how short can a guy legally chop a bolt action rifle barrel

i ask because i just picked up a remington 700 sps in .223, and plan on getting the barrel chopped and recrowned to a more compact length.

now, what would be the minimum barrel length a guy should cut to, keeping in mind that this is the factory non-heavy barrel, and i plan on using it as a general plinker and coyote gun and is not going to be used for ranges longer than 200 yards max.

would a guy lose too much velocity going to a 16 or 18" barrel length?

what would the velocity be of a .223 with a 16": barrel vs a 24"?

thanks
hutchster
 
18.5" is the shortest you can cut a barrel. You can buy a 16.5" ruger, but you can't make one...
 
blargon said:
18.5" is the shortest you can cut a barrel. You can buy a 16.5" ruger, but you can't make one...
Click to expand...

18.5" it will be then:)

btw, holding a tape measure at 16" it looked kinda funny anyways:redface:

also, i was quoted between 50 and $75.00 to chop and recrown the barrel, does that sound right?

thanks
hutchster
 
Bolt action rifle - 18inches from bolt face
Semi Auto - 18.5 from bolt face
Less - prohibited, alot of trouble.

If you want less than the 18 it needs to be manufactured that way (meaning you need a licenced manufacturer to make it).
 
blargon said:
18.5" is the shortest you can cut a barrel. You can buy a 16.5" ruger, but you can't make one...
Click to expand...

Blargon is correct... almost. Don't chop below 457mm (17.992") because the firearm in question is not a semi-auto. If it was a semi he would be right on the money. The length then is 470mm (18.503").

Any less than those lengths you will turn your gun into a prohib. Geologist makes a good point about keeping it longer than 665mm OAL (26.181"). Regardless of barrel length, shorter than that OAL and it is prohib as well.

Blargon is right in the fact that a manufacturer can make a barrel less than the length above. Only the OAL would apply in that case to keep it non-res.

I had to go to court to get all this BS straight. Make sure you don't have to as well....

EDIT: Dosing posted while I was writing the above. I like the way he put it.
 
Home cut barrels for anything has to be 18.5" otherwise it changes to restricted/prohib. factory barrels can be shorter if overall length is 26. some get around this somehow the henry kids guns are nowhere near 26" over all.

the number of people on the gun smithing forum that just don't know and are the first to post is going up at an alarming rate, someone is going to read the first response to their post and go do what it says and end up hurting themselves.
 
RCMP-CFC :

Non-restricted firearm
an ordinary rifle, shotgun or combination gun that is not described below as being restricted or prohibited.

Restricted firearm

a handgun that is not a prohibited firearm;
a semi-automatic, centre-fire rifle or shotgun with a barrel length less than 470 mm (18.5 inches) that is not prohibited;
a rifle or shotgun that can fire when its overall length is reduced by folding, telescoping or some other means to less than 660 mm (26 inches);
any firearm prescribed as restricted (including some long guns).


Prohibited firearm

a handgun with a barrel length of 105 mm (4.1 inches) or less;
a handgun designed or adapted to discharge 25 or 32 calibre ammunition;
a rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make it less than 660 mm (26 inches) in overall length; a rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make the barrel length less than 457 mm (18 inches) where the overall firearm length is 660 mm (26 inches) or more;
an automatic firearm and a converted automatic firearm;
any firearm prescribed as prohibited.
 
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