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cbtalker205
Does anyone have a link to find in print the laws on shotgun length. I need print stating that it is legal by fed. law to posess a shotgun with a barrel measuring 18" and an overall length of 26". Just so I have it if it ever comes up. Thanks in advance.
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  • Nwcid
    I guess I am missing the WHY to this question. I am wondering what you are doing that you need to prove what is "commonly" known. Kinda like saying you need a link to the law that says even having a shotgun is legal. Or trying to prove that any gun is legal. I can not think of a time that would even be an issue. Now if you were asking less common stuff like NFA, 922r, 1989 import ban laws ect that would make more sense.


    With all that said here is the best I can do for you. First here is the ATF website, http://www.atf.gov/index.htm

    Here is how the ATF defines a shotgun, http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/nfa.htm

    Shotgun. A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of projectiles (ball shot) or a single projectile for each pull of the trigger, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire a fixed shotgun shell.

    Since the above link is for NFA Firearms here is what an NFA Firearm is:

    (a) Firearm. -- The term "firearm" means (1) a shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (2) a weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (5) any other weapon, as defined in subsection (e); (6) a machinegun; (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) a destructive device.

    So in a round about way if it is NOT an NFA (Title 2) item then it has to be a Title 1 ("normal") firearm. Make sense yet..... ATF is not straight forward most of the time. Most laws say that you can not do something. Very few laws can be found saying "this is legal" but the absence of being illegal makes is legal. Hows that for a brain twister [:)]

    Now for even more confusion here is a link to all the state laws: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/statelaws/
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  • cbtalker205
    I think thats just what I wanted. The only reason I asked is because I have a shotgun for home defense and The city police officers around here like to give hard times for these kinda things.
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  • Nwcid
    quote:Originally posted by cbtalker205
    The city police officers around here like to give hard times for these kinda things.


    Again the PD likes giving people a hard time about unquestionably legal guns?
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