

Short-barreled, manually operated shotguns (non-semi-automatics) are non-restricted as long as the barrel remains unmodified from the original factory length. 410 bore shotguns may be of any length if they are original from the factory. Shotguns with smaller gauges do not have barrel length restrictions, even for single-shot or double-barrel pistols.
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Please improve this article by adding a reference.įor information about how to add references, see Template:Citation.ġ2-gauge shotguns with barrel lengths shorter than 24 inches (609 millimeters), are classified as weapons restricted to military and law enforcement only. This article does not contain any citations or references.

In some states, any alteration to the length of the barrel requires permission from the Chief Commissioner of Police. The following are the restrictions for specific nations.Ī shotgun may not have its barrel shortened so as to change the category under which that shotgun would be classified. Many nations have placed legal restrictions on sawed-off shotguns. Shotguns manufactured with barrels under the legal minimum length frequently fall into special categories. Repeating-fire shotguns with box magazines do not lose shell capacity when sawed off, but they are far less common than those with tubular magazines. Although the magazine can be shortened, with a corresponding loss in magazine capacity, such a modification tends to be considerably more technically complex, often involving large diameter square threading, and welding or silver soldering, at a bare minimum. Pump-action or semi-automatic shotguns have a tube magazine attached to the underside of the barrel which limits the minimum barrel length to slightly longer than the length of the magazine tube, when only the barrel is modified. This has a dramatic effect on double-barreled or single-shot shotguns because the barrel can be cut to any length. The term most genuinely applies to illegal weapons that are created by cutting off the barrel of a standard shotgun. Sawed-off shotguns might be made for a number of reasons, such as the reputation they have gained through portrayal in action movies and news reports of crime incidents. However, this practice is not limited to localities where handguns are difficult to obtain. For criminal organizations, the availability of standard hunting ammunition is another advantage of sawed-off shotguns. In countries where handguns are more costly or difficult to obtain, criminals might convert legally purchased or stolen shotguns into concealable weapons. However, a sawed-off shotgun is often an unofficial modification of a standard shotgun. Currently, aftermarket companies and Special Occupational Taxpayers exist that legally convert most name brand shotguns into such weapons, upon payment of either a $200.00 or $5.00 Federal fee for transferring ownership. have not offered sawed-off shotguns to the public since the early 1900s when shotguns with barrel lengths of under 18" were restricted, although they had been offered prior to that time without being illegally modified. To make shotguns less concealable, many jurisdictions have a minimum legal length for shotgun barrels.

For example, military vehicle crews, and entry teams running through doorways (see entry shotgun) often use them. Powerful and compact, the weapon is especially suitable for use in small spaces. Its reduced size makes it easier to maneuver and conceal. Compared to a standard shotgun, the sawed-off shotgun has a shorter effective range, due to a lower muzzle velocity and wider spread of shot.
