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Thread: Why are shotgun barrels 18.5" and not 18"?

  1. #1

    Why are shotgun barrels 18.5" and not 18"?

    The common wisdom I've heard is that since 18" is the legal minimum barrel length, they add 1/2" just to be safe in case the police measure it the wrong way.

    But, rifle barrels come in at exactly 16" and they don't add an extra 1/2" of buffer to those.

    People don't drive 5 MPH below the speed limit to be "safe"

    Why are shotgun barrels the one thing I've seen that has a little extra margin of error added on? And why is it 1/2"? Why not 1/8"? or 1/4"? How did we decide that 1/2" was the perfect margin of error to add to this single firearms product?

    Edit: It looks like the Shockwave comes in at 26 3/8"... so they've added a little buffer on the end of that, too, whereas 26" was the required minimum size.
    Last edited by powell556; 04-06-2019 at 01:43 PM.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Jay585's Avatar
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    Because Ruby Ridge? I dunno.

    Haven't seen any rifle barrels at 16", usually 16.125" at a minimum. Who is putting out 16" barrels?
    "Well you know, it's a toolbox. You put the tools in for the job." Sam

  3. #3
    Gucci gear, Walmart skill Darth_Uno's Avatar
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    Because you don’t go to prison for going 70 in a 65, but someone who wants to press you on having a 17.97” barrel can screw you over.

    They might’ve changed lately (please say if they did) but ATF said the correct measurement for shotguns is closed bolt to end of barrel. And quite a while back there was some confusion on whether this was 18” from the bolt face, or extractor, or firing pin, or...so they just made everything 18.5” or so.

    But internet being what it is, I could be wrong.

  4. #4
    It used to be illegal to hunt elk in Washington state using a 45 Colt revolver with a 5.5” barrel. The regs didn’t take handloading or 5-shot cylinders into account, both of which make a massive difference. So I had a 45 Colt revolver built with a 5.625” barrel.


    Okie John
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  5. #5
    Site Supporter Maple Syrup Actual's Avatar
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    I don't know but since 18.5" is relevant in Canada I'm very appreciative of the manufacturers who do this.

    The Ruger 4 1/4" revolvers are that size because of Canadian gun laws so it's conceivable that manufacturers have half an eye on a bit of extra market share.

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  6. #6
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    S&W 3000s had 18" barrels.

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/796030225
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