Hacking up a shotgun

[teecro]

Question that I have is this: Beyond practical reasons what is allowed by law to be done to a shotgun? How short can the barrels be and can the stock be shortened into a pistol grip? In Mi 18" was the shortest you could whack the barrels and you could not hack the stock into a pistol grip... You could on the other hand legally acquire an AOW which was purpose built from new without a stock. Just wondering where is TN in this reguard....

Edited February 9, 2015 by teecro

[Dolomite_supafly]

18" barrels are the federal law so there is no way to get below that with a "shotgun".

Now if you buy a shotgun that came from the factory with a pistol grip it is not considered a "shotgun", but is considered a "firearm", so there is not an 18" barrel requirement for "firearms". What is required is the "firearm" must be at least 26" long and cannot have a stock. So you can have a 14" barrel as long as the "firearm" is at least 26" long.

[dcloudy777]

File your Form 1 (I recommend a trust and using ATF's E-file), pay your $200 bucks, wait for it to be approved, and build whatever you want.

 

Otherwise it's barrels 18" or longer, AND overall length of 26" or longer.  There is the "firearm" exception that Dolomite mentioned above as well.

Edited February 9, 2015 by dcloudy777

[Dolomite_supafly]

And remember if you do pay for a stamp there is a difference between and AOW and a SBS. Both cost the same to make.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Dolomite_supafly

[teecro]

Thanks Guys, that is basically what I expected to hear; just wanted to make sure....

[dcloudy777]

And remember if you do pay for a stamp there is a difference between and AOW and a SBS. Both cost the same to make.

 

Yep.  AOWs are cheaper to transfer, but the same $200 stamp to make.  So really there's no sense in making an AOW for yourself.

[jeff43]

18" barrels are the federal law so there is no way to get below that with a "shotgun".

Now if you buy a shotgun that came from the factory with a pistol grip it is not considered a "shotgun", but is considered a "firearm", so there is not an 18" barrel requirement for "firearms". What is required is the "firearm" must be at least 26" long and cannot have a stock. So you can have a 14" barrel as long as the "firearm" is at least 26" long.

Is this something that has been changed lately about having a barrel under 18"as long as the overall length is 26" Edited February 9, 2015 by jeff43

[Keyless]

I have been wanting to do this for a long time but after the last mind changing bull on the Sig brace I figure all I have to do is build one and somehow they will change there mind ( like anyone in the ATF has a mind ) and then I will be stuck trying to follow some new rule . 

 

 But to answer the Question . It can never have had a stock . It MUST have been a PISTOL GRIP ONLY ( often called PGO ) firearm and it is then not listed as a shotgun but as a firearm . It can't be one of the combo's that comes with both the pistol grip and a stock . Because it is not a shotgun ( Just because it shoots shotgun shells , does not mean it is a shotgun ) and listed as a firearm or other or something but they are not called a shotgun , Then the 26" overall length is what keeps it from being an AOW and not an NFA weapon.

 

 Most are using the birds head grip to gain length and then the 14 " barrel . There was a parts lists for the Mossberg 500 on the Raptor grip web site but last time I looked I had trouble finding it . It has also been done on the Remington 870 . If you do one I am not sure I would want a stock that fits it anywhere close .

 

 I still think that it is a gray area and given the right situation you could still end up spending a night in jail and have a big headache on your hands . It is a loophole for now that most officers are not going to know about and that is not meant as a slam on the officers . With the way the rules change , who can keep up with them.  All they know is "Shotgun and 18" barrel anything shorter is illegal . All it takes is them to change the rules so that if it shoots shotgun shell it is a shotgun and you will have an illegal weapon . 

 

 I got as far as ordering the info packet on doing an NFA for one and just cant bring myself to pay the fee and wait for several month so that they will let me do something that I feel is only illegal because of an unconstitutional law . I do not agree with the whole NFA law . However I prefer to stay out of jail , so I do my best to abide with it and the stupid 922R . What we can afford should be the only limiting factor for the law abiding citizen . 

[runco]

I thought this thread was on someone getting sick.  In my area at the moment, the stomach bug is in full swing.  So hacking up a shotgun to me is like hacking up everything including the kitchen sink.  Oh, well ignore me and my post!  :rock:

[teecro]

I thought this thread was on someone getting sick.  In my area at the moment, the stomach bug is in full swing.  So hacking up a shotgun to me is like hacking up everything including the kitchen sink.  Oh, well ignore me and my post!  :rock:

 

Hey Runco sounds like you and my wife may have the same bug or you ate some of her chicken chill too?

 

Guess I'll just be keeping the inexpensive rabbit eared "coach gun" in its factory configeration... While I know it is silly I would just really like to have an old west looking sawed off shotgun with the stock whittled down to a nub...

[Dolomite_supafly]

ATF cannot make a ruling and change the "firearm" from a pistol grip shotgun on a whim. It is written in USC and is pretty black and white.

[Keyless]

good to know , Thanks . I still don't think it is worth the trouble it might end up being in the long run . If I was going to shorten one I would go ahead and do the NFA paperwork and go around 12" . Maybe someday but not now for me anyway . Too many other things higher on my list .