Conversion of a Stoeger SxS stock 2 pistol grip

[Atomic_Dog9601]

Hello. I am currently in possession of a standard Stoeger SxS 12 gauge shotgun and am interested in the possibility of converting the stock to a birds head pistol grip stock. Essentially the same type we see on the Remington and Mossberg shockwaves. I HAVE NO INTENTION of sawing down the barrels and am only interested in modifying the stock.
My main concern is legality. The barrels are the legal 18.5" and overall the shotgun in it's current state is legal. My concern is if I were to alter the stock to the desired shape would this make the firearm a NFA item? Meaning before going foreword would I have to file with my local ATF office?
As stated previously I have no desire to shorten the barrels to below factory length. I simply want to know if I were to modify the included stock or alter a factory extra and then attached it would I be in violation of Federal Law?

 

[Atomic_Dog9601]

Hello. I am currently in possession of a standard Stoeger SxS 12 gauge shotgun and am interested in the possibility of converting the stock to a birds head pistol grip stock. Essentially the same type we see on the Remington and Mossberg shockwaves. I HAVE NO INTENTION of sawing down the barrels and am only interested in modifying the stock.
My main concern is legality. The barrels are the legal 18.5" and overall the shotgun in it's current state is legal. My concern is if I were to alter the stock to the desired shape would this make the firearm a NFA item? Meaning before going foreword would I have to file with my local ATF office?
As stated previously I have no desire to shorten the stocks to below factory length. I simply want to know if I were to modify the included stock or alter a factory extra and then attached it would I be in violation of Federal Law?

I Re-Measured. They have the 20" barrels not 18.5. The weapon was given to me by a friend and this is the information he gave. Don't know if this effects the final result. As I said I do not wish to modify the barrels.

 

[eastbank]

i think it has to have at least 18" barrels and be at least 27" over all. check ATF regulations

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Confirm the ATF regulations. You will be the one running the tape measure and dealing with the possible fallout if you get it wrong.

I would look to see if you can buy a birdhead to fit it rather than take the time to modify that stock. That way, if/when you go to sell it you'll get much more out of it with the original stock than a modified one which may appeal to a very limited group of people.

 

[Atomic_Dog9601]

i think it has to have at least 18" barrels and be at least 27" over all. check ATF regulations

You are right. Minimum length of a shotgun is 26" stock and barrels all together. I'll have to measure the stocks curved grip without including the shoulder piece to determine if I'd have the green light.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/sho...shotgun is a firearm,than 18 inches in length.

 

[Atomic_Dog9601]

Confirm the ATF regulations. You will be the one running the tape measure and dealing with the possible fallout if you get it wrong.

I would look to see if you can buy a birdhead to fit it rather than take the time to modify that stock. That way, if/when you go to sell it you'll get much more out of it with the original stock than a modified one which may appeal to a very limited group of people.

On the note of fallout. Is the best thing to do in the event of a mis-calculation, to just disassemble weapon and turn it over? To either local police or ATF? Or would I be inviting even more problems?

 

[George P]

You also need to consider the stock bolt; if it is a log one, it will interfere unless you cut it down or try to replace it with a shorter one. 18" barrel length 26" OAL keeps it legal

 

[Atomic_Dog9601]

You also need to consider the stock bolt; if it is a log one, it will interfere unless you cut it down or try to replace it with a shorter one. 18" barrel length 26" OAL keeps it legal

Right. I was thinking about that too. I know with most shoulder stocks the bolt usually ends at the grip but I've got little experience with stoeger firearms

 

[George P]

Once you pull off the buttplate, you'll know..........

 

[Carl N. Brown]

On the note of fallout. Is the best thing to do in the event of a mis-calculation, to just disassemble weapon and turn it over? To either local police or ATF? Or would I be inviting even more problems?

The best thing to do if you find you have a too short shotgun is to remove and destroy the too short part or have the too short part permanently lengthened by a gunsmith before you reassemble the gun. Barrels can be lengthened by permanent installation of a choke device or other barrel extention: by permanent attachment I mean it could only be removed by hacksaw or cutting torch. ATF publishes guidelines on what constitutes a permanent extension. If it's an honest unintentional mistake ATF regulators have guided people into compliance with the law.

You do not want ATF enforcement agents to catch you with all the parts to assemble an unregistered untaxed NFA firearm. That is considered as bad as having it fully assembled. At that point they assume criminal intent to evade the law and not comply with it.

The Sevier County auction house handling guns from police inventory often had shotguns without barrels obviously where the seized barrel length was under 18in. I saw listed lots with shotguns with complete stocks and action, no barrel.

 

[chicharrones]

You are right. Minimum length of a shotgun is 26" stock and barrels all together. I'll have to measure the stocks curved grip without including the shoulder piece to determine if I'd have the green light.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/shotgun-firearm-subject-nfa#:~:text=A shotgun is a firearm,than 18 inches in length.

If I remember correctly, the overall length is measured parallel to the bore of the barrel, like shown at this link.

If you measure at a diagonal from muzzle to the middle of the buttplate, the measurement will be wrong.

 

[George P]

If I remember correctly, the overall length is measured parallel to the bore of the barrel, like shown at this link.

If you measure at a diagonal from muzzle to the middle of the buttplate, the measurement will be wrong.

I didn't realize ACE was still in business - I bought many of their gun cases when I lived out West - that was 35+ years ago - and they're still going strong
Now back to our regularly scheduled thread posting..................

 

[12Bravo20]

As already stated. As long as the barrels are at least 18" long AND the overall length is at least 26" long, then the shotgun is still within the legal limits. You have to meet both length requirements.

You might not have enough length to stay above 26" OAL with a break action shotgun (single or double barrel) since the receiver is short. I do know that most pump action shotguns with an 18.5" barrel and pistol grip are over 26"