FAC lever-action shotgun barrel length question

[bradaz11]

An offence would be committed, because they would not be returning the barrel/repairing it to not less than 24" in length.

(2)It is not an offence under this section for a registered firearms dealer to shorten the barrel of a gun for the sole purpose of replacing a defective part of the barrel so as to produce a barrel not less than 24 inches in length.

This clause was added to allow gunsmiths to resleeve barrels, I would have thought.

That quote says it is not an offense


Sent from my CLT-L09 using "An application"

It is not an offence if, and only if, it can satisfy this part: "for the sole purpose of replacing a defective part of the barrel so as to produce a barrel not less than 24 inches in length".

are you sure it isn't meant as;
'it is not an offense to produce a barrel of less than 24 inch if for the sole purpose of replacing a defective part'

reason being, if it is an offense to have a barrel of less than 24", why do they need to stipulate that you can't make it shorter?

[Sixshot6]

bradaz11 - As TomH has said, they would have to add whatever extension on to get it to 24" unfortunately!

Sixshot - They make 13.75", 18", 20", 24" and 28" but they won't send anyone just a barrel

As bad as it sounds I meant buy a Shorter barrel model on order and sell your current one, take a loss rather than break the law by the sounds of it.

[breacher]

In my humble opinion - if you want a short barreled shotgun, best to re-barrel as David said - although it clearly is an offence to shorten unless going back to 24", there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

[ovenpaa]

In my humble opinion - if you want a short barreled shotgun, best to re-barrel as David said - although it clearly is an offence to shorten unless going back to 24", there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

It is an interesting concept, not sure I would like to test it though. It really needs some one a lot cleverer than wot I am to take a legal view on the concept. One thing that is readily apparent is people seem to take a keen interest in circumnavigating and finding loopholes in UK Firearms law and I really hope this is not one of those opportunities.

[Sixshot6]

In my humble opinion - if you want a short barreled shotgun, best to re-barrel as David said - although it clearly is an offence to shorten unless going back to 24", there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

It is an interesting concept, not sure I would like to test it though. It really needs some one a lot cleverer than wot I am to take a legal view on the concept. One thing that is readily apparent is people seem to take a keen interest in circumnavigating and finding loopholes in UK Firearms law and I really hope this is not one of those opportunities.

Just for reference 1887 repros exist with 22 inch barrels on section 1.... But that was manufactured barrel length.

[Blackstuff]

In my humble opinion - if you want a short barreled shotgun, best to re-barrel as David said - although it clearly is an offence to shorten unless going back to 24", there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

They won't send out JUST a barrel (for purely economic reasons), which was my plan, have one 'normal' ( for the UK anyway) length barrel for when I wanted to use it seriously for PSG and one 'short' barrel for non-competition, or possibly even western type shooting.

The only other way I think it could be done, which is what i think you're suggesting, would be to buy a S2 version and chop its barrel then get the barrel added to my FAC and cannabilise the rest of the S2 gun for parts? Legality aside that would be (relatively) very expensive especially given that the S2 guns are £100 more than the FAC versions for some reason

Personally I wouldn't see that as 'circumventing' anything, is there a really any difference between just buying a gun in the desired configuration, or a factory barrel from the manufacturer, and 'making' your own?? Its a classic piece of daft UK firearms legislation that achieves nothing.

[breacher]

In my humble opinion - if you want a short barreled shotgun, best to re-barrel as David said - although it clearly is an offence to shorten unless going back to 24", there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

It is an interesting concept, not sure I would like to test it though. It really needs some one a lot cleverer than wot I am to take a legal view on the concept. One thing that is readily apparent is people seem to take a keen interest in circumnavigating and finding loopholes in UK Firearms law and I really hope this is not one of those opportunities.

I dont think its circumventing or loophole searching - its reading the legislation seeing what is not allowed and abiding by it.

Surely thats how the law works ?

The legislation was drafted to prevent people "sawing off" side by sides. Not to prevent a legitimate shooter who wants to convert his 24" bbl to a 18" bbl. The concept of "spirit of the law" is still very much respected by Judges and in my experience when it is correctly quoted in defence, it is accepted more often than not.

[Mattnall]

there is nothing in legislation prohibiting rebarreling with a shorter barrel.

You can rebarrel but the result may be in a different category, thus the possession of short barrelled shot guns could be prohibited depending upon its type;
S5(ab) of the FA clearly states that pump and auto shotguns are subject to general prohibition.
S1(3) covers single/double shotguns (not pump or autos) with a shorter barrel (so FAC).

The shortening of a shotgun barrel to remove a damaged part and replace can only be done by an RFD [FA1968 S6(2)].

[Sim G]

Get the spare barrel for which you have a slot. That is then a separate component part, held in its own right and is not the barrel of "any smoothbore gun". Get Teague to shorten and choke it. Sorted. The component part remains exactly he same, a spare barrel. When then fitted to your Adler, as a s1 lever shotgun, it still complies with the OAL requirements and the barrel "of that gun" remains at 24"...

[ovenpaa]

...and a shotgun barrel is not a licensable item so a 'spare' can be held without authority.