# sawed off shot gun...legal..?



## aquaholic2

Can anyone explain why cutting the barrel off of my old 20 gage is illegal..? Seems like that might make a great self defense weapon......


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## Brian87

Look up 
*2923.11 of the ohio revised code *


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## joebertin

I don't believe that it's illegal, unless the barrel is less than 18 inches. Before you start cutting, you might want to google Randy Weaver Ruby Ridge. From what I remember he cut a shotgun barrel 1/4 of an inch too short.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Ridge

Bare in mind that there is a lot of misinformation from all sources.

I don't know how long your barrel is, but I have a Remington 1187 with a 21 inch slug barrel that is really maneuverable in close quarters.


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## MuskyFan

It's not just a state law but a federal one as well. Mo sense getting yourself a firearm felony. Btw, Mad Max specials are illegal.


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## Farmhand

I believe it’s considered an other , or short Barrel firearm. You would need a tax stamp, however I don’t believe you can get one if you cut the barrel yourself so it would be illegal. Now you can buy a mad max shotgun with a short barrel and a pistol grip. However in the state of Ohio they are illegal to discharge at the moment. You can buy a sbr, or short barrel rifle with appropriate atf paperwork and shoot it. It’s all very confusing


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## Spike Dog

Or you can buy a taurus judge. A revolver handgun that fires 410 shells.


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## Muddy

Or just buy a hand gun. No reason to ruin a perfectly good shotgun.


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## texasrig

As long as it's 18 long your fine.


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## aquaholic2

texasrig said:


> As long as it's 18 long your fine.


Anyone have any idea why short barrels would be illegal....?


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## Saugeye Tom

aquaholic2 said:


> Anyone have any idea why short barrels would be illegal....?


My Guess is shot control...spreads fast and wide...collateral damage


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## Farmhand

You can legally purchase and own a pistol grip short barreled shot gun, you just can’t shoot it in ohio yet. Short barreled with a shoulder stock is a different story


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## porter

In 1934 they passed the NFA which made suppressors, automatic firearms, short barrel rifles and short shotguns require a $200 tax stamp. The Reasoning behind it was all of the mob criminal activity using such firearms. I guess it takes six months to receive your stamp and you will be the only person allowed to use it. There has been a bill in congress trying to remove suppressors from the NFA for quite some time but idiots keep shooting up schools and no politician will touch it. Hopefully they will bundle it in with a bump stock ban.


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## PapawSmith

aquaholic2 said:


> Anyone have any idea why short barrels would be illegal....?


I believe initially because you could conceal it like a handgun, along the side of your torso or down along your thigh, in the days when shotguns were as dominant a firearm as you could carry for close range encounters. One of those things that was just never adjusted to modern time is the way I understand it. A sawed of shotgun is still a pretty formidable weapon, against anything up close, if you think about it.


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## aquaholic2

PapawSmith said:


> I believe initially because you could conceal it like a handgun, along the side of your torso or down along your thigh, in the days when shotguns were as dominant a firearm as you could carry for close range encounters. One of those things that was just never adjusted to modern time is the way I understand it. A sawed of shotgun is still a pretty formidable weapon, against anything up close, if you think about it.


Just wondered with all this gun control talk....I'm wondering why nobody is complaining about sawed off shotguns being illegal...Sounds like gun control to me...I thought the 2nd A protected my right to keep and bear arms...?


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## Drm50

I have cut dozens of shotguns off. Most were done to build slug guns from standard length barrels
28"-30". Myself I don't like to cut down to 18" for slugs. 22"-24" seems to shoot better. I have
cut them to 18", but I never take any chances and actually cut 1/4" ti 3/8" longer just to avoid 
any hassle with regulations. 18" barrel-26" overall is the law. Short barrels on hunting shotguns
can be a handicap. At short range they can be a plus but when you get out 20+ yds that rabbit
or grouse can "hide" in the pattern. My favorite country western hunt anything shotgun is a old
97 Win that I saved 231/2" of barrel from a bubba job and had screw in choke put in. Short
barrel, full choke is a useful shotgun for about any game.


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## Farmhand

I don’t really worry about sawed off shotguns for self defense because i think in general it’s not a great choice. I’m sure a lot of people share that feeling or there would be more complaining about it. It’s a weird deal in ohio. You can buy a pistol grip short barreled shot gun , but because of some little thing that’s tied up you can’t shoot them. Seems stupid


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## Drm50

It makes no sense to me either. Their are several good guns made before the 1st gun control act
that still reqire a Federal Stamp. These guns would never be carried by bad guys, they have no
fire power compared to today's shotguns. Ithaca, H&R, Stevens, Marbel all made pistol type
shotguns. They were single & double guns. Petersoli is making a clone of the Ithaca Auto Burgular
gun that will fire 410 or 45colt, it's legal like a Judge. I think tag is around $2K.


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## MuskyFan

porter said:


> In 1934 they passed the NFA which made suppressors, automatic firearms, short barrel rifles and short shotguns require a $200 tax stamp. The Reasoning behind it was all of the mob criminal activity using such firearms. I guess it takes six months to receive your stamp and you will be the only person allowed to use it. There has been a bill in congress trying to remove suppressors from the NFA for quite some time but idiots keep shooting up schools and no politician will touch it. Hopefully they will bundle it in with a bump stock ban.


There's a group that now wants to ban muzzleloaders because you can put a "silencer" on it (???) and it shoots, , .50 cal bullets.

This would be the Mad max shotgun...quite a bit different than what we're "allowed"...


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## bobk

aquaholic2 said:


> Just wondered with all this gun control talk....I'm wondering why nobody is complaining about sawed off shotguns being illegal...Sounds like gun control to me...I thought the 2nd A protected my right to keep and bear arms...?


Back for more trolling I see. Nice spin on it this time.


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## joebertin

MuskyFan said:


> There's a group that now wants to ban muzzleloaders because you can put a "silencer" on it (???) and it shoots, , .50 cal bullets.
> 
> View attachment 256682


Yeah, I saw the interview on Fox with Tucker Carlson. Don't remember the guy's name. Gave me a good laugh, the guy is a complete idiot and knows nothing about firearms. A "smoke pole" with a silencer, real stealthy...


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## CFIden

I had this one built. Tula 120 12 gauge. 19" barrels, cut the stock down 2" and installed recoil pad.


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## Fishingisfun

I believe it is legal to diy cut a shotgun barrel down to the legal limit. The problem may arise when You and I measure 18" and call it good and another measures from a slightly different location and calls 17 7/8". As the previous poster stated follow the guidelines and your good. I believe most manufacturers specs will read some measurement of 18" plus some fraction. Imho it is not worth the potential problem of shaving off that last little bit and have a legal issue in for creating a illegal firearm. 
I watched a few videos of the new Mossberg 590 had held short barrel shotgun I believe it has a 14 inch barrel at the recent shot show. No tax stamp. I think the classification by ATF is NFA which made it not part of the 18" limit. A confusing designation of what we all believed to not fit the restrictions of the previous rule. I imagine the reaction the first time the new owner tries to explain the NFA designation while being processed.


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## fireline

https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/590-shockwave/


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## ezbite

bobk said:


> Back for more trolling I see. Nice spin on it this time.


SLAP!!! down goes aquaholic2 10..9..8..7..6.....


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