# Cutting Off a Shotgun



## buttplate (Nov 9, 2011)

I have been looking for a 20ga to cut off for about two months now and I got one from another member last night.

This is a Ted Williams shotgun made by High Standard for Sears. The gun has a vent rib and a PolyChoke. I could just saw it off but I would like to take advantage of the PolyChoke and reinstall it after the barrel is cut. I live in Monroe and could use the services of a gunsmith who is not going to charge a lot to do the job.

Any suggestions or recomendations?


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## stevetarget (Nov 9, 2011)

not going to charge a lot?
 This is a lot of work, the vent rib and choke will take a lot of hand fitting and silver soldering if done right, then you will likely need to re blue. A price of a  $150-$200 would not surprise me. Add more if re bluing.


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## Richard P (Nov 9, 2011)

Plan -B.  Find a plain barreled 20ga.  You can cut it yourself.


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## Gunplumber Mike (Nov 9, 2011)

buttplate said:


> I live in Monroe and could use the services of a gunsmith who is not going to charge a lot to do the job.



Reminds me of the old Melanie song from the 1960's "Jukebox":  . . . 'you only put in a nickel and you want a dollar song.'


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## buttplate (Nov 9, 2011)

*So Sorry*



stevetarget said:


> not going to charge a lot?
> This is a lot of work, the vent rib and choke will take a lot of hand fitting and silver soldering if done right, then you will likely need to re blue. A price of a  $150-$200 would not surprise me. Add more if re bluing.



Thank you Steve and Mike. When I made this post I had no intention of insinuating that I wanted some fine gunsmithing work for nothing, as I must have done. The fact is that I bought a $100 Sears pump shotgun with the intent of shortening the barrel and the stock to make a four wheeler snake gun. I have no intention of putting another $200 into it.  All I wanted was some help removing the PolyChoke and replacing it.  Rebluing will not be necessary as the entire weapon will have a homebrew (cheap) camo paint job.

I have been an active member of this site for many years and have always found the members to be very helpful to myself and each other.  I must have stumbled into the only area of this forum with folks who have an overpriced self-assessment of their opinions. I have no need for more input of this nature. Thank you for your input, I will look elsewhere for helpful advice, there seems to be none available here.


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## NOYDB (Nov 9, 2011)

Sensitive much?

1. When you dont' give full info in the beginning it leaves you open for others to misunderstand your intent.

2. So a couple people answer you in a way that doesn't make you feel warm all under so you'll leave a site You have been an "active member of for many years"? Really what about the other 60,000+ people here? Or for that matter what makes you think another site will be any better?

3. A gunsmith worth having do work for you is a professional. Starting out by stating you want someone cheap is in a sense insulting to gunsmiths. Might want to think about getting on a high horse when you started it.

You're not the injured party here.


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## stevetarget (Nov 9, 2011)

BUTTPLATE, 
I am sorry you did not care for my response to your question. 
 I quoted your statement  in the first line of my reply and  gave you my answer. I told you what had to be done and the approximate cost. I stand by my answer and do believe it to be accurate. It was indeed helpful advice although it was not the advice you wanted.

 PS. 
 Have you ever seen how far a  improperly installed poly choke will travel.
 let me quote one line of your latest post.
 "Fine gunsmithing work"?
  Why would anyone pay for any other kind.


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## buttplate (Nov 9, 2011)

NOYDB said:


> Sensitive much?
> 
> 1. When you dont' give full info in the beginning it leaves you open for others to misunderstand your intent.
> 
> ...



Sensitive much?!!

As I stated, I did not give enough information, my mistake.

As I also stated, no further input needed or wanted.

BTW, did I insinuate that I was injured, wow? 

One other point of clarification, I would not leave a great site because of some folks in one part of the site.

 at this point.


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## weagle (Nov 9, 2011)

Mike Orlene is your guy to do the work, even with shipping he's probably more economical than most gunsmiths,

You'll end with a quite expensive "cheap" shotgun if you pay to reinstall the polychoke.

My suggestion: cut the barrel off yourself or send it out to Mike to be shortened and screw in chokes installed.
BTW if you sign up as a member on shotgunworld.com Mike will give you the dealer pricing


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## buttplate (Nov 9, 2011)

*Thank you, Weagle*



weagle said:


> Mike Orlene is your guy to do the work, even with shipping he's probably more economical than most gunsmiths,
> 
> You'll end with a quite expensive "cheap" shotgun if you pay to reinstall the polychoke.
> 
> ...



Thank you Weagle. I just signed up for shotgunworld.com and will call him tomorrow.

For all others, this is the kind of advice that is helpful.


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## Gunplumber Mike (Nov 10, 2011)

Sorry we hurt your feelings, but your original post got the response it deserved.


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## buttplate (Nov 10, 2011)

*Response*



Gunplumber Mike said:


> Sorry we hurt your feelings, but your original post got the response it deserved.



Mike, you are incorrect on both. What my original post deserved from any helpful member was a request for some clarity, as I said; I realized that I had not provided enough information initially. The best response would have been a helpful one just such as the one that Weagle offered. BTW Weagle, I have a call into him now.

The other incorrect assumption is that any response from someone who is quick to jump on another member without knowing the facts, whether they should have been provided and weren’t or not, would ever "hurt my feelings". This is only another example of overvaluing your opinion. My feelings are just fine but thank you for being concerned about them.


    :swords:


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## ryano (Nov 10, 2011)

buttplate said:


> I must have stumbled into the only area of this forum with folks who have an overpriced self-assessment of their opinions.



Welcome to GON......the place is absolutely CRAWLING with people of this type


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## NOYDB (Nov 10, 2011)

Yeah, we know, it don't stink.


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## Dave in N GA (Nov 13, 2011)

Hey Guys, enough with the squabbling!  One thing you want to be very careful about it just how much barrel you remove. If you go so much as 1/4 inch too short you will have the Feds down on you. Please keep in mind this is how Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge fame) first got into trouble. I'm thinking 18" on the barrel and 26" overall are the magic numbers, but I could be wrong. Please look it up before you start down this road.


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## the r.o.c. (Nov 14, 2011)

i know a young man that took his shot gun to a gun smith to have it cut down and got locked up for it. the barrel length was right, but the overall was 1/4" short.


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## GunnSmokeer (Nov 14, 2011)

*Two COmments*

1 ---  Really?  He went to jail for a 1/4" error in measuring?
I'd like to know more details about this if you can share the info. Post here or PM me.


2--   OAL is especially important to watch out for when the shotgun has a pistol grip instead of a regular butt stock, or when the butt stock has been modified to be unusually short on the back end combined with the minimum 18" barrels up front and when the action type is break-open, not a pump or semi-auto.  Break-open guns have shorter actions so that makes barrel length and stock length more important.


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