First "Sawed-off" project

[Guest Nunya]

I am sure this has been asked and answered before, but darned if I can figure out how to conjure anything up with the forum search feature...

For a 12 gauge, what's the minimum legal length for the barrel and overall?

How do you measure barrel length to be legal?

[Mike]

18" measured from the bolt face.

[Guest Nunya]

Planning on "bubba-ing" a pistol grip out of the stock.

What's the limit on overall length?

Anything else I need to watch out for?

[Mike]

26" overall.

Unless you're just going for looks, I wouldn't reccommend the pistol grip. Nothing renders a shotgun more useless than a pistol grip. It interferes greatly with the aiming part.

If you want a short shotgun I would take the money you are going to be putting into this project and pay the $200 stamp for a short barrel shotgun. Well worth it.

[Grunt67]

Remember, once you "hack", you can't go back. I'd invest in another barrel of the length you want.

[Guest Nunya]

Thanks, guys. Maybe I'll just trade it off for something more fun.

[Guest Broomhead]

I've chopped 2 barrels on shotguns. The first, which was also the best, was a Mossberg 500A cut from 24" down to 18.5". The second, a Remington 870 Express Magnum, is the one I currently have and still need to square it up flush, cut from 26" down to 20".

Stick a large dowel down the barrel with the gun unloaded and bolt closed, that is how you measure it. Mark where the end of the barrel is, and pull it back out. Measure, subtract your desired length (minnimum 18", I'd recommend 18.5-18.75") mearsure and mark the desired length on the dowel. Now with the dowel on the outside of the barrel, line up the first mark with the muzzle and mark your desired length on the barrel.

To cut, use whatever you have. A dremel with cutoff wheels will eat through it like butter, but the small blade will make it difficult to make it square (my problem). I'd suggest a metal-cutting bandsaw, hacksaw, 3" or larger and gringer with a metal cutoff wheel. I used a 3" air cutoff wheel on the 500 and a Dremel on the 870. I'm going to recut the 870 with my 4" angle grinder.

If you screw it up, chuck it in the trash and invest in a new one then. No need to spend the money before you know if you need to. It's your gun to do with as you please, but remember a barrel less than 18" or an OAL length less than 26" could end you up in the Stoney Not-So-Lonesome with a bunkmate named Bubba.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Broomhead

[Guest Nunya]

Think I will start small with my NET single shot. Less than a hundred bucks to lose there.

[TNWNGR]

I've seen shotgun barrels cut down with hacksaws and bandsaws as well as a pipe cutter. I preferred the pipe cutter with tape because it was the least trouble to true up afterwards. When you measure make sure to cut it at 18.5" if you have to true up the cut the material is there to do it with.

[Guest alloyguitar]

I'd use either a bandsaw, as previously mentioned, or a large abrasive chop saw. With the latter it'd be easy to keep it square.

[Patton]

Pipe cutter is the preferred method. I have never understood the need for a barrel less than 18" for an extra $200. I have thought about a Serbu Shotgun which only needs a AOW $5 tax stamp. Just cut it at 19-20" as you you will never know the difference. Unless its used as a breaching gun, the pistol grip is about the most untactical setup one could want.

[Guest cardcutter]

If you want a cool looking and practical stock look at the retract ables that have a pistol grip as well. short for carry but a useful stock when needed.

[Guest Nunya]

I have abandonded this hapless pursuit.

Working on my handgun's instead!