can i cut my shotgun down?

[howitzer99]

I am looking at a mossberg 500 with a super long barrel. Can I cut it myself? as long as the barrel is over 18.5"? Do I have to change anything with the registration?
Thanks for any help with this.

 

[sgtdeath66]

not in the usa, but thats down here. have you checked out googling the ?,

 

[howitzer99]

ya but can only find it in the usa

 

[Ardent]

Yes, you absolutely can, though there's no point really... You can get a Maverick 88 Security with an 18" barrel (Mossberg 500 economy version), for about two hundred bucks. You are supposed the have the gun re-verified and the CFC will alter its registration info, there is no cost for this.

 

[Ardent]

PS, if for some reason you do decide to cut your own gun down, use a pipe cutter, not a hacksaw. A pipe cutter does a nice, clean job.

 

[howitzer99]

I am getting the moss 500 in a trade. So maybe i should sell the 500 and buy the 88, what about buying a shorter barrel? is that economy efficient?

 

[Ardent]

http://www.wholesalesports.com/onli...egory_id=10120008020253/~pcategory=1012000802

Yup, just sell the 500, it's worth far more intact. Cut it down, and you'll remove the choke, and the front bead sight. We call these "Bubba'd" guns, as in Bubba got to it. Pretty much nil market value cut down when you can buy a new 18" so cheap...

 

[howitzer99]

awesome thanks Ardent

 

[Ardent]

No sweat, cheers and good luck, the Mavericks are good made in the USA guns, don't let the price deceive you. Just low end finish, but for a short pump shotgun, doesn't matter. Usually a beat around gun anyhow.

 

[BAC4]

You could try selling your long barrel here on the EE and then picking up an
aftermarket barrel in the length that you require. Cheers Bac4

 

[t-star]

besides, getting the cut square , not leaving an edge( proper crowning) and re-mounting the front sight can be an absolute b*tch- i had an old 870 this was done to ( picked it up for 100 back in the 70's) and it shot "hollow" patterns- nothing that a NEW BARREL wouldn't fix, or had the job been done properly, but it shouldn't have to be re-done- and it case you don't know what hollow patterns are- nothing in the middle, the shot is all around the outside of the ring- how it does that i don't know , nor am i interested

 

[Covey Ridge]

PS, if for some reason you do decide to cut your own gun down, use a pipe cutter, not a hacksaw. A pipe cutter does a nice, clean job.

I'll second that! A friend did one for me and it is way better than the last couple hack jobs done by so called gun smiths.

 

[Publican]

Check Cabela's in Winnipeg or Western Gun Parts in Edmonton for a new 18.5inch barrel. Keep the 30" barrel for waterfowling. Now you have 2 guns for the price of a shorty. Barrel change on a Mossy 500 is 12 seconds if you only have one arm - faster if you have two (LOL).

 

[bjsgear]

18 1/2 Barrel

BUY ONE ONLINE USED, GUNBROKER.COM ABOUT $45 TO $60 POSTAGE ABOUT $18 ( us dollars of course)

 

[mcpiper]

I was in the same situation for awhile. I came across a well used 30 " barrel that someone had cut down to 18.5 " and reinstalled the front sight. Otherwise I was going to buy one from Cabella's/S.I.R. for around $100.00. It's nice that I still have the original barrel in case I want to go for bunnies or ducks.

 

[Covey Ridge]

and it case you don't know what hollow patterns are- nothing in the middle, the shot is all around the outside of the ring- how it does that i don't know , nor am i interested

I am not interested in fiction as well

 

[50AE]

Cut it with a freekin laser beam, yah, ok.

 

[senior]

I am not interested in fiction as well

I was thinkin the same thing

I used a chop saw to lob an old Ithica down to 20", worked excellent as a uplands grouse gun I guess I was fortunate to not have a grouse fly right in the middle of the pattern or it would have got away
Chop saw does a nice job & as long as you prep it in the saw vise it cuts it nice & straight & square. Last year I chopped it down to 16" length & welded 4" of Winny barrel w screw in chokes on the end as i wanted a little tighter pattern for wolves. It now shoots 8 pellots of Law Enforcement 00 buck into about 30" at 35 yards with the screw-in Mod choke.

 

[Ardent]

I'm going off topic, but it you're looking for bizarrely tight patterns, check out wad retarding chokes. It's almost like shooting a smoothbore musket at a target 9 times.