Thoughts on extending 15" barrel

[DonT]

Looking over my recent purchase, a SS Encore 3 barrel set (.308/.223.45-.410) got me thinking.

I like shooting rifles better than pistols but a long range pistol is fun at times also.   I am thinking that adding a 1.5 to 2.0" muzzle brake to .308 & .223 barrel that is permanently (pinned and silversoldered) attached would give me the length I needed to make a legal rifle barrel and would not add enough length or weight over the 15' barrel to make it too unweildly if I want to shoot with the pistol grip on it.

My thought is that the 15" (the brake should not effect speed or performance to speak of) tube is plenty for getting decent performance out of the .308 or .223 in a rifle setup out to 200 yards and still allow me the ability to "play with a long range pistol" if I choose.

Only reason I am thinking along these lines is that I have the barrels now and it would save having to layout more money for rifle barrels.  And I have a machinist son-in-law that is always looking for interesting projects so the cost would be minimal.

Well what do you think?  Be gentle as this is only a thought.

DonT

[tiggere]

your going to give up alot of velocity by going the short barrel rifle route...plus with the brakes they are quite loud...but if your only going to 200 yards go for it...

[kennisondan]

Since you already have the pistol barrels and want to legalize using them in rifle configuration... it is a good idea... and would drop the recoil on the larger ones as well.
I thought about that ....
dk

[woodchukhntr]

You might want to check on Federal and state regulations before you mate a lengthened barrel and pistol-gripped frame.  I believe that it is illegal to have a 16" barreled pistol just as it is to have a rifle barrel under 16".  In New York, the pistol barrel must be under 16".  I don't know who came up with that one since you have to have a permit to possess any pistol, and one with a long barrel is hard to conceal, and concealability is the reason for the permits  in the first place.

[DonT]

It is my understanding that a pistol barrel can be any length it is only the rifle and shotgun barrels that, if too short, get you into trouble.  As far as the state I live in there is no state regulations contrary to this, I cannot speak for other states though.

DonT

[tlyne]

May I express my opinion? I have seen this done through out the years. If you want a 16" rifle barrel sell; your pistol barrels and buy what you want. The problems you run into is you loose your T/C warranty and when you go to sell them alot of guys don't want somebodies home work. They will not sell at a price that you hope they would. The T/C warranty is worth about a 1/3 of the barrel's value.
My 2 cents. 

[Grumulkin]

The problems you run into is you loose your T/C warranty and when you go to sell them alot of guys don't want somebodies home work.

The way to get around this would be to send the barrel to T/C for their muzzle brake.  Last I knew, their brake was about $75 to $85 and wouldn't void the warranty.  Of course, that would be more expensive than having the work done free but you would make up for it in resale value.  I also don't buy other people's barrels that have had various sorts of nonfactory modifications done to them.

[DonT]

Thanks all great advice... Now I just need to find someone interested in trading SS medium weight rifle or carbine barrels for 15" pistol barrels... Well it's off to the WTB/WTT/WTS area...

Thanks again for the input..
DonT