Paco Kelly's Leverguns.com

When cutting off a barrel on a rifle. (model 92, 20 " being bobbed to 16 1/4) where is the barrel measured. muzzle to closed bolt, muzzle to back of chamber, or front of chamber?

I am getting bolder and may have to get a hacksaw to cut it myself.

Muzzle to opposite end of chamber. FWIW, if you are cutting a Winchester 94 in 30-30 or 38-55, 16 1/2" will give you room in the magazine for one more round (six instead of five) compared to the 16" factory barrel.

I hate it I do this-


I just figured out you specified model 92.

-misfired on the half-cock!

Rifles and shotguns and pistols (but not revolvers) are the actual barrel length, including the chamber. Literally they say from the face of the closed breech to the muzzle. For REVOLVERS the barrel only, and not the cylinder is the barrel length.

If johnny law marked a dowel 16" from one end, sticks it in the barrel so it stops against the breechface, and the mark DOES NOT disappear into the muzzle, yer gonna eat spaghetti with a government spoon

Er don't you mean if the mark doesn't dissapear into the muzzle?

If the mark does not disapear .

When the jack-boots come to get you, they'll shove a stick down the muzzle and measure from the closed bolt face to the muzzle.

I'd err on the 16.5" or more end of things, due to the extra magazine capacity, and just to hedge against jackboots with warped rulers, or (hopefully not) any need to re-do after the first cut.

Good morning
I have wacked several rifles over the years due to damaged muzzles. Every smithy I have talked to all say... " stay at least 1/2" longer than the law & you will never have any trouble. Try to be just at the mark and the "Black Coats" are gonna take your house apart looking for that one little place you goofed up. If they cannot find it they will only keep digging that much longer.

Is someone trying to challenge me for my title "king of the Typoists"?

Been there done that, had to work a felon with the BATF. He had a shotgun cut down to 18" ??? took a 18" rod and dropped it down the muzzle and when it hit the breech face it was 1/4" sticking out. The guy got an additional 5 years for poss of a short shotgun. I won't cut on to 18 even or 16 even just to be on the safe side I allways cut tot 18 1/2 or 16 1/2.

If it DOESN'T disappear. If it does the barrel would be longer than 16".

I sold a guy a shotgun that had a factory 18.5" barrel. The guy brought it back pitching a fit because his cop friend told him it was illegal. He even brought a tape measure and showed me how his buddy proved the barrel was under 18". Of course he was measuring from the front of the chamber to the end of the barrel. I gave him his money back, but I did tell him his cop friend was dumber than a box of rocks when it came to firearms.

Yep, brain phart on the earlier post. If the line shows, yer in bad juju. if it sinks, yer good.

FWIW when measuring for this cut, "burn" 1/4" and call it good at 18 1/4" (16 1/4" for rifles). I got both around here someplace, and figure that 1/4" is enough to fix it if ya botch the crown, but not leaving a whole lot....

I had my last rifle cut down to 16.25" just to be safe. What a joy to carry around in heavy cover.