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Minimum length barrel shotgun?

WCI
What is the minimum length barrel you can legally posses for a shot gun?
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10 comments

Date Votes
  • WCI
    And if the overall gun is a certain length does the barrel length no longer matter? Looking at one someone had offered me.
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  • fordsix
    full stock model 18" .. pistol grip depending what state it will be a pistol with 18" barrel..any shorter and it is NFA weapon
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  • Hawk Carse
    The US legal minimum barrel length for a shotgun is 18 inches.
    The US legal minimum overall length for a shotgun is 26 inches.
    BOTH apply to all shotguns.
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  • Nwcid
    As the others have said. For title 1 firearms Federal minimum length is 18" barrel 26" over all.

    If you get into title 2 firearms (NFA) they can be any length you like once you fill out the proper paperwork. But if you do that then they are no longer called shotguns.
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  • WCI
    Thank you to all. 50.00 for a 70.00 gun plus 200.00 tax stamp just soes not make sense.
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  • Nwcid
    quote:Originally posted by WCI
    Thank you to all. 50.00 for a 70.00 gun plus 200.00 tax stamp just soes not make sense.


    Sure it does, IF that is what you want.
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  • pietro75
    18" barrel 26" overall length was pounded into us at NRA class.
    Yes! 26" overall length as forementioned
    Guess we can google it!
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  • Txs
    It's a different story if the receiver has never been assembled into a non-NFA shotgun.

    A short barrel can be installed on such a receiver and it becomes an 'Any Other Weapon', which will run you only $5.00 for the transfer.
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:What is the minimum length barrel you can legally posses for a shot gun?

    Being a wiseacre, you can have any length BARREL you like. . .you only get into legal problems when said barrel is attached to the rest of the gun! (Or can be readily attached to a gun you possess).

    The serious answer depends on what jurisdiction you are in, as some states have specific rules other than Federal law.

    18" is the legal minimum barrel length for an ordinary shotgun per Federal law. Most people who reduce barrels cut them down to 18-1/4" or 18-1/2" just to be "safe".

    Less than that *MIGHT* still be legal depending on your jurisdiction, but will require special federal paperwork and taxes.

    Also, in some cases barrel extenders can be affixed to a gun and "count" for overall length, *IF* they are permanently mounted.

    For example, a gun with a 16" barrel, but (say) a 3" compensator permanently welded on the end might still be OK. This is more of an issue for rifles (with flash hiders, or compensators), but it might apply to a shotgun, in theory.

    Overall length of the gun is a separate requirement from barrel length.

    So you can't have a short barrel and make it up with a longer stock, for example.

    Lastly, some rifled guns can fire shotshells. So while not technically a shotgun, you could (for example) fire .410 shotshells from the Taurus "Judge" revolver (handgun).
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  • partisan
    18 inch.
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