I THINK where the original ATF agent got it wrong is this (please bear with me)

You know there is a tang sticking out from the breech end of the barrel, sort of like the tang that sticks out from the top of a 45acp barrel. This tang has an elongated slot in it for the breech face to lock up into. THAT (the rear portion of it) is where the agent measured from.

. On August 27, 2009, Jesus Amador, Jr., was arrested by an undercover officer when he sought to sell his Heckler and Koch SP89 pistol. But, one can legally sell an H&K SP89, so what’s the twist?

Unfortunately for Mr. Amador, he was selling the H&K SP89 with the accessories that he collected for it, which included a vertical front grip and a shoulder stock. If Mr. Amador merely possessed the vertical grip, the pistol would have to be registered under the NFA as an AOW. However, because he also had a stock, the pistol would have to be registered as a short-barreled rifle, PRIOR to purchasing or possessing the shoulder stock and/or vertical grip.

This same logic applies to your short-barrel-shotgun. You have built a SBS prior to paying for the "right" to do so. (I know - disgusting). I would take the barrel out of the house and store it elsewhere while I found a LEGAL length barrel to install on the gun.

Measurement is from breach-face to muzzle crown.

If you measure a standard (factory declared) 18" Remington 870 barrel the way the ATF agent did...then the barrel would be 20.75".

Are you sure he wasn't setting you up?

ATF Standard Method to Measure Barrel Lengths

This is ATF's standard method for measuring the length of gun barrels - it has been documented to be the case for shotguns and rifles. I haven't found anything stating that this is the standard method for handguns, but technically it should be fine.

Procedure

1. Unload the weapon.
2. Close the action.
3. [censored] the action (this is important - unless cocked, the firing pin will protrude from the bolt face and may not provide the correct measurement.
4. Run a dowel rod of approximately the bore diameter, down the barrel.
5. When the rod is down as far as it will go, mark the spot where the barrel and any permanently mounted attachments end on the rod. Screwed-on attachments do not count.
6. Measure the length of the rod between the mark you just made, and the end which you ran down the barrel.

In practice, unless you're pushing really close to a minimum length limit, you could just use a cleaning rod in place of a dowel. But if you're close, you should get a rod of the same diameter as the barrel. On shotguns especially, it's possible for a slightly-angled rod to measure a longer distance than a rod of the correct diameter.

I don't think so, this happened back in 1985 in Omaha. While I was gone overseas My Dad used it as his LE shotgun and I did the same for 3 years, No wait, 5 years before they Gave my Position to another officer.

Then the officer was just incorrect.

If I were in your situation - I'd remove the barrel from the house and store it someplace far away while looking for a replacement barrel.

You can write to the ATF asking for a definitive ruling, but you're obviously asking for trouble since I fully believe you've made a boo-boo here.

I've written to the ATF and have generally received courteous and informative responses.

It';s no big deal to me, I will just get rid of it and get another barrel. IF I want another short one, it WILL be more than 18 inches!

How old is the weapon? It might be grandfathered in because of age, or it being considered an antique. a Friend of mine has several .22 short rifles with 12" barrels, but because they are all older than a certain date (1920's Era carnie guns) they are all perfectly legal for him to own and fire.

I'm not the one to ask on the details, but I'll see if he can't tell me some more when I get back to work.

You can look at the C&R list here.....

http://www.atf.gov/publications/firearms/curios-relics/

Weapons taken off the NFA registry or excluded from it are specifically listed.

ECF, thanks for the offer, but that's ok. Think that my best bet is to take the barrel to the sheriff's office and just get another one. Hopefully that will keep me out of trouble. I don't want to go to jail and not be able to come home each morning!

SECTION III: Weapons Removed From The NFA
As Collector's Items And Classified As Curios Or Relics Under The GCA

Randy - it is so not worth risking loosing your job, family, and freedom over!

Just ditch that short one, and buy a new one....ASAP <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />