National Can I legally Convert A Shotgun To A Rifle?

[arakboss]

I am aware of the once a rifle always a rifle rule. Pistols on the other hand can go back and forth. What about shotguns, can I pin and weld a rifled 9mm sleeve in a shotgun barrel and legally convert the shotgun to a rifle? If that's legal, can I convert it back to a shotgun by removing the rifled sleeve?

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[Alexx1401]

Since earlier someone put up a link to an adapter to turn a shotgun into a rifle it sure looks like it must be good to go. The place offered them up to 18 inch and it sure looked like the adapter just goes in and can be taken back out. It looked pretty cool for what you are wanting to do as it was made for a break action. You could probably find a great old single shot break open shotty in a pawn shop or such cheap.

9mm Shotgun Adapters- Shotgun Adapters - https://chaszel.com

9mm Shotgun Adapters Allow a 12 Gauge Shotgun to use 9mm Auto or Luger Ammo.For 3″ Or 2.75″ ChambersCompatible with Break Action Shotgun

chaszel.com

 

[bcp]

Yes, mostly.

IIRC, the minimum barrel length on a shotgun is 18 inches, so you can't convert a 16 inch rifle barrel to a shotgun.

Bruce

 

[arakboss]

Since earlier someone put up a link to an adapter to turn a shotgun into a rifle it sure looks like it must be good to go. The place offered them up to 18 inch and it sure looked like the adapter just goes in and can be taken back out. It looked pretty cool for what you are wanting to do as it was made for a break action. You could probably find a great old single shot break open shotty in a pawn shop or such cheap.

9mm Shotgun Adapters- Shotgun Adapters - https://chaszel.com

9mm Shotgun Adapters Allow a 12 Gauge Shotgun to use 9mm Auto or Luger Ammo.For 3″ Or 2.75″ ChambersCompatible with Break Action Shotgun

chaszel.com

I own two break open 410s and one break open 20ga so it could be an easy way to make a break open 9mm, if it truly is legal. There have been some threads discussing chamber adapters in the past. The general consensus was that adding a chamber adapter does not change the classification of the firearm. Those discussions didn't involve pin and welding the chamber adapter which in my view would change the classification of the firearm from a shotgun to a rifle?

Assuming that pin and welding a chamber adapter in a shotgun barrel does legally change the classification from shotgun to rifle, a 410ga conversion would be simple. Slide in whatever length rifled adapter you want, pin and weld it and you're done.

If the chamber adapter was shorter than 16" in length (most of the cheap ones are) and you installed it in a shotgun with a bore larger than 50cal, you would have a problem. In a 20ga for example let's say you installed a 3 inch rifled adpater and pin and welded it. You now have a rifle but much of the bore is still at 20ga (over 50cal). The 16" chamber adapters are harder to find and more expensive. It might still be worthwhile for a 20ga or 12ga but if you cut the barrel down to 16", then it will be a rifle for life.

 

[arakboss]

I have not found any info that would indicate it is illegal to convert a shotgun to a rifle. I have seen many discussion about people doing this conversion. My belief is it's legal.

 

[EHJ]

I have not found any info that would indicate it is illegal to convert a shotgun to a rifle. I have seen many discussion about people doing this conversion. My belief is it's legal.

I always wondered how a 'rifled barreled' shotgun was still considered a shotgun...

Firearms - Guides - Importation & Verification of Firearms - National Firearms Act Definitions - Firearm | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Previous Page Download this Section Download the Guidebook Next Page Firearms Verification National Firearms Act Definitions Firearm 26 U.S.C.

www.atf.gov

"§ 5845(d) — The term "Shotgun" means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger. "

 

[arakboss]

I always wondered how a 'rifled barreled' shotgun was still considered a shotgun...

Firearms - Guides - Importation & Verification of Firearms - National Firearms Act Definitions - Firearm | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Previous Page Download this Section Download the Guidebook Next Page Firearms Verification National Firearms Act Definitions Firearm 26 U.S.C.

www.atf.gov

"§ 5845(d) — The term "Shotgun" means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger. "

I have wondered that too and still wonder about it.

 

[CapleGreen]

As with all things ATF, it's going to be nebulous and stupidly subjective. In referencing their "CHAPTER 2. WHAT ARE "FIREARMS" UNDER THE NFA?" document:

2.1.2 Weapon made from a shotgun. A weapon made from a shotgun is a shotgun type weapon that has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length.

It would seem to hinge on what a "shotgun type weapon" is, which the ATF has conveniently not deigned to define.

 

[RX-79G]

I think the main problem is going from a less restrictive (shotgun, rifle) to more restrictive classification (handgun, destructive device). Going in the other direction is not really a problem.

The ATF tech branch answers emails. However, I wouldn't be worried considering you can put a rifled adapter in a shotgun. If it was a problem, doing that would not be okay.

 

[gmerkt]

Think about this. Both H&R and later New England Firearms have made accessory barrels both centerfire and shotgun chamberings that could swap back and forth.

Rossi offers a convertible rifle / shotgun combination.

I don't think the above would be offered if it was illegal to convert from one category to another.

A side note, H&R never made an issue of what barrel could be used on what frame. Later, NEF advised it was okay to mount both shotgun and centerfire barrels on rifle frames. However, they advised shotgun and centerfire pistol barrels only on shotgun frames, no centerfire rifle barrels on shotgun frames. Rimfire barrels were okay on both. Shotgun frames were iron, rifle were steel. When NEF sold the accessory barrels, they required the frame be sent to the factory for fitting so their "advice" had an "requirement" angle for barrels newly bought.

 

[RX-79G]

Think about this. Both H&R and later New England Firearms have made accessory barrels both centerfire and shotgun chamberings that could swap back and forth.

Rossi offers a convertible rifle / shotgun combination.

I don't think the above would be offered if it was illegal to convert from one category to another.

A side note, H&R never made an issue of what barrel could be used on what frame. Later, NEF advised it was okay to mount both shotgun and centerfire barrels on rifle frames. However, they advised shotgun and centerfire pistol barrels only on shotgun frames, no centerfire rifle barrels on shotgun frames. Rimfire barrels were okay on both. Shotgun frames were iron, rifle were steel. When NEF sold the accessory barrels, they required the frame be sent to the factory for fitting so their "advice" had an "requirement" angle for barrels newly bought.

Keep in mind that the direction of conversion matters. If a Thompson came as a rifle/pistol kit, it is because its status is that of a pistol, not a rifle. If there was a problem converting between rifle and shotgun, the H&R would be okay because it would be classed as the more restrictive of the two categories.

I don't think there is a problem, I'm just pointing out that combo packs take their status from one of the two set ups.

 

[coop44]

I considered converting a double barrel shotgun to a double rifle for a while. But the problems with extraction and regulating the barrels are a bear. There are some inserts out there that look really cool, but are pricey.

 

[DunRanull]

FWIW when I lived in southern Michigan a lot of rifled 12 ga barrels for the 870 Rem were available and used. Extends the range and accuracy of the 12ga slug quite a bit, and many guys mounted shotgun scopes too..