Shotgun Pistol?

[SteelChickenShooter]

I had a customer ask me about a subject and I did not know what to say. I may find the answer here. This guy wants to mount a shotgun in some sort of a base or holder to his pickup truck. He has a carry permit that I presume allows him to have a pistol sitting on the seat if he wants. He wants a 12ga.
I'm sort of a layman in this regard, but my understanding is that if you had say a Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip. And it was registered as a "12 ga pistol". And you had a carry permit. Would that allow the 12ga shotgun (pistol grip) to be mounted in some sort of a base in open or plain sight in his truck? I think he wants a short shotgun in some sort of arrangement similar to how police have a short barrel shotgun on the transmission hump in their patrol car.

[derekb]

Every time I've seen a 'pistol' shotgun, it's been classed as an AOW,For example, or in some states as a 'short barreled shotgun.' I'm not aware of any configurations that treat a shotgun as a pistol, legally.

This will obviously depend on state laws, with which I am not generally familiar.

[Nitesites]

I think the barrel must have rifling in order to be considered a pistol. Short-barreled smooth bores are considered AOWs and require the $5 stamp. Anyone chime in if this is incorrect or incomplete.

No shoulder stock, pistol grip only...

[seansean1444]

check out the serbu super shorty

[SteelChickenShooter]

To clarify, the barrel is a standard 18.5 or 20 inch. The overall length is what matters. Lacking a regular stock, the overall length is short. Not the barrel.

[derekb]

I know mossberg sells a whole slew of shotguns with no shoulder stock, alone. I've never heard of any special laws regarding these shotguns.

[jaguarxk120]

The ATF regs are 26 inchs overall length. The barrel length must be 18" for shotgun or 16" for a rifle.

That said the local laws may superseed the federal regs., such as Michigan.

Any gun under 30 inch length is considered a pistol, smooth bore or rifle.

[zippy13]

IINM, the keep the feds happy, a pistol must have started life as a pistol, not converted from a long gun.

[tommy gunnz]

have him buy a turuas judge and run buck and ball ammo. there is shot gun out there i cant recall maker built for under cover agents three rounds of 12 guage with a fold out pump the size of a pistol. almost sure it will require specail paper work

[AKsRul.e]

Be Careful - most states don't allow you to carry a loaded weapon in your vehicle OTHER THAN a bonafide handgun ( also need permit in many states ).

A shotgun - now matter how short - is NOT a handgun.

[plumbernater]

tommy gunnz you beat me to the draw. My wife has a taurus judge and I call it her pocket book shot gun.

[madcratebuilder]

Originally Posted by AKsRul.e

Be Careful - most states don't allow you to carry a loaded weapon in your vehicle OTHER THAN a bonafide handgun ( also need permit in many states ).

A shotgun - now matter how short - is NOT a handgun.

+1
Every state is different but the states I'm familiar with here in the west do not allow you to have a loaded shot gun or rifle in your automobile. If you have a CC permit you can carry a hand gun on your person. You can't have it sitting on the seat or in the glove box.

[bigghoss]

Without getting a tax stamp there is no legal way to have a 12 gauge handgun.
for a handgun to be a handgun in the legal sense:
-it must have originally been registered as a handgun by the manufacturer
-the bore cannot be larger than .50 caliber
-it must have a rifled barrel
-it cannot have a stock
There are probably other criteria but these are the big ones that keep you from having 12ga pistol

You can get an AOW for a barrel shorter than 18" but it's still a shotgun so local laws will determine if and how you can carry one in a vehicle.

To clarify, the barrel is a standard 18.5 or 20 inch. The overall length is what matters. Lacking a regular stock, the overall length is short. Not the barrel.

Not sure if you mean he wants to mount a shotgun with an 18" barrel or if this is somehow in response to one of the other posts but on a pump you will usually be ok for OAL with and 18" barrel and pistol grip.

[johnwilliamson062]

For close range I prefer a rifled pattern out of 12 GA(but not 410).
Of course, I don't think you can have a rifled gun over .5 that is not a muzzle loader. Maybe with a detachable barrel as slug barrels are quite legal. I think this is why something crazy like a 20 GA judge doesn't exist(you know taurus would do it if they could).

[Bill DeShivs]

Some states, like Tennessee, consider a pistol gripped shotgun a pistol-at least when you are BUYING it.

[C0untZer0]

A 12-gauge shotgun which came from the factory with a pistol grip can be made into an AOW (Any Other Weapon) and can be transferred with a $5 stamp.

If the people at S&W were smarter they'd have created a 50 cal version of the Judge - slightly longer cylinder for the S&W 500 and made their own shells - I think it would be 37 gauge shotgun shells.

People who bought the Judge / Governor guns would buy them... it amounts to the largest caliber pistol you can fire shot through.

[C0untZer0]

When I actually calculated it, a S&W 500 would take 36.5835 gauge shells.

[SHNOMIDO]

someone should just make 37 gauge shotshells and let the pieces fall into play.

The manufacturers will draw up some "snubbie" .500's

The forum has had this discussion before, chicken or the egg. Both sides are scared to move.

There was talk about a 28 gauge judge, and the atf stepped in, then it went back and forth gonna happen, not gonna happen. Haven't heard anything about it in a while.

[bigghoss]

the 28 gauge raging judge is dead. ATF said no go since the bore is too big and they couldn't get a sporting exception.

I don't see why someone couldn't make .500 S&W buckshot shells, though personally I don't see much use for them.

[johnwilliamson062]

I believe the shot capacity of the pistol rounds is much lower than a true shotgun shell. Not sure, but it seems that way at least.