Shotgun Legality
I was reading another topic down the line and it got me thinking. The author was asking about attaching a foregrip to a pistol, but I was thinking about my shotgun. I bought the shotgun three years ago, and in a matter of about a week I put pistol grips on it, front and rear. I've had it like that ever since. But last month, one of my friends was trying to talk to a dealer about doing the same thing and they told him was illegal. Now, this dealer is an idiot, but is he right about this? Everyone else says you can do whatever you want as long as the barrel isn't shorter than 18 inches. It just seems strange to me that he would tell someone this if it isn't true. But then again, like I said, he's an idiot.
" God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "
" God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "
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There is also an overall length requirement as well. 0 -
Well, it's a pump-action Remington 870 Express Magnum. I'd have to check the overall length on it, but I'm sure it makes it because of its longer barrel. I love that thing, though. I put a rear grip on it first, then decided to add the front one after taking the butt of the gun right in the mouth! I guess when I get home I'll have to bust out the yardstick.
" God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "0 -
Recently sold a Mossberg 500 that had a pistol grip foreend. Was really kinda awkward to function. Guess you could get used to it tho.
Oh yea, if you decide to cut the bbl never go less than 18 1/4 (I prefer 18 1/2) just in case the AFT agent's tape measure measures a little different than yours cause if ya go to court they gonna go by his.
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The Almighty Himself Entrusted the Future of All Living Creatures to a Wooden Boat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
Edited by - Pelican on 09/11/2002 09:53:160 -
Saxonpig hit the nail on the head when he mentioned pump or semi.
According to BATF you could do anything you want to a pump action shotgun except cut the barrel under 18" or removing serial #.0 -
I wondered how long it would take for this to pop up. The front grip issue that was discussed in the other post were for a PISTOL, a firearm intended held and fired with one hand- there for it need have only one grip...although you can certainly place two hands on the one grip if you please. SHOTGUNS are designed and intended to be fired with TWO HANDS...although one hand is allowed! This is the difference. If you remove the stock from a shotgun it still remains a shotgun because it was designed as such and simply removing the stock does not change this. Practically all pump action shotguns have some type of front grip for manipulating the action and it makes no difference in the law what type of grip, pistol grip or not, that the shotgun uses.
Many people have already cautioned that the over all length must not drop below 26" and the barrel must be at least 18" as well. If you fall below these guide lines you have created a short barreled shotgun and must register it and pay the $200 National Firearms Act tax. Pelican is quite right when he says that front pistol grips are awkward to manipulate. Most people intstall the front grip and show their friends how nasty their new gun looks. After shooting it once they remove the grip, never to be used again.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!"
Mark T. Christian0 -
I don't mind the front grip. I had the rear one on first, and tried firing like that. I couldn't hit anything- even with a shotgun. So, I decided to try aiming from the shoulder rather than the hip and took the butt of my gun right in the mouth. The front grip is more for control. For some reason, with it on, I can hit things while firing from the hip. Oh, yeah, and it looks nasty!
" God is in His Heaven, All is Right in the World. "0
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