Barrel length v's overall length

[walesdave]

Wondering......
Why does the law specify overall length plus barrel length?
I understand the overall length requirement to stop a firearm being concealable, but what difference does it make if the length is made of stock, action or barrel?
No particular reason but I would have liked to shorten my (now sold) Walther Uzi barrel to 3 or 4 inches and pinned the stock to keep an OAL of 24 inches, but obviously this would have been Sec 5 and not a good idea!
Any ideas?
Cheers
David

[BamBam]

24" minimum OAL of which 12" must be barrel.

[joe]

Overall length does not include Any retractable / telescoping stock

[Blackstuff]

IMO they just had to come up with a way to define what a handgun was so they could be prohibited without also infringing on rifles, and giving a description of barrel length, as well as overall length was a way of doing it. Maybe there were/are some oddity firearms that they particularly had in mind, although at this time in the morning i can't think of any which would benefit.

[walesdave]

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies....
I understand what the rules are regarding OAL and barrel length - including folding stocks etc.
Just wondered why they bother splitting the barrel length and OAL when really the OAL is the only thing that matters.
Strikes me as a similar thing to Posses & Acquire when it came to ammunition - no need for both when really the only thing that matters is how much you're allowed to have....

[bradaz11]

could it be because with a really short barrel you could always buy a 2nd stock (as those arent controlled) chop it down to almost nothing, fit it to the gun, and have something tiny, then just refit the original stock after you have done whatever it was with it.
but if you have to retain a barrel length, and you cannot posess individual short barrels etc, the gun will always be at least 12"

just my thoughts

[Blackstuff]

Sounds feasible Bradaz11

[breacher]

Because those who write the law are not very good at it ?

[zanes]

Probably a combination of "more restriction can only be a good thing" and a law written spitefully so standard handguns could not "easily" be made S1 by adding a long rear rod and front counterweight. I rather suspect if it's the latter certain persons were non too happy with the LBP/LBR inventions.