Suggestions on shortening shotgun barrel

[c133jim]

I would like to shorten a Remington 870 barrel to 18" or 20". Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this to achieve a nice neat straight cut? Just use a hacksaw? If I'm able to find one with a ventilated rib, would that create other problems? I just want to use it for the house so I guess I won't need a site.

[alwaysshootin]

God just please don't pull a Randy Weaver!

[noway]

;m

You might be better off getting a bbl off ebay. 18-20" goes all of the time and sometime in the 4sale forum this site. This way you keep your bird bbl for bird hunting or whatever you do with it. Worst case you can sell it and cover the cost of the 18-20 smothbore bbl and offset your cost or be a equal trade-up.


now you can cut a v/r bbl but then you have no bead sight to aim from and only a rib to sight down. Not sure as to how much of a problem for you and your shooting styles or intentions

Yes you can use a hacksaw or a cutoff saw. You will need a good padded vise, go slow, try to stay square with the end and chamfer the cut after you cut the bbl and then reblue that area.

[Allman]

Best way is to use a lathe. A machine shop could do this for you, or a Gunsmith, if you don't have access to one. Small machine shop would probably be cheaper (takes, maybe, five minutes).

I've cut several, and a hacksaw is really difficult to keep squared, a bandsaw works pretty well but you need to make sure the bore is square to the blade (the taper will cause an angled cut if you just lay it flat on the table). Last one I did, before deciding on lathe work for the future, I did by using a plumbers tubing cutter. You need to be a bit careful to tighten it lightly and guide it for the first few turns (till it starts cutting a groove that will continue to guide it) to be sure it doesn't screw itself down the barrel taper, but it cuts straight and true if you start it carefully. A quick finish of the cut end with a file to remove the final litle burr, some sanding to smooth the end and round it slightly, quick wipe with some cold blue, and you get a really perfect, professional quality job. Takes about a half hour first time, maybe fifteen minutes if you are confident and go quickly.

The cutter needs to be somewhat above bottom end (walmart) quality, but doesn't need to be a professional plumbing grade one.

Needless to say, be carefull not ot mis-meassure the length and make an illegal gun.

[c133jim]

Thanks guys for all your help. I'll let you know how I make out.

[Blitzer]

Originally posted by c133jim
Thanks guys for all your help. I'll let you know how I make out.

In my experience:

Be sure anyone you have "help" is good.

Be sure to ream the opening of the barrel after you use a pipe cutter, it make a major ridge where it cuts. Not a recomended method in my book as I had to have an FFL shop remove an 1/16" ridge from my "new" barrel someone butchered.

I was "told" that a machine shop the does not have an FFL would be on thin ice working on any part of a gun.

I was told by my best FFL that non-FFL shops are NOT to work on guns.

I had another FFL machinist put three scratches and minor dents in my old Italian single shot 12ga barrel, when he tried to use a lathe. I had picked it up for a trunk gun. He also managed to put a major gouge inside the muzzle when he finally used a band saw to hack off the barrel and he did a real poor effort in squaring the muzzle!
I think I gave it to someone just to get it out of my sight!

:soap: :soap: :soap: :soap: :soap: :soap: :soap:

[VN350X10]

RE: a non-FFL working on a gun.....

solution....just take the barrel. It's not the "gun". in this case, all the shop is doing is cutting off a pipe. If you keep the reciever in your possesion, you haven't given them the "gun".


#2) as far as using a pipe cutter, pad the area under the rollers with masking tape. Use a couple of extra layers on the smaller side of the taper of the barrel & the cutter "sees" the barrel as straight. This makes a square cut much easier & saves scratches on the bluing. Remove the inside burring after cutting & touch up the area with cold blue. Formula 44-40 from Brownells is about the best cold blue on the market.


uncle albert

[Bren]

Believe it or not, a large pipe cutter will do the job (the kind that has rollers on one side and a round cutter on the other and you put the barrel in and turn it while gradually tightening it), if you know somebody who has a pipe cutter or a plumbing supply store that won't freak out over cutting a shotgun barrel. I did one that way several years ago, by taking it into a local hardware store and getting them to cut it.

If you use a saw, you won't get an even cut and the shotgun pattern will be screwed up.