NFA Question

[Roland O'Gilead]

Alright - the 1934 National Firearms Act includes in the definition of class III weapons any weapon that fires more than bullet from the barrel per trigger pull (paraphrased). My question is, if I had a double-barreled gun that had a single trigger that shot both barrels simultaneously would this fall under class III? Not a full auto - just a single shot on each barrel. Do all double-barreled shotguns have two triggers?

Thanks.

[OJ]

No, your shotgun is not outlawed by only having one trigger under the NFA of 1934. Also, not all double berreled shotguns had two triggers. You are legal!!

:)

[Roland O'Gilead]

Are you sure? I feel like having two barrels fire simultaneously by one trigger is kind of getting into the grey area of the NFA. Can anyone with sufficient legal knowledge (lawyer, BATF agent, etc.) give me a reference or cite a court ruling in which this was the interpretation of the law? I would not be having a problem with this law in either case - this is a hypothetical question to settle a bet with a friend.

[k8ysv]

When you shoot shot (buckshot, birdshot etc) more than one projectile is leaving the barrel per trigger pull. I don't think that's the deciding factor. Then again I'm applying logic to the situation so I'm probably way off base.

It really is a gray area and could be argued at length, but I don't think they have your shotgun in mind as an NFA weapon. You could always call them and ask :)

[RenegadeGlocker]

OJ has it right.

Originally posted by Roland O'Gilead
...any weapon that fires more than bullet from the barrel per trigger pull (paraphrased). My question is, if I had a double-barreled gun that had a single trigger that shot both barrels simultaneously would this fall under class III?
Thanks.

Well according to your paraphrased NFA....even if it had 100 rifle barrels that fired simultaneously, with one trigger pull, it would still be legal. Because you would still have one bullet/barrel/trigger pull.

How much is the bet?

[Roger C]

Something more exotic, or modified, might fall into the "destructive device", or "Any Other Weapon" categories.

[OJ]

Hi Roland,
I'm sorry I didn't give more information on my post.

http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm

This is the web site for the ATF that will take you to the definitions.

I have one of those NFA weapons - a .410 pistol with a 12" barrel that I have owned since 1934. Reading from the back of the registration form show the following.

It had nothing to do with double barrel shotguns having a single trigger. Check the latest Gun Digest and it will show most double barrel shotguns have only one trigger. The restriction had to do with a weapon that would fire more than one shot with a "single function (pull) of the trigger" - thus a so called machine gun.

The only restriction on shotguns had to do with length of the barrel - 18" - and over all length - 26" - Both were minimum lengths.
Glad to help.

OJ KING, MD
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

:)