Minimum legal rifle barrel length??

[Mamba_Driver]

Does anyone happen to know what the minimum legal barrel length for a rifle is?  I know that I have seen references to it here in the past but I'll be darned if I can find it again.  Also, is the length a federal issue/definition or is it state mandated?

Thanks all. 

Ron

[Spanky]

I think it's 16"

There is a minimum overall length for the rifle also but I'm not sure what it is.


Spanky

[quickdtoo]

Minimums are 16" for a rifle, 18" for a shotgun, 26" overall length of the firearm.

Tim

[SHOOTALL]

shotgun 18 bbl 28 oal
rifle 16 bbl 26 oal
if memory serves me correct ,
that is measured from a closed bolt face on such guns not sure about a revolving type action with a cyl.
the ATF site would most likely list it !

[quickdtoo]

Shotgun min length is 26" also.

Tim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawed-off_shotgun

[SHOOTALL]

quickdtoo , has it changed ?
i got a pistol grip kit a few years back that warned in the paper work to make sure the oal was not less than 28 inches for the shot gun after installation .

[quickdtoo]

You memory has slipped, I've had that happen too many times!!   26" is the min length.  See the technical specifications on the Midway link to the pistol grip in the link below.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,131653.msg1098491261.html#msg1098491261

Notes:

Must follow all B.A.T.F. rules for gun and barrel length. Not to be used with barrels shorter than 22 inches and gun must not be shorter than 26 inches overall.


 

[SHOOTALL]

guess i had a senior moment , i checked another site and found you 100% correct !
guess i can put a shorter bbl on !

[AZHoosier]

The following is taken from Federal Statues..... 18 USC Sec. 921 Definitions
*************************************************************

5) The term "shotgun" means 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 an

    explosive to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball

    shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

      (6) The term "short-barreled shotgun" means a shotgun having one

    or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length and any weapon

    made from a shotgun (whether by alteration, modification or

    otherwise) if such a weapon as modified has an overall length of

    less than twenty-six inches.

      (7) The term "rifle" means 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 an explosive

    to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each

    single pull of the trigger.

      (8 The term "short-barreled rifle" means a rifle having one or

    more barrels less than sixteen inches in length and any weapon made

    from a rifle (whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise) if

    such weapon, as modified, has an overall length of less than twenty-

    six inches.

[Mamba_Driver]

Thanks to all for the replies.  Just when I thought I was understanding it all,....  Along came the statutes,....      

Let me ask the basis for my original question in a little different light.  What I wanted to do was take an SB2 frame and have a barrel made via a barrel stub.  The new barrel would be approximately 16" in length, given the above guidelines.  I would like the option of replacing the butt stock with a pistol grip stock thereby making it significantly less than 26" in length.

Does this modified firearm now fall LEGALLY under the category of "short barreled rifle" as noted in the statute?   If not, is there a way to legally reclassify a firearm?  Can I have the new/modified firearm reclassified as a pistol (or something else, experimental or such) and register it as such?

Or,.... should I just forget this whole thing?   

I was really hoping to be able to put together a really fun/cool bench rest style (and LEGAL) hand cannon       What gave me the idea is that I was in a local shop here the other day and was playing with a Volquartsen  Cheetah .17 HMR.  It had a very blocky, chunky, cool looking appeal.  But at a $1400 pricetag, ouch   

Thanks again all for the indispensable advice and help

Ron

[AZHoosier]

A rifle as stated is "designed or redesigned to be shot from the shoulder." Removing or shortening the stock and having a pistol grip and the overall length of the weapon would make it an illegal weapon as it would be to short under the length guidelines and could no longer be shot from the shoulder. You stated you wanted to make a "hand Cannon" which is a totally different weapon than a rifle.   

As far as getting it re-designated as pistol would have to be done through BATF or whoever the powers to be that makes those types of determinations. I would make contact with BATF and see if it is possible to make such a modification to a rifle and have it reclassified. There has to be either a statute or ruling covering reclassification but I couldn't find it. So, I would contact BATF for a positive answer.  Contact them BEFORE you make the weapon. But, I'm sure you've already figured that out otherwise you wouldn't be asking the questions. It's possible they have a "Stamp" that you can purchase to make and possess the weapon.

If you find you can do the modification be sure and update us. And if you make it, Pictures, pictures, pictures. Best of luck to you. Sounds like an interesting project. What caliber are you thinking about?