Shotgun Barrel Cut, how to measure the length?

t_102

t_102

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Hi all,

I am thinking of cutting the barrel of a shotgun to just above 18". What is the length that I should be measuring?

I heard that they measure it by closing the breech, put a stick into the barrel until it touches the breech face, which includes the chamber, is this right?

I am thinking of cutting it to 18.25" just to be safe. Any problems that I should be aware of? Anyone have experience doing so?

How would you guys refinish the exposed steel?
 
Just make sure you close the action....:) Our local firearms verifier (RCMP officer) didn't think of that when she was measuring one of my barrels! She also had to ask another officer how to unlock the action on a Remington 870....not sure how or why she was the firearms verifier at the detachment.
 
While it is legal to cut to 18" (and 18 1/4" would give you a margin of safety), I personally would go to perhaps 18 9/16 ~ 18 5/8", on the remote chance that your firearm will meet a LEO or inspection authority who is not perfectly aware of the arcane regulations concerning this at some time. You will likely not notice the additional 3/8" in practical use, and it could help you avoid unpleasantness. Your personal tolerance for risk will determine your choice.

Your measuring technique is spot on.

from the NFA.CA website at http://nfa.ca/resource-items/barrel-and-firearms-lengths

"LESS THAN 18.5"/470mm BARREL LENGTH RULES:

CC s. 84(1) "restricted firearm" (b): If a firearm has a barrel length less than 18.5"/470mm AND is centrefire AND is semi-automatic, that combination forces the firearm into the "restricted firearm" class. In such a case, IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW THE BARREL ARRIVED AT THAT LENGTH. The rule is the same regardless of how it ARRIVED at the too-short length -- but note carefully that this rule is overridden by the rule just below if the barrel is SHORTENED BY CUTTING IT DOWN OR BY SUBSTITUTION to less than 18"/457mm. That is a case of "the specific overrides the general."

Therefore, a Browning Auto-5 or Remington Model 11-87 shotgun with an 18-5/8"/474mm barrel is non-restricted. Cut the barrel to 18-1/4"/464mm and it becomes a "restricted firearm." Cut it again -- to 17-7/8"/454mm -- and it becomes a "prohibited firearm." It is amazing how cutting 3/8"/10mm rings off its barrel changes the basic character of the firearm, with less than an inch of overall length change!

If you then refit the firearm with a 20" barrel, it becomes a non-restricted firearm again. It doesn't HAVE to make sense, it's GOVERNMENT POLICY. LESS THAN 18"/457mm BARREL LENGTH RULES:

CC s. 84(1) "prohibited firearm" (d): If the barrel has been SHORTENED to less than 18"/457mm, after leaving the factory, "by sawing, cutting or ANY other alteration or modification" that forces the firearm into the "prohibited firearm" class.

NOTE: The firearm is NOT forced into the "prohibited firearm" class if it left the factory with the barrel at below-18"/457mm barrel length. I have, for example, a .22 rimfire semi-auto 30-shot rifle with a 9-3/4" barrel, a .410 single-shot shotgun with an 11-3/4" barrel, two 12-gauge pump-action shotguns with 14" barrels, a .22 rimfire pump-action rifle with a 17-7/8" custom barrel and a .223 calibre rifle with a 14" barrel -- AND ALL OF THEM ARE NON-RESTRICTED. THAT IS BECAUSE THEY EITHER LEFT THE FACTORY WITH THOSE BARRELS, OR WERE FITTED WITH FACTORY- OR CUSTOM-MADE BARRELS IN THOSE LENGTHS AT SOME LATER DATE, and were NEVER fitted with a longer barrel. One left the factory with NO barrel, and so a 14" barrel could be legally fitted.

My assembly of that collection of idiocy demonstrations was deliberate. The law apparently tried to prohibit certain lengths of barrel or firearm -- and failed miserably, because the limits are all conditional. Assembling the necessary parts to change one of your firearms into one of my above-noted configurations is something you can do as a hobby. It is a risky hobby. You may be forced to defend the legality of what you have, or have done, in a court of law -- at heavy expense -- because some police officer does NOT understand all the above technicalities. You may even be convicted -- because some JUDGE does not understand firearms law. Did YOU understand it before reading ALL of this posting? Are you SURE you understand the limits NOW?

It is IMPORTANT to understand what you can and cannot do."
 
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