Legal Minimums in MI?

musicnut01 · January 25, 2005, 03:58 PM

Hello all! Want to convert old NEF single shot 12ga into a drawer/under-the-bed home defense option. What is the minimum legal barrel length and the minimum overall length for a shotgun?

I just want to make something as short as possible becasue our home has exceptionally narrow halls and doorways.

Also, is it legal to just hack off the majority of the wooden stock to make it a pistol grip??

Thanks from a newbie!

-=Ben=-

WillBrayjr · January 25, 2005, 09:52 PM

Welcome!!!

The shortest a shotgun barrel can be without a Class 3 license is 18in. You can saw off the buttstock to the pistol grip. I do recommend you have a gunsmith cut the barrel.

gpannicke · January 25, 2005, 09:58 PM

Why have a gunsmith cut the barrel? I was considering doing this with a chop saw to an old Rem 870 I have, but I'm hesitant to do so because I can probably get an inexpensive used 18" barrel. Why ruin the old barrel, right? I'm also concerned about ruining the tempering of the barrel with the heat from the sawcut. But I really love throwing a wall of sparks with the chopsaw!

-G

WillBrayjr · January 25, 2005, 10:07 PM

Why have a gunsmith do it you ask. Simple, they have the right tool to do the cutting and I don't mean a hacksaw either. They'll cut it at 18.5in, the police may measure the barrel and even if it's a shade under 18in you'll end up in serious trouble.

musicnut01 · January 26, 2005, 10:06 AM

Thanks for the help everyone!! Much appreciated!

Also, (while I'm asking) is there minimum OVERALL length?

gordo b. · January 26, 2005, 11:19 AM

26.5" overall - go an inch longer! The way BATF measures barrels btw , is to drop a dowel down until it hits the breech in battery then they measure CAREFuLLY how far it went. Actually they have an officially calibrated dowell with the line of arrest less than exactly 18"!!. I always go 18.5" and 19" is better !

January 25, 2005, 03:58 PM	#1
musicnut01 Junior Member Join Date: January 6, 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3	Legal Minimums in MI? Hello all! Want to convert old NEF single shot 12ga into a drawer/under-the-bed home defense option. What is the minimum legal barrel length and the minimum overall length for a shotgun? I just want to make something as short as possible becasue our home has exceptionally narrow halls and doorways. Also, is it legal to just hack off the majority of the wooden stock to make it a pistol grip?? Thanks from a newbie! -=Ben=-

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January 25, 2005, 09:52 PM	#2
WillBrayjr Junior member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 1,881	Welcome!!! The shortest a shotgun barrel can be without a Class 3 license is 18in. You can saw off the buttstock to the pistol grip. I do recommend you have a gunsmith cut the barrel.

January 25, 2005, 09:58 PM	#3
gpannicke Junior Member Join Date: January 23, 2005 Posts: 8	Why have a gunsmith cut the barrel? I was considering doing this with a chop saw to an old Rem 870 I have, but I'm hesitant to do so because I can probably get an inexpensive used 18" barrel. Why ruin the old barrel, right? I'm also concerned about ruining the tempering of the barrel with the heat from the sawcut. But I really love throwing a wall of sparks with the chopsaw! -G

January 25, 2005, 10:07 PM	#4
WillBrayjr Junior member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 1,881	Why have a gunsmith do it you ask. Simple, they have the right tool to do the cutting and I don't mean a hacksaw either. They'll cut it at 18.5in, the police may measure the barrel and even if it's a shade under 18in you'll end up in serious trouble.

January 26, 2005, 10:06 AM	#5
musicnut01 Junior Member Join Date: January 6, 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3	Thanks for the help everyone!! Much appreciated! Also, (while I'm asking) is there minimum OVERALL length?

January 26, 2005, 11:19 AM	#6
gordo b. Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Location: Peoples republik of Calif. Posts: 961	26.5" overall - go an inch longer! The way BATF measures barrels btw , is to drop a dowel down until it hits the breech in battery then they measure CAREFuLLY how far it went. Actually they have an officially calibrated dowell with the line of arrest less than exactly 18"!!. I always go 18.5" and 19" is better !