Cutting a shotgun barrel to shorter length

[flashhole]

Can anyone share advice on how to cut a shotgun barrel to a shorter length? How do you finish the end once it is cut?

[imashooter2]

I wrapped masking tape around it for a guide, sawed it off, draw filed out the saw marks and then spun it against some 320 paper before cold blue.

[pietro]

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ALWAYS measure the barrel length TWICE before cutting, as it's fairly easy to get it shorter than the legal (US Federal) 18" limit.

Best Practice dictates that the original barrel length be measured first, via dropping a rod downbore to the face of the closed breech (NOT via measuring along the outside of the barrel).

Once that length is validated, subtract the length of the barrel you desire (after any shortening), from the original length - but if your desired result is 18", I would err on the side of caution. (IOW, tread lightly here)

For example: for an original/measured barrel length of 28", and a desired barrel length of (say) 20", 28" minus 20" equals cutting 8" off the muzzle end of the barrel.

If the barrel has a vent rib mounted, it would be best to make the cut a little forward of the nearest VR post, that will still result in a legal barrel length of at least 18-1/4".


FWIW:

Per US Federal Law (GCA-68), cutting a shotgun/smoothbore barrel shorter than 18", will make it a "short-barreled shotgun" (SBS), subject to Federal licensing ($$$) - which, if not obtained first, can result in a fine and/or a stay at the greybar hotel.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/what-firearms-are-regulated-under-nfa

Under the National Firearms Act (NFA) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Firearms_Act), it is illegal for a private citizen to possess a sawed-off modern smokeless powder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokeless_powder) shotgun (a shotgun with a barrel length shorter than 18 inches (46 cm) or an overall length shorter than 26 inches (66 cm)) (under U.S.C. Title II (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_II_weapons)), without a tax-paid registration from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Alcohol,_Tobacco,_Firearms_and_Explosive s), requiring a background check and either a $200 or $5 tax for every transfer, depending upon the specific manufacturing circumstances of the particular sawed-off modern shotgun being transferred

Municipal and/or state laws can vary, and have their own restrictions in addition to the Federal constrictions - NYS may be one of them.



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[Jackpine]

I have probably cut off a couple of dozen barrels using the same procedure as ima detailed. (I have converted a lot of old guns for cowboy action shooting) I have a belt sander that I use for finishing, but hand work and patience will get the job done with no power at all.

You did not ask about the bead, but assume you will want to replace that also. Brownells sells the beads, numbered drills and tap, if you don't have them. I eyeball the spot where I want to put the bead, then stick a little piece of putty or bubble gum or whatever is handy on that spot and make sure it looks right when I bring the gun up. I center punch the spot and then drill a pilot hole, a 32 smaller than my final. Use the standard method of turning the tap a partial turn and then backing out a partial and then in again. There is probably a better method or tool, but I tighten the tap wrench around the bead and turn it in.

For me the trickiest part of the whole thing, is grinding off the stub of the bead that sticks out, inside the barrel. I put a small piece of masking tap over it and then grind the stub off with a dremel with a little sanding drum attached. This could be done with a round or half round file and a dowel wrapped with abrasive, if you don't have a dremel.

The first time I did any of this, I was nervous about screwing it up, so cut off a half inch, finished it and repeated that process a couple of times. If length is not absolutely critical, I make my original cut 3/8 to 1/2 inch longer, so I can redo if necessary. Amazingly, I have never had to redo, I figure ending up a little over length gives me peace for my meager mind.

Jackpine

[bangerjim]

Nothing shorter than 18" without red tape, but one can buy and own as many Judges as you want (in most states) that shoot 14ga shells out of a short barrel revolver!!!!

go figure.

banger

[frkelly74]

rifled barrel makes it a legal pistol

[flashhole]

Good inputs guys, I appreciate it.

[country gent]

I mark the barrel at desired length +1/4" and either use tape or a hose clamp around barrel ( if a round barrel) this give a square edge to follow with the saw. I use a very fine saw blade of 32 tpi or finer and cut only on the forward stroke of the saw. This makes a nice square cut with a good finish. I then file square with a fine swiss pattern file and try square to a true square face working around barrel. Once edge is finished and square a brass ball aand lapping compound finishes the inside edge and a piece of brass flat stock with the same lapping compound breaks the sharp edge on the outside. I agree measure twice check 3 times before cutting. A dowel that fits in bore can be cut to length and inserted against breech face then a scales used to measure down to it giving the length to be removed from the muzzle.

[Outpost75]

Pipe cutter does a good job.

Then remove sharp inside edge with pipe taper reamer, clean off outside edge with a mill file and India stone.

[flashhole]

Does the pipe cutter collapse the end?

[Bob in St. Louis]

Here's a tutorial, complete with lots of photos and lots of step by step instructions:
http://vepr.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=10

[flashhole]

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Does the pipe cutter collapse the end?

A sharp wheel will produce a slight inward burr, which filling only a little off to produce a flat muzzle will probably deal with. A blunt pipe cutter will probably produce a slight inward constriction of the muzzle. It might even fulfill the function of a slight choke - not a very good choke, but if that is what you want, it might be better than no choke at all.

With some shotguns you will find the barrel walls thinner where you want to cut it, than they are at the muzzle. Very thin steel will bear normal pressure in that area, and the thickening up of the muzzle is to prevent denting where the gun is most likely to hit something.

[Outpost75]

Does the pipe cutter collapse the end?

It does, slightly, the degree depending upon the hardness and wall thickness of the barrel and how heavy handed you are in tightening the cutter. The constriction, is directly adjacent the cut, mostly being removed by the taper reamer used to remove the sharp edges. In mass production of expedient guard and riot guns (our shop produced hundreds of them for local defence forces) the usual observation was a very slight constriction in the order of 0.005-0.010," less than 1/4 choke or Improved Cylinder in a 12-bore, which produced far superior buckshot patterns than a true cylinder bore. Slug grouping was unimpaired.

Here is a .410 cut off with a pipe cutter:

168523

[flashhole]

Responses to this thread have been very helpful.

[imashooter2]

It should also be noted that minimum OAL is 26 inches... Be sure no one shortened the stock before you cut the barrel.

[flashhole]

I'm thinking about modifying an Ithaca Model 37 12ga. A synthetic pistol grip and ringtail foregrip and the shortest legal barrel. I bought the gun new in 2000 as a limited edition run and it has been a pain in the butt trying to keep rust off the barrel and action. Something during the original bluing process did not go right. The company went into limbo about the same time and zero response from any communication I tried to make with them to correct the problems. Gun is mostly stripped of bluing at this point and I am thinking about a matte black Gun-Kote finish on the metal.

Turns out I inherited my fathers old Model 37 purchased new in 1951, I used to hunt with it when I was a teenager so the newer one I have can be changed to something else.

[woodsxdragon]

I've done it with a tubing cutter and took my time. I've done it with a fine tooth hacksaw blade.
The bead I've used a tdc level, a right angle block with a hole centered, and eyeballed it.
For finishing the end I've sanded by hand and chamfered/deburred with a drill.
It just depends how perfect and precise you want it.

[Duster340]

I used a stainless hose clamp as a guide. Move it to the desired length, crank it nice and tight, then use a fine tooth metal blade in my sawzall to slice off the barrel. Clean the cut w a flat file and finish with fine sandpaper, then rubbing compound. Have used this technique successfully on rifle and shotgun barrels. Obvioulsy crown the rifle barrels.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Chop saw and debur.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Chop saw and debur.

I made a 20" `House Gun` out of a CVA single barrel knock off of a Baretta single barrel single. A friend had a small machine shop with a nice metal saw. It did a clean square cut that needed little cleaning up afterward with a file. We drilled/tapped a hole for a large brass bead from Brownells for a front sight aiming point. That gun kicked like a mule before and after we did the work. As I said at the outset it is a `House Gun` that uses 00 buckshot to cover an area not a precision slug thrower.Robert