Shortening a rifle

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BRS9

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I searched, and couldn't find the answer to this one....

Let's say you have a (non-restricted) rimfire, or any rifle for that matter that you wanted to modify; shorten the barrel or the stock for one of your kids.

It would of course remain over the legal limit of 26 1/2". But seeing as they are now un-registered, can someone please clarify if there are issues around this?

The reggie certs specified barrel lengths etc, but is it now wide-open to cut them up as we please without having to record anything? Again - assuming the minimum overall-lengths are kept.

Thanks in advance for the input!
 
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To shorten a stock a small amount to fit a small statured person, Woman or Child is a standard recognized practice and is quite legal. In most cases, the 26 1/2 inch length applies to the barrel and receiver. If you shorten a BARREL then it is another ball game if it ends up under the minimum legal length. However, manufactured barrels for firearms do not seem to be affected by the short barrel law, just "sawed off" ones.

If you do shorten the butt stock a bit, keep the piece you cut off. They grow up fast, and you might need to re-attach it.
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The legal limits to maintain non-restricted classification are 660mm (25.98") OAL in the shortest firing configuration and 457mm (17.99") barrel length if cut to that length. If the barrel was manufactured to length (as opposed to being cut down) then there is no minimum length limit for a rimfire rifle.

OP, I don't know how you searched, but this comes up 2-3 times per week at least.


Mark
 
This is from a "sticky" which was one of the search results linked above,
Definition of a Prohibited Firearm
The Criminal Code states that a prohibited firearm is:

•a handgun with a barrel length of 105 mm 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.

If you read this carefully, it states that any alteration to a rifle or shotgun that leads to the barrel being less than 18" (restricted) classifies the firearm as prohibited.
Click to expand...
 
buffdog said:
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To shorten a stock a small amount to fit a small statured person, Woman or Child is a standard recognized practice and is quite legal. In most cases, the 26 1/2 inch length applies to the barrel and receiver. If you shorten a BARREL then it is another ball game if it ends up under the minimum legal length. However, manufactured barrels for firearms do not seem to be affected by the short barrel law, just "sawed off" ones.

If you do shorten the butt stock a bit, keep the piece you cut off. They grow up fast, and you might need to re-attach it.
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Click to expand...

This quoted info is partly INCORRECT. The overall minimum length of 26" applies to the WHOLE gun (including the stock) and NOT just to the barrel and receiver.

Regardless of the registry closing the rules and regulations pretaining to firearms and classifications (non-restricted, restricted, prohibited) have NOT changed. You cannot cut the factory barrel shorter than 18"... and you can cut the stock as much as you want as long as you MAINTAIN the minimum 26" length... You CAN buy a manufactured barrel shorter than 18" as long as you maintain the minimum 26" overall length.

The guns pictured below have 12.5" barrels with 2" muzzlebrakes and an overall length of 30.5"... I also have two new builds coming in, that have an overall length of 28";

0312.jpg
 
hoytcanon said:
This quoted info is partly INCORRECT. The overall minimum length of 26" applies to the WHOLE gun (including the stock) and NOT just to the barrel and receiver.

Regardless of the registry closing the rules and regulations pretaining to firearms and classifications (non-restricted, restricted, prohibited) have NOT changed. You cannot cut the factory barrel shorter than 18"... and you can cut the stock as much as you want as long as you MAINTAIN the minimum 26" length... You CAN buy a manufactured barrel shorter than 18" as long as you maintain the minimum 26" overall length.

The guns pictured below have 12.5" barrels with 2" muzzlebrakes and an overall length of 30.5"... I also have two new builds coming in, that have an overall length of 28";

0312.jpg
Click to expand...

You just posted to show off your 10/22's.:p I don't blame you, those are pretty.:cheers: I have a laminate stock problem developing, my last few stocks have been laminates. Those are Boyds?

Sorry for the thread pirating...:redface:
 
Thanks guys. I don't see all your weekly posts because I don't spend that much time here.

I do however get quite a chuckle at how incredibly insane our laws really are. How they make grown men argue on the internet over inches on a gun.... sad really lol


hoytcanon....those things are amazing!!! Let me know if you want to sell one!! :D
 
Something nobody here seems to have mentioned, legality aside, if you intend to shorten a barrel you will probably be sacrificing muzzle velocity and increasing both report and muzzle flash. I seem to recall that a .22 LR cartridge requires something like 16" of barrel to fully consume the powder and develop full velocity.
So basically your shell would have about the same velocity as a .22 air rifle. Seems a waste.
 
Onewarmguy said:
Something nobody here seems to have mentioned, legality aside, if you intend to shorten a barrel you will probably be sacrificing muzzle velocity and increasing both report and muzzle flash. I seem to recall that a .22 LR cartridge requires something like 16" of barrel to fully consume the powder and develop full velocity.
So basically your shell would have about the same velocity as a .22 air rifle. Seems a waste.
Click to expand...

There have been a number of tests posted that showed max velocity occurring from 12"-14" of barrel, so the penalty is minimal, if any. I don't think the people putting a 12" barrel on a 10/22 really care much about losing 25-50fps in the end.

Such as: http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22.html

They mostly tested the hyper velocity stuff, but the CCI 29gr CPRN and Winchester 40gr Super-X RN show what happens with the normal "high velocity" stuff. The CCI does 1114fps with an 18" barrel and 1074fps with a 12" barrel, while the Winchester made 1250fps with the 18" barrel and 1235fps with the 12" barrel. Note that the CCI doesn't drop below 1000fps until the 4" barrel length and the Winchester doesn't drop below 1000fps until the 3" barrel.

Even a short barrelled handgun is far more powerful than a .22 air rifle.


Mark
 
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