Trenton_Shotz
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How do you saw off a shotgun....what tools do you need??
How To Saw Off A 12 Ga. Shotgun
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XavierBreath
Member
Well.....the first thing you need is a tape measure at least 18 inches long.
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
A good sharp 1" size tubing cutter.
and measure from the bolt face not the edge of the action.
and measure from the bolt face not the edge of the action.
A heavy duty tubing cutter will hekp get a square cut (or at least more square)...May not be able to cut all the way through, but enough to score the barrel, then use hacksaw to "follow" the cut made... Then finish squariing with a good file...A deburring tool is handy but you can also clean up the cut with a file (half-round for inside, most any for the outside)...And, stay on the high side, 18 1/2 ", so as not to get in trouble with the feds.
dfariswheel
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Here's my instructions on how to do a good at-home barrel cut:
Unload the gun, close the bolt, and insert a cleaning rod down the bore.
Make SURE you have the rod all the way down to the bolt face.
Use a marker to mark the rod even with the muzzle.
Remove the rod, and measure off a MINIMUM of 18 1/2 inches, which is the minimum Federal length.
Lay the rod on the barrel with the first mark even with the muzzle, then mark the barrel at the second mark. This is the cut line.
STOP.
Do the entire measuring process AT LEAST two or three more times to be 100% SURE you've got it done right.
Measure and cut too short and you've violated Federal law and ruined a barrel.
Wrap a piece of tape around the barrel BELOW the cut mark, or use a tubing cutter to score a line around the barrel.
The tape or cutter will give you a square cut line around the barrel.
Use a fine-tooth hacksaw to make two or three shallow cuts on the line.
Rotate the barrel and make several more.
Continue to make shallow cuts and rotate the barrel until you have a line cut all the way around the barrel.
Then, just continue making shallow cuts and rotating the barrel until it's cut all the way through.
This insures that you get a nice square cut, without the saw drifting off at an angle.
This greatly reduces the chances of the muzzle not being square and having to do a lot of filing to square it.
After the barrel is cut off, use a fine-cut file to lightly break the sharp outer edges of the muzzle.
Use fine sand cloth over the ball of your thumb to lightly break the sharp inner edges of the muzzle, and to remove the saw marks from the front edge.
Tough up with cold blue.
New front sights are a little more complicated, and are probably best left to a gunsmith who can drill and tap the barrel for a new bead.
For an inside the home, home defense gun, no front sight is really needed.
Unload the gun, close the bolt, and insert a cleaning rod down the bore.
Make SURE you have the rod all the way down to the bolt face.
Use a marker to mark the rod even with the muzzle.
Remove the rod, and measure off a MINIMUM of 18 1/2 inches, which is the minimum Federal length.
Lay the rod on the barrel with the first mark even with the muzzle, then mark the barrel at the second mark. This is the cut line.
STOP.
Do the entire measuring process AT LEAST two or three more times to be 100% SURE you've got it done right.
Measure and cut too short and you've violated Federal law and ruined a barrel.
Wrap a piece of tape around the barrel BELOW the cut mark, or use a tubing cutter to score a line around the barrel.
The tape or cutter will give you a square cut line around the barrel.
Use a fine-tooth hacksaw to make two or three shallow cuts on the line.
Rotate the barrel and make several more.
Continue to make shallow cuts and rotate the barrel until you have a line cut all the way around the barrel.
Then, just continue making shallow cuts and rotating the barrel until it's cut all the way through.
This insures that you get a nice square cut, without the saw drifting off at an angle.
This greatly reduces the chances of the muzzle not being square and having to do a lot of filing to square it.
After the barrel is cut off, use a fine-cut file to lightly break the sharp outer edges of the muzzle.
Use fine sand cloth over the ball of your thumb to lightly break the sharp inner edges of the muzzle, and to remove the saw marks from the front edge.
Tough up with cold blue.
New front sights are a little more complicated, and are probably best left to a gunsmith who can drill and tap the barrel for a new bead.
For an inside the home, home defense gun, no front sight is really needed.
Trenton_Shotz
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I forgot to mention its a double barrel.....an whats "cold blue"?
if you don't care about legality just get you a pipe cutting tool and git-r-done. slap some quick blue on that bad boy where you cut it and maybe take a file to it to smooth off the rough edges.
cold blue is some birchwood casey wal-mart special firearms finish touch up.
not sure about using a pipe cutting tool on a double barrel, might check into a hacksaw or something
cold blue is some birchwood casey wal-mart special firearms finish touch up.
not sure about using a pipe cutting tool on a double barrel, might check into a hacksaw or something
pauli
Member
a double? that does change things, as my initial reaction is "buy a shorter barrel."
a pipe cutter should still be able to make some effective guide marks for you on a double.
a pipe cutter should still be able to make some effective guide marks for you on a double.
dfariswheel
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The precess for a double is about the same: Mark the barrel at the area you want to cut, then make a series of shallow cuts, turning the barrel, and continue until it's cut off.
To fill the gaps between the barrels, use one of the hardware store "liquid metals".
To fill the gaps between the barrels, use one of the hardware store "liquid metals".
Trenton_Shotz
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thanx everybody for your comments an help .....im going to get my hacksaw out an buy the cold blue an get started......whats good to use to keep it in place while im sawing it?.....
Hkmp5sd
Member
A padded vice.
ReadyontheRight
Member
Trenton -- I suggest possibly checking out the value of your double barrel before cutting it up. You could probably ask here on THR to check out its value.
You can get a good 18.5" home defense high capacity Mossberg, Remington or Winchester pump shotgun for around $200 - $300. Or you could get a used pump for a lot less.
Your double might be worth more than that.
You can get a good 18.5" home defense high capacity Mossberg, Remington or Winchester pump shotgun for around $200 - $300. Or you could get a used pump for a lot less.
Your double might be worth more than that.
From The Desk of Agent Schmuckatelli, ATF
Dear THRers,
Please continue your discussions regarding 'sawing off' shotguns and any other interesting topics you are known to pursue. (ref: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163763 ) Although this thread starter did not specifically ask how to do anything illegal, the whole topic provides useful soundbites and plenty of quotes that can be taken out of context and used to build a 'case of suspicion' around you which can only benefit the ultimate mission of my organization.
Regards,
S-
Dear THRers,
Please continue your discussions regarding 'sawing off' shotguns and any other interesting topics you are known to pursue. (ref: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163763 ) Although this thread starter did not specifically ask how to do anything illegal, the whole topic provides useful soundbites and plenty of quotes that can be taken out of context and used to build a 'case of suspicion' around you which can only benefit the ultimate mission of my organization.
Regards,
S-
shermacman
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Jam the shotty into the mud in your yard. Drive yer pickup with the flat tire on top of it, until the barrel is sticking up in the air. That'll hold it good.
el44vaquero
Member
Before you cut on it make sure the gun isn't worth a lot. Seen many hack jobs on doubles that would have been worth thousands. Best bet is to find a cheap double that is already short. You can even find some posts on here for the coach guns around $250-300.
Trenton_Shotz
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ReadyontheRight said:
I think you might be right...the double barrel i got looks like a classic....send me a link so i can check the value.....i havent done anything to it yet....the brand of it is Ansley H. Fox....if it is worth something how do i go about selling it???
Jagermeister
Moderator In Memoriam
I may be able to help you: Provide any markings on the gun. All markings. Brand, model and the marks on the water table after you remvoe the bbls.
you can reach me at:
http://firearmsinstitute.tripod.com
As far as cutting it down, I have two rocks in my front yard smarter than that, besides I agree with the ATF.
JM
you can reach me at:
http://firearmsinstitute.tripod.com
As far as cutting it down, I have two rocks in my front yard smarter than that, besides I agree with the ATF.
JM
CleverNickname
Member
355sigfan said:
Yeah, but what if you're just a tiny bit off and it's 17.9"? Leave an extra half inch.
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Around 1985, a rather stupid co worker showed me a family shotgun. It was an LC Smith, with pretty wood and some engraving. Unfortunately, he had chopped off the barrels to 18" as you intend.
I told him that if he had left it alone, it would be worth at least $1,000 and possibly more. Instead, he had a $200 gun that was not any better at HD than it would have been if he left it alone.
A double with 28" barrels is about as long OA as an 870 with a 20" tube. That last is oft considered nigh optimum for defensive use.
Ansley Fox shotguns are highly prized and go for more than LC Smiths. Sawing off one is bad Karma. Also, it's financially counterproductive.
Save up the couple hundred for a pump gun and leave this be, please.....
I told him that if he had left it alone, it would be worth at least $1,000 and possibly more. Instead, he had a $200 gun that was not any better at HD than it would have been if he left it alone.
A double with 28" barrels is about as long OA as an 870 with a 20" tube. That last is oft considered nigh optimum for defensive use.
Ansley Fox shotguns are highly prized and go for more than LC Smiths. Sawing off one is bad Karma. Also, it's financially counterproductive.
Save up the couple hundred for a pump gun and leave this be, please.....
12-34hom
Member
No Pat you're wrong,
20 inch is perfect. I have a Stevens 67L pump 12 that sports a twenty inch barrel. besides using it for a HD weapon - it serves as a duty weapon & if i wanted to hunt deer i could use it for that purpose also.
Can your 14 inch barrel shoot groups like this at 55 yards? And for what you paid for a tax stamp, i bought my gun for that +50.00 dollars more.
12-34hom
20 inch is perfect. I have a Stevens 67L pump 12 that sports a twenty inch barrel. besides using it for a HD weapon - it serves as a duty weapon & if i wanted to hunt deer i could use it for that purpose also.
Can your 14 inch barrel shoot groups like this at 55 yards? And for what you paid for a tax stamp, i bought my gun for that +50.00 dollars more.
12-34hom
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