# min length legal on shotgun barrel in ga?



## Allen Waters

cutting down a shotgun barrel tonight on a mossberg shotgun. what is the min length you can have in ga. and where to you measure from. Thanks.


----------



## Steven Farr

18" is the minimum length.  Measure the "exposed" barrel just to be safe.


----------



## JohnK3

The legal limit isn't set by Georgia.  It's set by Federal law, specifically, the National Firearms Act of 1934.

The barrel must be no less than 18" in length and the overall length of the shotgun must be no less than 26" in length.  Measure the barrel with a shell in the chamber from the front of the shell to the end of the barrel.  Most folks cut the barrel a tad long (about 1/2") in order to make SURE they are legal.

When measuring using the shell in the chamber approach, it is best to use a shell that has no primer or powder, but is crimped as if it were a live shell.  Then, take a dowel and drop it down the barrel until it meets the forward end of the shell.  Mark your dowel and pull it out to measure the barrel length.

If the ATFE ever wants to check your shotgun, they will perform a similar measurement.  If you have any questions, you can check the ATFE's web site for more information.  If you wish to make a shotgun shorter than 18" barrel/26" overall, you can do so, if you fill out the proper forms, get the approvals and pay the tax.  The ATFE has information on the process on their web site.


----------



## Allen Waters

thanks guys much appreciated!


----------



## Twenty five ought six

Using a shell in the chamber will give you a barrel that is longer than the minimum.

The chamber is part of the barrel.

Barrel measurements are made by inserting a dowel against the closed breech face.


----------



## Semi-Pro

I have heard both chamber and the breech, also looked on the atf site and found nothing.Lets produce some facts cause if u get caught with a short gun it ain't no slap on the wrist.


----------



## stevetarget

Twenty five ought six said:


> Using a shell in the chamber will give you a barrel that is longer than the minimum.
> 
> The chamber is part of the barrel.
> 
> Barrel measurements are made by inserting a dowel against the closed breech face.


 
 Correct.


----------



## firstwatch

what "IF" someone had a shotgun with a, lets just say 16" barrel. no firing pin, would it be legal to have possession of said gun, as long as it was not a usable weapon.


----------



## stevetarget

not according to the BATF agent I asked that question to. He said no firing pin does meet the requirements of disabled weapon. A welded plug in the barrel, a hole in the barrel or receiver cut in half counts as disabled. Its like owning a non registered full auto sear and just not keeping it in the gun. Still illegal
PS black powder does not count


----------



## firstwatch

useful info.


----------



## Luke0927

you could go pay the $200 and get your stamp and then you can have a can or SBR....lots of good things!


----------



## Twenty five ought six

> no firing pin, would it be legal to have possession of said gun, as long as it was not a usable weapon.



No, it would not be legal.  The following is from the ATF site:



> An unserviceable firearm is defined as one which is incapable of discharging a shot by means of an explosive and which is incapable of being readily restored to a firing condition.


----------



## gyppo

Look at the "factory" 16.25" rifles and 18.5" shotguns.
They are all measured from the face of the bolt to the end of the barrel plus anything "permanently attached". Colt,DPMS, Bushmaster, Mossberg and Remington can't all be wrong.


----------



## weagle

The legal measurement is from the bolt/breech face.  

Weagle.


----------



## Twenty five ought six

> _I have heard _both chamber and the breech, also looked on the atf site and found nothing.Lets produce some facts cause if u get caught with a short gun it ain't no slap on the wrist.
> Reply With Quote






> The legal measurement is from the bolt/breech face.
> 
> Weagle.



Are you sure.  We want FACTS!      

I heard that if you measure it with a metric ruler in centimeters it can be shorter than 16 inches.


----------



## olchevy

my local commisioner/gunshop owner said closed breach face, he said so there wouldnt be any questions in the future by leos just cut it 18.5-19'' EXPOSED, from upaginst the reciever to the muzzle, and remember dont cut it right on the 18 mark cause more than likely you will have to file it down to smooth it out. I just cut mine down today, acouple of hours ago to 18.2'' a simple pipe cutter, a flat Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- file, and a rounded file was all I needed, I would recomend aginst hacksaws because by using one you are just setting your self up for a crooked cut..


----------



## olchevy

that wasnt profanity thats what the file is called a B. a .s .t .a .r .d. file


----------



## 7MAGMIKE

Why not simply buy a factory 18" barrel.  I asked Randy Weaver this question when I met him many years ago.  Then there is no question about it.


----------



## Speakeasy

Good discussion, folks; good info. The short factory barrel that came with my Mossberg combo was 18.5".
Follow-up question. If (by some chance) a barrel got cut off too short, could it be made legal again by threading and adding a choke? Not that I've got one, just curious.


----------



## Twenty five ought six

> If (by some chance) a barrel got cut off too short, could it be made legal again by threading and adding a choke?



No.

First, if you possess the action and the barrel, even if separated, it's illegal.

But assuming that somehow you came into only possession of a barrel that was too short, and you wanted to make it legal, you can do so by _permanently_ putting an extension on it.  For example, you could silver solder a Cutts compensator to it.  Lead solder is not considered permanent.


----------



## EMC-GUN

"Lead solder is not considered permanent." Is this as per the ATFE? Just curious.


----------



## Outsydlooknin75

EMC .... yes ... lead solder melts at too low of a temperature .. If I remember correctly it needs a melting temp of over 1100 degrees to be considdered permanent.


----------



## Speakeasy

Thanks, Outsyd. Guess if I had one, I'd have to find a pipe threader and some silver solder... 'scuse me while I google for a Cutts compensator.


----------



## Dead Eye Eddy

I measured all of my factory barrels out of curiosity.  I closed the breach and dropped a dowel down the barrel and marked it.  The 18.5" barrel measured 18.5" (check), the 20" barrel measured 20" (check), the 21" barrel measured 21" (check), etc, etc, etc.  This proves to me that this is the proper way to measure a barrel.  

The quickest way is to measure from the front edge of the loading port to the end of the barrel.  All the measurements were within 1/4" that way.  If either method gives you a measurement less than 18", I'd throw that barrel away.


----------



## 7MAGMIKE

I've got a Mossberg 500 ATP bought in the 70's the original barrel that came with it was as measured from the muzzle to the closed  action bolt face at 18.0".  In the mid 80's I traded this barrel and magazine tube to a buddy of mine who wanted the short barrel and magazine tube, I wanted his 8 rd tube and 20" rifle sight barrel. I believe this was the original deer slayer barrel although it is a smooth bore.  It is very accurate to about 75 yds with Federal rifled slugs.


----------

