Barrel Length - The Everlasting Questions

Dirty Deeds

Dirty Deeds

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Hi Guys.

I haven't found a definitive answer to my question.

If I were to take my 18.5" factory barrel and silver solder a muzzle brake of 2.5" in length with a 1/2" overlap (for silver soldering purposes) would my barrel legally become 20.5"?

If the above is true, due to the fact that the muzzle brake can not be removed, then if I were to cut the barrel to 16.5" and add the 2.5" muzzle brake, the barrel would remain 18.5" after the work was done.

Am I correct or waaaaaay off? :confused:
 
It depends on who you ask. Many years ago, I extended a whole bunch of M1 Carbines by silver soldering a barrel extension on and it was considered to be OK by those who decided such things. The British Columbia Solicitor General contacted me and told me it was their opinion that this extension could not be considered part of the barrel and the extension was, therefor, illegal and I should desist. I invited them to take me to court then and we would see how it shook out. They declined to do so and I kept right on extending M1's. The RCMP even recommended my method as a viable means of de-restricting an M1 Carbine.
Ultimately, I believe it would take a court case to decide. One would have to show up with a barrel with the brake machined integral to the barrel and one with the brake silver soldered on. I'm quite sure the integral brake would be considered part of the barrel and, if you want to have an 18.5 inch barrel with a brake, that might be the way to go. Regards, Bill
 
I believe a few years ago they stopped authorizing the extension and declared a barrel required rifling to the end of the muzzle... It makes no sense whatever and I am with Bill on this... a court case will be required to decide if an permanent extension is part of a barrel. No one really wants to be charged and spend that kind of money...
 
Thanks guys.

So I would guess that since a shotgun barrel doesn't have any rifling, then there must be a law that states the barrel must be direct from the manufacturer and stated to be a certain length by the manufacturer?

If worst comes to worst I have two 18.5 barrels, I'll modify one and hold on to the other, just in case.
 
Years ago barrel length was not officially defined. Now it is.

Section 84(2) of the Criminal Code is quite clear:

Barrel length
(2) For the purposes of this Part, the length of a barrel of a firearm is
(a) in the case of a revolver, the distance from the muzzle of the barrel to the breach end immediately in front of the cylinder, and
(b) in any other case, the distance from the muzzle of the barrel to and including the chamber,
but does not include the length of any component, part or accessory including any component, part or accessory designed or intended to suppress the muzzle flash or reduce recoil.
 
So if we go by the letter of the law and you have a rifle with a 19.5" barrel with an overall length of 26" (if that is what it is to keep it non-restricted) and you have it ported, and lets just say the last port is at 18.5" then this would make the overall length 25" making the rifle restricted now?

Sorry to me the laws aren't all that clear. They leave way too much gray areas, or too much to interpretation.
 
Last edited:
"...would my barrel legally become 20.5"?..." No. Neither muzzle brakes nor flash hiders count as part of the barrel length.
"...Many years ago..." Many years ago they did count. After the carbine was declared restricted, in 1978, a permanently attached MB or FH was ok. Then it was decided(came from The Ontario Forensics guys at the time) that the extension had to be rifled, said rifling did not have to match the barrel either. Had mine done and de-restricted with no fuss. However, the Socialist F**ks changed that in the FA. Extensions, of any kind, don't count.
"...have it ported..." Porting doesn't add or remove anything from the barrel's length. The rifling isn't removed. Porting is just putting holes in the existing barrel.
 
Thanks for that Sunray.

I think I'll just order an 18.5" barrel with intergraded muzzle brake since it will run me $100 for the brake plus installation at what, another $75, for a total of $175 with the possibility of headaches. Especially when a new barrel will run me around $200-$250 without the headaches.

Thanks again guys for your experience and input, it was very much appreciated.

Cheers,
DD
 
ARWEN ACE said:
Years ago barrel length was not officially defined. Now it is.

Section 84(2) of the Criminal Code is quite clear:

Barrel length
(2) For the purposes of this Part, the length of a barrel of a firearm is
(a) in the case of a revolver, the distance from the muzzle of the barrel to the breach end immediately in front of the cylinder, and
(b) in any other case, the distance from the muzzle of the barrel to and including the chamber,
but does not include the length of any component, part or accessory including any component, part or accessory designed or intended to suppress the muzzle flash or reduce recoil.
Click to expand...
And they have further added the following regarding barrels;
It must appear to be an integral continuation of the barrel, and meet the
following specific parameters:
1. The newly created barrel must be free of any observable seams or discontinuities;
2. The newly created barrel would be an integral continuation of the original barrel having the same external and internal diameter and rifling, and be made of the same material;
3. Any addition to the barrel must be permanent; and,
4. In the case of a barrels being bored and sleeved, the addition must be permanent.

The part about being "free of any observable seams or discontinuities'" rules out having barrel extensions considered part of the barrel.
 
Like Sunray, I had a professionally extended barrel on an M-1 carbine. The extension was welded on, machined externally, the front sight key slot was milled and further foreward, the inside was rifled. Not rifled continuously with the original bore, I think a piece of 8mm barrel was used. It was essentially impossible to tell externally that the barrel had been altered. The work was first class, the front sight was in the correct position. Even looking through the barrel from the muzzle, it wasn't obvious - you had to focus just inside the muzzle, rather than look through the barrel. Anyway, I eventually removed the barrel and installed a new commercial 20" one.
If the extended barrel were reamed out and lined, it would qualify as over 18 1/2" under the current rules. I suppose it could be used for a .22 conversion.
 
All of the extensions I did were done with 8MM barrel, the joint was invisible. As I said before, my offer to be charged was declined so the courts never got involved. I even went so far as to call the RCMP detachment and tell them when I would be travelling home with the extended carbine in the car and they said, "So what?" Today, it might be different. I would be unconcerned about a barrel with the muzzle brake machined integrally but wouldn't chance an attached brake.
I have to be honest here; in the end, I don't really care since I will never be involved in this kind of modification anyway! Regards, Bill
 
One more point that was brought up'
if you port a berrel -say 18" and the porting is
at the 17" point, you still have a 18" barrel.
the porting does not change the length.
 
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