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legal shotgun bbl length please

bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭
edited March 2009 in Ask the Experts
using the gb search feature takes so long and never gets what i want, its faster to just ask for the zillionth time, what is legal length of a shotgun bbl? im having a clunker turned into riot use.
thanks.
Retired Naval Aviation
Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
Former NSSA All American
Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
MO, CT, VA.
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Comments

  • Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No shorter than 18" You might want to leave an extra 1/2" to be on the safe side.
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    It is measured by having the action closed and dropping a rod down the barrel.
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  • Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You certainly dont want to be Randy Weaver'd by some overzealous federal agents that want to come by your house and shoot your wife, son and dog.
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  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can legally have a barrel under 18" if you get the Federal AOW permit and paperwork.

    For a clunker, not worth it.

    Usually the defense type guns clock in at 18.5" and I think that's good practice.
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by beantownshootah
    You can legally have a barrel under 18" if you get the Federal AOW permit and paperwork.

    For a clunker, not worth it.

    Usually the defense type guns clock in at 18.5" and I think that's good practice.




    Yes, no, and other.

    The question was what is the legal length for a shotgun barrel. The answer IS 18" or longer.

    Then there are NFA items that require federal paperwork and approval.

    There is an AOW which in this case can be a shotgun that has NEVER had a stock on it with barrel (s) less then 18".

    Then there is an SBS that is a shotgun that has had the barrels cut to less then 18".

    And NO AOW and SBS are not interchangeable and can not be made from the same kind of gun.
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  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks guys. 20" will do the trick for this bbl.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
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  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    Thats where I cut all mine to bobski when they ask...
    No sense cutting it to close....
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  • D.DelozierD.Delozier Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    By closeing the action and dropping a rod down the bbl you are also includeing the chamber length. Is the chamber counted as part of the bbl.? Or should you measure from where chamber ends?
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by D.Delozier
    By closeing the action and dropping a rod down the bbl you are also includeing the chamber length. Is the chamber counted as part of the bbl.? Or should you measure from where chamber ends?


    Anything that is an attached part of the barrel is considered in length. You could have a 2" barrel and 14" (rifle) or 16" (shotgun) non removable tube attached and be legal. The chamber is part of the barrel.




    ATF Standard Method to Measure Barrel Lengths:

    This is ATF's standard method for measuring the length of gun barrels - it has been documented to be the case for shotguns and rifles. I haven't found anything stating that this is the standard method for handguns, but technically it should be fine.

    Procedure:
    Unload the weapon.
    Close the action.
    Cock the action (this is important - unless cocked, the firing pin may protrude from the bolt face and may not provide the correct measurement.
    Run a dowel rod of approximately the bore diameter, down the barrel.

    When the rod is down as far as it will go, mark the spot where the barrel and any permanently mounted attachments end on the rod. Screwed-on attachments do not count.
    Measure the length of the rod between the mark you just made, and the end which you ran down the barrel.

    In practice, unless you're pushing really close to a minimum length limit, you could just use a cleaning rod in place of a dowel. But if you're close, you should get a rod of the same diameter as the barrel. On shotguns especially, it's possible for a slightly-angled rod to measure a longer distance than a rod of the correct diameter.
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  • pietro75pietro75 Member Posts: 7,048 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bobski
    thanks guys. 20" will do the trick for this bbl.

    Bobski-

    I think you are good w/ 20" bbl this way you can have a tube extension to hold more shells. My 18" is a bummer cause of less ammo capacity.
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  • Mzone65Mzone65 Member Posts: 1 ✭

    so besides barrel length of over 18" what about overall length (?) and can they or can't they have detachable clips/magazines ??

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  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2021

    Over all length must be more than 26 inches. Detachable magazines play no part in the National Forearms Act.

    All threads are locked at 10 posts in Ask The Experts.

    https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/1856967/why-threads-are-locked-at-10-posts#latest

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This discussion has been closed.