sawed off shot guns myth or fact

k31 · November 19, 2010, 10:02 PM

can you really saw the barrel to shorten it or does it need to be done professionally
does cutting it with a saw leave slag or an edge in the barrel that will interfere with the pattern or possibly really hurt
yes all shortened barrel referred to in this thread will be and are no shorter than 18 3/4s just to be legally safe

oneounceload · November 19, 2010, 10:11 PM

Depends on the barrels - some are straight tubes that a hacksaw and file will work on....most are somewhat tapered, so some type of jig to allow you a square cut is necessary - otherwise your barrels will be off a little resulting in a difference between POI and POA

jmr40 · November 19, 2010, 10:15 PM

I've done a few. Leave enough extra so if you make a mistake you can make a second cut, and still be over the legal minimum length. I've always just used a hacksaw to make the cut. Shotgun barrel steel is quite soft and it is an easy cut. I then use a square and file to get the end of the barrel perfectly square and to remove any burrs. Touch up with cold blue. A 5 min. job from start to finish.

I prefer to use a gun with a vent rib. I cut at one of the rib posts. Then replace the front sight with one designed to clamp on the rib.

olddrum1 · November 22, 2010, 02:02 AM

Brownell's has a jig and crowning fixture that you can shorten the barrel with that makes for a professional look
CB

jhog1 · November 22, 2010, 02:19 PM

I cut an old Montgomery Wards pump gun with a tubing cutter when I was 17. Then drilled and tapped it to put the bead back on. I put masking tape around the barrel so not to scratch it with the tubing cutter. I couldn't believe how good it turned out

Hog Buster · November 22, 2010, 03:10 PM

Many, many years ago as a youngster I decided to cut the barrel down on an old single shot 12 gauge shotgun. The purpose was to get a larger pattern for hunting wood ducks in flooded timber. The gun was stamped full choke, so I got the hacksaw and whacked off about three quarters of an inch. Test fired it and there was no visible change in the pattern size, so I whacked a little more, still no change. I kept whacking and testing for about 8 inches and still saw no difference in pattern size. I finally gave up on a larger pattern, but did enjoy how quickly it pointed in between the trees after the barrel modifications.

OkieCruffler · November 22, 2010, 05:17 PM

One of the cheapest shotguns I ever bought was a MOssberg pump that a fella was trying to trim the barrel on. He couldn't seem to get it straight. After about the 4th cut he figured he better measure it and came up with about a 14" barrel. AFAIK that barrel is still at the bottom of a small body of water. I kept the reciever and bought a plain 28 inch barrel and carefully trimmed it myself to 19". So there's your answer, some can, some cain't.

**Mike Irwin** · November 22, 2010, 06:53 PM

A friend bulged the barrel on his single shot years ago. Can't remember how he did it, but it didn't look at all good, so we very carefully took about 3 inches off the barrel.

We rigged up a jig so that it would be a straight cut on his Dad's metal band saw and chopped away.

We recrowned it with a valve seat lapper and grinding compound and then lapped the inside of the barrel to remove any wire fines with a piece of split dowel rod in an electric drill with a strip of fine emery paper on it.

A little cold blue and it looked pretty good.

We didn't have any way of drilling and tapping the hole for the front bead so we used JB Weld or a similar epoxy.

Worked like a champ for several hunting seasons until it was stolen.

Magnum Wheel Man · November 22, 2010, 06:57 PM

"most" barrels have what ever choke at the muzzle end, & often cutting off enough to make a difference opens the pattern more than what is good...

double barrels will need some "fill" most of the time between the barrels...

but if you can cut it realitively square, & use a file set to touch up... maybe a round file to remove any burrs on the inside, often a cut barrel can be made to look stock...

I have an old folding 12 ga that I wanted the barrel cut closer to the same length as the stock when folded ( which was over 18" ) I also found an old style ( shorter ) poly choke & my local machinist threaded the end to fit the poly choke... it now fits into a very small case, I liken it to one of those sectional fishing poles, I can keep it in the truck, it doesn't look like a shotgun, because of how small it folds up, & with the poly choke, I can shoot from ducks to deer with it, if the oportunity arises...

this is a pic before I shortened the brrel, & added the poly choke & fiber optic bead ( guess I haven't taken one since the gun was completed )

November 19, 2010, 10:02 PM	#1
k31 Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2010 Location: utah for the time being Posts: 213	sawed off shot guns myth or fact can you really saw the barrel to shorten it or does it need to be done professionally does cutting it with a saw leave slag or an edge in the barrel that will interfere with the pattern or possibly really hurt yes all shortened barrel referred to in this thread will be and are no shorter than 18 3/4s just to be legally safe __________________ "the best shooting firearm is the firearm you shoot best" Tony Marr

November 22, 2010, 03:10 PM	#6
Hog Buster Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2009 Location: Pointe Coupee, Louisana Posts: 772	Many, many years ago as a youngster I decided to cut the barrel down on an old single shot 12 gauge shotgun. The purpose was to get a larger pattern for hunting wood ducks in flooded timber. The gun was stamped full choke, so I got the hacksaw and whacked off about three quarters of an inch. Test fired it and there was no visible change in the pattern size, so I whacked a little more, still no change. I kept whacking and testing for about 8 inches and still saw no difference in pattern size. I finally gave up on a larger pattern, but did enjoy how quickly it pointed in between the trees after the barrel modifications. __________________ Those who beat their guns into plows, will plow for those who don't.-Thomas Jefferson

November 22, 2010, 05:17 PM	#7
OkieCruffler Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2001 Location: Denison Texas on the banks of Texhoma Posts: 1,556	One of the cheapest shotguns I ever bought was a MOssberg pump that a fella was trying to trim the barrel on. He couldn't seem to get it straight. After about the 4th cut he figured he better measure it and came up with about a 14" barrel. AFAIK that barrel is still at the bottom of a small body of water. I kept the reciever and bought a plain 28 inch barrel and carefully trimmed it myself to 19". So there's your answer, some can, some cain't. __________________ John A. Monroe, Never Forgive, Never Forget, Blood Pays Blood

November 22, 2010, 06:53 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	A friend bulged the barrel on his single shot years ago. Can't remember how he did it, but it didn't look at all good, so we very carefully took about 3 inches off the barrel. We rigged up a jig so that it would be a straight cut on his Dad's metal band saw and chopped away. We recrowned it with a valve seat lapper and grinding compound and then lapped the inside of the barrel to remove any wire fines with a piece of split dowel rod in an electric drill with a strip of fine emery paper on it. A little cold blue and it looked pretty good. We didn't have any way of drilling and tapping the hole for the front bead so we used JB Weld or a similar epoxy. Worked like a champ for several hunting seasons until it was stolen. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 22, 2010, 06:57 PM	#9
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	"most" barrels have what ever choke at the muzzle end, & often cutting off enough to make a difference opens the pattern more than what is good... double barrels will need some "fill" most of the time between the barrels... but if you can cut it realitively square, & use a file set to touch up... maybe a round file to remove any burrs on the inside, often a cut barrel can be made to look stock... I have an old folding 12 ga that I wanted the barrel cut closer to the same length as the stock when folded ( which was over 18" ) I also found an old style ( shorter ) poly choke & my local machinist threaded the end to fit the poly choke... it now fits into a very small case, I liken it to one of those sectional fishing poles, I can keep it in the truck, it doesn't look like a shotgun, because of how small it folds up, & with the poly choke, I can shoot from ducks to deer with it, if the oportunity arises... this is a pic before I shortened the brrel, & added the poly choke & fiber optic bead ( guess I haven't taken one since the gun was completed ) __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

November 19, 2010, 10:11 PM	#2
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Depends on the barrels - some are straight tubes that a hacksaw and file will work on....most are somewhat tapered, so some type of jig to allow you a square cut is necessary - otherwise your barrels will be off a little resulting in a difference between POI and POA

November 19, 2010, 10:15 PM	#3
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,809	I've done a few. Leave enough extra so if you make a mistake you can make a second cut, and still be over the legal minimum length. I've always just used a hacksaw to make the cut. Shotgun barrel steel is quite soft and it is an easy cut. I then use a square and file to get the end of the barrel perfectly square and to remove any burrs. Touch up with cold blue. A 5 min. job from start to finish. I prefer to use a gun with a vent rib. I cut at one of the rib posts. Then replace the front sight with one designed to clamp on the rib.

November 22, 2010, 02:02 AM	#4
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	Brownell's has a jig and crowning fixture that you can shorten the barrel with that makes for a professional look CB

November 22, 2010, 02:19 PM	#5
jhog1 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2010 Location: Rensselaer Co NY Posts: 221	I cut an old Montgomery Wards pump gun with a tubing cutter when I was 17. Then drilled and tapped it to put the bead back on. I put masking tape around the barrel so not to scratch it with the tubing cutter. I couldn't believe how good it turned out