of 12 ga in any time format is gonna hurt whatever is on the rec end no matter how fast you put it down there. Let me know where I can send the video.
    My firearms project blog

  12. #32
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    SE Ohio
    Posts
    2,361
    Try one of the early model pumps with no disconnect. Hold the trigger back and pump. Is the new
    Shockwave type weapons 26" overall?

  13. #33
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by ipopum View Post
    Have tried to find out what fed. law allows but no luck . I am sure some on here will know.

    Thanks in advance .
    One area Canada win that hand. As long as overall length is over 26 1/2" the barrel can be 8 inch or whatever but it must be factory barrel (strange quirk)


    Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

  14. #34
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    The Willamette Valley, in Oregon
    Posts
    690
    FWIW, I have found that a 12.5" bbl only gives up ~10% of its velocity compared to standard-length 26/28" bbls.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/r8woo2a6af...74542.jpg?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/af0r7jbg4f...12207.jpg?dl=0
    Last edited by Kestrel4k; 02-16-2018 at 03:51 AM. Reason: Added pics

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    9,452
    Quote Originally Posted by 17nut View Post
    It fires just fine and is perfectly legal!

    The guy in the video isn't the brightest bulb. He loads two fires one and walks in front of the loaded barrel several times. He does unload it once.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check