Legal shotgun length?

[Foxer]

So is there anything in writting from the CFC that states that installing a shorter after market barrel is not considered altering the gun?

I've heard it verbally from them several times, but i doubt you'll get anything in writing.

Dlask may have something for you along those lines. They went thru this debate before they started making replacement barrels. As a licensed manufacturer they can of course make barrels any length they want.

 

[waynesixgun]

Thanks Foxer

I guess as long as the registration card class is non-restricted it shoul be okay..but i want to purchase an 870 with an 18 inch barrel and switch to a 14 inch for hiking...so i guess as long as they dont consider that "altering" I should be good to go.

 

[Foxer]

I guess as long as the registration card class is non-restricted it shoul be okay..but i want to purchase an 870 with an 18 inch barrel and switch to a 14 inch for hiking...so i guess as long as they dont consider that "altering" I should be good to go.

It's especially easy on a shotgun to argue its' not 'altering' the gun, as it's specifically designed for fast and easy swapping of barrels. Hard to call it an 'alteration' when that's what the gun was designed to do

They just don't want people 'sawing off' guns to short barrel lengths.

The way it was explained to me is they don't want you altering an EXISTING part - but changing parts on a gun (which is normal in the course of owning a gun) is not the same thing.

 

[coltfan]

Be careful with taking legal advice from Foxer...or others on this site....

Anyone with almost 25,000 posts to a single website obviously has too much time on their hands and their opiinion should be taken with a grain of salt...unless he is prepared to pay for your legal bills, you should consider the advice worthless.

Call the experts, your CFO and the CFC...ask for references and things to print out that puts you at ease.

Listening to fat naked guy's on the net will get you in trouble

 

[Ardent]

Be careful with taking legal advice from Foxer...or others on this site....

Anyone with almost 25,000 posts to a single website obviously has too much time on their hands and their opiinion should be taken with a grain of salt...unless he is prepared to pay for your legal bills, you should consider the advice worthless.

Call the experts, your CFO and the CFC...ask for references and things to print out that puts you at ease.

Listening to fat naked guy's on the net will get you in trouble

I was looking for the sarcasm and I'm not finding it... You offer a valid sentiment in checking wih the rule makers, though the delivery is over the top.

 

[coltfan]

I was looking for the sarcasm and I'm not finding it... You offer a valid sentiment in checking wih the rule makers, though the delivery is over the top.

No sarcasm included.
Dispensing legal advice over the internet to people is just plain stupid.
Pointing people to government website links with info. is the right way to do it...

Quoting sources and letting people read and interperet is the right way to do it....posting advice as gospel is arrogant and ignorant.......

 

[m0nkyman]

Be careful with taking legal advice from Foxer...or others on this site....

Anyone with almost 25,000 posts to a single website obviously has too much time on their hands and their opiinion should be taken with a grain of salt...unless he is prepared to pay for your legal bills, you should consider the advice worthless.

Call the experts, your CFO and the CFC...ask for references and things to print out that puts you at ease.

Listening to fat naked guy's on the net will get you in trouble

Your first line is OK, and 100% correct. Taking legal advice from the internet is worth exactly what you paid for it. . The second line is an unwarranted personal attack on a member of this site who spends a lot of his time helping this site and Canadian firearms owners in general.

Cool it Coltfan.

 

[Calum]

What is the benefit of a shorter barrel?
Also what do you loose?

 

[Ardent]

Far easier to pack especially here in the BC bush as I'm pretty sure you'd be aware, faster to point, far far better if in a tumble with aggressive wildlife, and you give up virtually nothing as shotshell powder burns very quickly, the payload's up to speed very early. As well, a 12.5" 870 holds 4+1 same as standard. Same reason we go for carbines over rifles, except with less downside performance wise.

 

[waynesixgun]

Hey, If I ever get questioned, I will say that "Foxer said"....and be on my way.

 

[Foxer]

Hey, If I ever get questioned, I will say that "Foxer said"....and be on my way

Always works for me

As i said, dlask may give you some sort of case precedent, or some documentation as they did look into it. The CFC will likley not, other than to send you whatever official brocures they have at the moment.

Brushing aside the rather .. 'ahem'... questionable poster earlier, the fact is that much of the regulations are a little open to 'interpretation' and are left that way. if you like sometime i'll send you my recording of me asking the CFC and the firearms officers what constitutes 'keeping ammo seperate' from your firearm The only thing i can say is that if the CFC says it, and the Firearms officer says it, chances are that's the way it'll be interpreted. And that's what i've heard from them. (which i related to you earlier - had someone been paying a little more attention they would have noticed i was just passing on what i'd been told, not offering 'legal' advice on anything. )

 

[Calum]

Far easier to pack especially here in the BC bush as I'm pretty sure you'd be aware, faster to point, far far better if in a tumble with aggressive wildlife, and you give up virtually nothing as shotshell powder burns very quickly, the payload's up to speed very early. As well, a 12.5" 870 holds 4+1 same as standard. Same reason we go for carbines over rifles, except with less downside performance wise.

Hmmm so I could install an old fashioned poly choke to my 18.5" barrel and get some good use out of it?

 

[icedragonmx]

I cut down an old Winchester Model 37A 12ga to 18.75 inches. What a change in handling with the new setup! Swings sweet and fast and not nearly the same heavy front feel to it. Went from 30" so you can imagine the difference. Lost the full choke in the process, but for a slug shooting tin can blaster who cares. Now I just got to figure out a cheap dot sight mount for it. No complaints from me....Just wish Dlask would have called about that 12.5" barrel for a 870 I e-mailed him on. Can't wait.......

 

[RePete]

In order to keep you Shotgun non-restricted, the barrel must be at least 18.5" long, and the overall length must be 26".

Depending on your skills, tools, and knowledge, you can shorten the barrel yourself. Just make sure your comfortable doing it before you start.

That's only if YOU SHORTEN A BARREL.

You can buy as short as 8.5" but then OAL of 26" comes into play.

 

[Foxer]

That's only if YOU SHORTEN A BARREL.

You can buy as short as 8.5" but then OAL of 26" comes into play.

Repete is, of course, correct entirely. It should also be pointed out that a manufacturer can make a replacement barrel that is less than 18 inches and you can put that on - but you cannot have that same manufacturer shorten your existing barrel below 18 inches.

And it is about 18 inches btw - not 18.5. 18.5 is the minimum lenght of a semi-automatic barrel. There is no minimum for other actions - but you can't cut the existing barrel shorter than 18.