going to saw off a 22 rifle

B

Bart_Cook

New member
I want a 22 revolver something aweful, but instead I am going to have to settle with an el cheapo rifle. I am going to saw the barrel down real short (foot or something). I am using this for a trapline gun, so I will be really close to my target; therefore I don't have to worry about aiming. The accuracy couldn't be good on something like this can it? I would think that the muzzel would be way larger than needed and the bullets would randomly go in any direction. Has anyone ever done this? This is an insane idea, isn't it? It can't be even slightly accurate, even at 50 yds., could it?...

Any recommendations?

Too bad I couldn't make or order a shorter barrel.
 
not as insane as it could be. there are actually several books written on the subject, i think centered around the 10/22. some variations have folding stocks, very short barrels, etc. i'll try to see if i can find the title of the book.
 
Not even mentioning the legalities of such a thing....why would it have to be "accurate at 50 yards" for checking lines?

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I mostly run water sets and just throw a cheap chipmunk 22 in the packbasket. Never worried about shooting 50 yards, or even if I beat it up or let it rust....pretty much an "up close and personal" piece of gear when it's in use. It's not exactly a calling rifle..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Having a rifle with a barrel that short is illegal, if it is crowned square to the bore it may be very accurate, a shotgun may be a better choice than cutting up a good gun, or just live with it.
 
I think a rifle cut down to a pistol is legal as a pistol isn't it? I don't remember the details, but I think I've read about that 10/22 pistol conversion too, only in a gun magazine.

Any rifle you "sawed down" would really suck if that's what you really meant. Have a machinist cut and crown it on a lathe and it will likly be as accurate or better than before.
 
I could be wrong, but I think the illegal sawed off only applies to shotguns. I think that the 16" designates a rifle, and below that it is a pistol (and legal anywhere a pistol would be legal).
 
i think leon is right here. if it's cut short, it's not a rifle. if you look at your state regulations, it defines what a pistol is and what a rifle is. and a pistol with a full buttstock is still a pistol. i was under the impression that a cut-down rifle would be considered a pistol, and there may be a slight legality to jump through. i'm sure it can be done legally.
 
Doesn't the serial number designate whether it's a rifle or a pistol? If so changing from a rifle to a pistol may have some legal implications.
 
a rifle barrel cant be shorter than 16 inches, a shotgun cant be shorter than 18 inches. when remington decided to build a bolt action pistol they had to build a whole new action, not just put a short barrel on a model 700. you are allowed to put a long barrel on a pistol to make a rifle, that is what remington did to make the model 600, and model 7 from, the XP pistol action. doesnt make much sense to me either.
 
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i think leon is right here. if it's cut short, it's not a rifle. if you look at your state regulations, it defines what a pistol is and what a rifle is. and a pistol with a full buttstock is still a pistol. i was under the impression that a cut-down rifle would be considered a pistol, and there may be a slight legality to jump through. i'm sure it can be done legally.



Not a slight legality but an absolute no-no. Unless you want to spend a lot of money. And if you get the paperwork in the wrong order, you could be looking at 20 years in a federal prison.

The ATF has killed peoples wives and sons for doing less than what you are thinking about.

Jack
 
this is kind of almost off topic, but on the AR platform, you can get ultra-short barreled uppers, but the serial is on the lower receiver. how is this dealt with? the AR rifle can be converted to an AR pistol without much trouble, correct?

i was running on the assumption that the 22 rifle could be converted into a 22 pistol with some paperwork.
 
[quoteNot a slight legality but an absolute no-no. Unless you want to spend a lot of money. And if you get the paperwork in the wrong order, you could be looking at 20 years in a federal prison.

The ATF has killed peoples wives and sons for doing less than what you are thinking about.

Jack



They even baited them into it so they could get them to spy on White supremacist groups. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
A rifle is not defined by barrel length but by handle. If it has a stock it is a rifle and a rifle must have a barrel of 16 inches. Listen to Jack. You can go to jail big time for a stocked firearm with less than 16inches of barrel.
 
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A rifle is not defined by barrel length but by handle. If it has a stock it is a rifle and a rifle must have a barrel of 16 inches. Listen to Jack. You can go to jail big time for a stocked firearm with less than 16inches of barrel.



Yeah, Jack nailed it good. And, like has been said, why do that even if it was legal? Get a small cheap 22lr rifle to carry on a trapline (single shot). Thats all I used for years, worked just fine. Don't even think about altering any kind of firearm. There are enough configurations in firearms that are legal to meet every need.
 
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A rifle is not defined by barrel length but by handle. If it has a stock it is a rifle and a rifle must have a barrel of 16 inches. Listen to Jack. You can go to jail big time for a stocked firearm with less than 16inches of barrel.


here one that will get you in trouble also.you can not use a rifle stock with a pistol barrel on a encore or contender.
 
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OK, Campers...

Stop guessing. You give this poor guy badd info, and he will do 10 years in jail, while you are sitting home saying, "Gee, I guess I was wrong on that one".

This is the straight skinny on it.

Federal definition of a "rifle" is a firearm with a rifled barrel 16" or longer, with a total length of 26" or longer.

There is NOTHING in the laws that consider the "shape" of the stock. It can have only a pistol grip, with no butt, as long as it is 26" long.

A Shotgun is a firearm with a smooth bore and a barrel 18" or more, with a total length of 26" or longer", and the same thing applies to the stock (or lack thereof). The stock can be a pistol grip without a butt, as long as it is 26" long.

If you shorten the barrel of a firearm below the above length, "OR" you shorten the butt so the firearm (with a legal barrel) is shorter than 26" (in firing mode) you are in violation of the 1934 NFA... The National Firearms Act of 1934.

Violating the 1934 NFA entitles you to free meals and housing at the expense of the federal government for 10 years, AND THEY ARE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS STUFF!

Defending yourself in Federal court on a charge like this can cost over $100,000, with no guarantees of getting off.

If you want to shorten the barrel of a rifle or shotgun "legally", you must first apply for permission to "manufacture" a pistol from a rifle (or shotgun) from the feds, and pay for the necessary tax stamp.

It's expensive, and it places you in a complicated position - you can't sell it unless you go through a class 3 dealer and the buyer must pay $200 for another tax stamp... and you can't throw it away, and you MUST be able to account for it's whereabouts, or who you sold it to, for the rest of your life /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

It takes about 6 months to get the paper work done "IF" you have a squeekie clean record.

Also... urban myth - the Rem XP-100 was NOT developed first so it can be a pistol.

What determines whether a firearm is a pistol or a rifle is NOT what the action is, but how it is booked at the time of original manufacture/assembly.
If Rem takes a 700 action off the line and puts a 10" barrel on it, and logs it in their books as a pistol, AT THAT MOMENT, it becomes a pistol, and will ALWAYS BE A PISTOL. Further, if they put a 20" barrel on it and log it in as a pistol, it will ALWAYS BE A PISTOL.

I own a 44-40 lever action pistol called a "Mare's leg", which is built on a Rossi copy of a Winchester 1892 action, with a 12" barrel and a stock cut off at the hand grip.

But, because it was built on a brand new Rossi action that had not been booked as a rifle, it's first booking was a pistol, so it is legally a pistol and I can take it anywhere I want, that allows owning and/or carrying a pistol.

Cutting barrels is a very risky business if you don't know what you are doing - if you have any questions CALL the BATFE before doing ANYTHING.

.
 
1. Prison.

Thesaurus: penitentiary (US), slammer (slang), lockup (slang), bastille, brig (US slang), clink (slang), pen (US slang), stir (slang), hoosegow (US slang), reformatory, stockade (US), cooler (slang), detention centre, detention camp.

jailed, jailing
1. To imprison.

Thesaurus: confine, incarcerate, detain, impound, imprison, lock up, put behind bars, send down (slang), send up (US), send uptown (US), send up the river (US).


Don't do it unless you know the law to the letter.
Trashcan
DCC
 
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Sheesh..!!

Running a trap line from a federal prison cell can be very difficult.

To avoid that possibility, save up your money for awhile and buy a legally manufactured revolver from a licensed FFL dealer. Then you can enjoy what you are doing without worrying about black helicopters follwing you on your trap line. And you'll likley be able to hit what you point the revolver at with a little bit of practice.

I have a friend who is a teacher, and he often uses the phrase, "Sixteen will get you twenty". In our sport, a hacksaw and a firearm can get you more than twenty if you match the two up. It's simply not worth even thinking about doing it......

-BCB
 
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