I am considering cutting a 4" model 10 barrel back to 3". This will either split the roll markings or leave them well off-center. Neither will look very good. I thought about draw filing and polishing the markings off, but read that might be a violation of federal law.
I looked up the statute and regulation, and you can't remove required information from the gun. The manufacturer name and the caliber are required, but the manufacturer's name is also on the frame. The only required information that would be lost would be the caliber because it isn't found anywhere else on the gun.
Lots of custom gunsmiths remove and replace barrels with match grade barrels. Clark is one. Brownell's sells Clark PPC barrels you can install yourself. Doesn't this remove the same information.
What if I have "Smith & Wesson" and "38 Special"
re-stamped or lazered on the cleaned up shortened barrel ? Would that satisfy the feds?
Is there anyone who is or was in the business who has the answer? I don't want to violate the law or create a gun that it would be illegal for me or someone else to possess. I also want to avoid the premium price and scarcity of an original 3" barrel.