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TUTORIAL: Shortening a shotgun barrel with hand tools
Posted: March 01, 2010 | Last Updated: March 01, 2010
While I have access to a lathe which would make the process fast and clean on a normal barrel, I find that ribbed barrels are easier done the old fashion way with a hacksaw, files and patience. What follows is the procedure I used to shorten a 28" Remington 870 barrel to 18.5" for a co-worker who wanted something shorter to use as a home defense gun.
Before getting started I'd like to list a few tools that you will need. Most you should have laying around the house and a couple are inexpensive but indispensable.
[ NOTE: For the feint of heart, I apologize in advance for showing pictures of shot shells on the gun. The gun was double-checked-unloaded, but for some reason people (even "gun people") still think having ammo in the same room can cause them to load and shoot spontaneously and will make a point to educate me on such hazards, please don't! ;P ]
The first step is to mark the barrel at the correct length.
The NFA states that the barrel length is designated as the distance from the closed bolt face to the end of the barrel. I find the easiest method of obtaining this measurement is to stick a cleaning rod down the barrel, mark it then measure back from the mark (current OAL - desired OAL) which will allow you to mark the cut line on the outside of the barrel as shown.
In this case the current OAL was 27.75" and I wanted an ending OAL of 18.5" so I made a mark on the cleaning rod 9.25" from the muzzle mark and transposed it to the barrel with a silver Sharpie.
This is why you don't measure from the outside!!
Once I have the cut mark transcribed I take a hacksaw and carefully start the cut well downstream of the finish line using only draw strokes (pull toward your only) and keeping the blade from jumping and marring the good side by placing my nail next to the blade.
After cutting through I need to establish a true surface to see how much of a "hack job" I have on my hands. Any flat edge will do. Line the blocks up with it and move the barrel till it touches.
That looks pretty bad, but it can be even worse if you go ripping through with the hacksaw. Try to get it as straight as you can to lesson the filing.
Extend the barrel out so you can work on it, making sure you keep the block squared up for guides.
Throw some black Sharpie (poor man's layout dye) on the surface and start taking light cuts with the file. The key is to "feel" the file cutting the whole stroke. Keep it flat against the surface but don't follow the already angled barrel, stay parallel to the barrel blocks. Take no more than (3) cuts before wiping the file against your pant leg to clean the material out. Clogged files don't cut well.
Cut, cut, cut, assess, cut, cut, cut, assess. Repeat as needed.
Even though it feels parallel, you need to go slow and look from all angles that you are not slanting, like I started to do here.
Use the end of your calipers to see how far off you are. Cut, cut, cut, caliper. You know the drill.
The barrel is soft and metal will shave off easier than you think. Go slow!
When it looks like you have arrived, put the barrel end up and file in 360 degrees to level all edges. These are the 2x weight of the file cuts. Very light!
Remove and use the A1-eyeball for final judgement.
A delicate swipes with the file to remove the sharp edge.
I knock the edges over with 320grit, using a flat piece of wood to smooth out and not round over the face of the barrel.
Load up the felt bob on low speed with some white rouge, and put a high polish on the cut surfaces if you like.
Clean up (degrease) with some Acetone, Nail Polish remover, or in my case I like the non-Acetone for light cleaning jobs because it is much easier on the sinuses.
The idea was to have a cheap usuable barrel for inside the house, not a Safe Queen so I applied Perma Blue instead of refinishing the whole barrel.
Next I locate and tap the new bead position. Before drilling I need to make sure the barrel is level in the vice though so I can be fairly straight when I drill using the level on the cordless drill. Notice the masking tape in the levels surface to prevent marring the barrel. The magnets will scratch.
Find the old offset on the original bead and transfer to the cut length with a center punch.
Mask drill bit so you don't hit the barrel.
Use proper cutting fluid! Turn till tap binds slightly then back out of the cut 1/4 turn before going forward again. I often back all the way out when chips start piling up and blow off the tap and hole then reapply Rapid-Tap and repeat until reaching the depth I want. That extra time you take making sure the tap is perpendicular is well spent!
Dry fit your bead as done above. Degrease the area one final time. Apply some thread locker and you are done!
- Hacksaw (fine blade)
- Silver Sharpie / Black Sharpie
- Masking tape (IDPA pasting tape)
- Small shop vice (Harbor Freight)
- Barrel blocks (Mod-1 Model)
- Nail remover (non-Acetone is much nicer on the sinuses)
- Cold Blue
- Q-tips
- Tape measure
- Cleaning rod
- 320 grit emery tape
- Dremel / Felt bob /Rouge (Harbor Freight)
- 6-28 tap & gold bead kit (Brownells #078-021-048 )
- 8" medium flat bastard file (common at hardware stores)
- Cordless Drill
- Center punch (spring loaded preferred)
- Loctite Threadlocker 242 (medium strength)
- Calipers
[ NOTE: For the feint of heart, I apologize in advance for showing pictures of shot shells on the gun. The gun was double-checked-unloaded, but for some reason people (even "gun people") still think having ammo in the same room can cause them to load and shoot spontaneously and will make a point to educate me on such hazards, please don't! ;P ]
The first step is to mark the barrel at the correct length.
The 1964 National Firearms Act (NFA) requires that barrels on shotguns with stocks be no shorter than 18" unless a the owner has a special "tax stamp" from the BATFE. The stamp is not hard to get and I will be doing a detailed writeup of the process as I experienced it soon, but without the stamp let's just say "you do not want to have a shorter than 18" barreled shotgun in you possession.
The NFA states that the barrel length is designated as the distance from the closed bolt face to the end of the barrel. I find the easiest method of obtaining this measurement is to stick a cleaning rod down the barrel, mark it then measure back from the mark (current OAL - desired OAL) which will allow you to mark the cut line on the outside of the barrel as shown.
In this case the current OAL was 27.75" and I wanted an ending OAL of 18.5" so I made a mark on the cleaning rod 9.25" from the muzzle mark and transposed it to the barrel with a silver Sharpie.
This is why you don't measure from the outside!!
Once I have the cut mark transcribed I take a hacksaw and carefully start the cut well downstream of the finish line using only draw strokes (pull toward your only) and keeping the blade from jumping and marring the good side by placing my nail next to the blade.
After cutting through I need to establish a true surface to see how much of a "hack job" I have on my hands. Any flat edge will do. Line the blocks up with it and move the barrel till it touches.
That looks pretty bad, but it can be even worse if you go ripping through with the hacksaw. Try to get it as straight as you can to lesson the filing.
Extend the barrel out so you can work on it, making sure you keep the block squared up for guides.
Throw some black Sharpie (poor man's layout dye) on the surface and start taking light cuts with the file. The key is to "feel" the file cutting the whole stroke. Keep it flat against the surface but don't follow the already angled barrel, stay parallel to the barrel blocks. Take no more than (3) cuts before wiping the file against your pant leg to clean the material out. Clogged files don't cut well.
Cut, cut, cut, assess, cut, cut, cut, assess. Repeat as needed.
Even though it feels parallel, you need to go slow and look from all angles that you are not slanting, like I started to do here.
Use the end of your calipers to see how far off you are. Cut, cut, cut, caliper. You know the drill.
The barrel is soft and metal will shave off easier than you think. Go slow!
When it looks like you have arrived, put the barrel end up and file in 360 degrees to level all edges. These are the 2x weight of the file cuts. Very light!
Remove and use the A1-eyeball for final judgement.
A delicate swipes with the file to remove the sharp edge.
I knock the edges over with 320grit, using a flat piece of wood to smooth out and not round over the face of the barrel.
Load up the felt bob on low speed with some white rouge, and put a high polish on the cut surfaces if you like.
Clean up (degrease) with some Acetone, Nail Polish remover, or in my case I like the non-Acetone for light cleaning jobs because it is much easier on the sinuses.
The idea was to have a cheap usuable barrel for inside the house, not a Safe Queen so I applied Perma Blue instead of refinishing the whole barrel.
Next I locate and tap the new bead position. Before drilling I need to make sure the barrel is level in the vice though so I can be fairly straight when I drill using the level on the cordless drill. Notice the masking tape in the levels surface to prevent marring the barrel. The magnets will scratch.
Find the old offset on the original bead and transfer to the cut length with a center punch.
Mask drill bit so you don't hit the barrel.
Use proper cutting fluid! Turn till tap binds slightly then back out of the cut 1/4 turn before going forward again. I often back all the way out when chips start piling up and blow off the tap and hole then reapply Rapid-Tap and repeat until reaching the depth I want. That extra time you take making sure the tap is perpendicular is well spent!
Dry fit your bead as done above. Degrease the area one final time. Apply some thread locker and you are done!
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