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Best way to saw off a shotgun barrel?

20K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  Clemson 
#1 ·
I have an old 870 wingmaster smooth barrel shotgun. I want to saw it off to 18 inches long. What is the best way to do this myself?
 
#4 ·
First, I'd measure it two or three times. It is awfully hard to grow barrel back.. :wink: Allowing 3/4 to 1/2 inch for finishing and to ensure legal compliance might be wise if this is the first time you've done this.

Put the barrel in a vise, a barrel block (two pieces of wood with a slightly smaller than barrel dia hole, half-hole in each) around it. Use a fine tooth hacksaw and take your time to cut square and perpendicular to the bore centerline. Use a machinists square (ideally) to ensure the muzzle is square. Use a file to do that. Debur the muzzle.

Now you have to reinstall the front bead (or other front sight if this is to be a slug gun).
 
#7 ·
As they said, a hacksaw does fine.

Now, the best way to measure to make sure you are really cutting 18" is to use a wooden dowel rod.

1. Make sure gun is empty.
2. Stick the rod down the barrel & mark the rod at the end of the barrel.
3. Measure the rod from the end to the marking.
4. Subtract however many inches needed to make it 18" (if marking on rod is 24", subtract 6" & make a new mark indicating 18").
5. Now place the rod against the barrel with the longer marking at the end of the barrel & mark the barrel where the 18" now is.
6. Begin cutting.
7. After cutting, make sure there is no burrs on the inside of the barrel. This could affect shot patterning.

Marist89, he's not the first to cut a Wingmaster barrel & won't be the last. Sorry, some people like to do bad things to good guns, myself included.
 
#10 ·
Hey Big Nasty Guide,

Go down to the forum labeled "Tactical Forum". Up here in the "General Forum" you'll find more traditionalists who cringe when they hear of anything like cutting a barrel.

Down in the Tactical basement, anything goes.
 
#11 ·
i'd use a reciprocating saw (sawzall). why work so hard when you can let a power tool do the work for you. and the 18" mark is very important! can't stress that enough. :!:
 
#12 ·
I did that years ago when I was young and impulsive. The only shotgun I had was a 870 that was my Dad's who passed away when I was 12.
Well I had out quail hunting and walked my legs off and shot a box of shell only to dust some feathers. The 870 had a 30in full choke barrel. I was convinced that this was why I missing the birds so I came in a cut the barrel down to 18in.
I could now hit birds but now, years later and wiser, I wish I had not done that.
This was the only gun my Dad had and I have screwed it up sentimentally. Now I have all kinds of guns and have bought other barrels for the old 870 but it is not the same.
I don't know how old it is my Dad passed in 1955 and he had bought the gun from my uncle used.
But I cut it, sanded, and reblued. It looks good but not what I should have done. :(
 
#13 ·
Old One said:
I did that years ago when I was young and impulsive. The only shotgun I had was a 870 that was my Dad's who passed away when I was 12.
Well I had out quail hunting and walked my legs off and shot a box of shell only to dust some feathers. The 870 had a 30in full choke barrel. I was convinced that this was why I missing the birds so I came in a cut the barrel down to 18in.
I could now hit birds but now, years later and wiser, I wish I had not done that.
This was the only gun my Dad had and I have screwed it up sentimentally. Now I have all kinds of guns and have bought other barrels for the old 870 but it is not the same.
I don't know how old it is my Dad passed in 1955 and he had bought the gun from my uncle used.
But I cut it, sanded, and reblued. It looks good but not what I should have done. :(
Don't be too hard on yourself. We all do stupid thing in youth. At least you made a useful gun out of it. Memories there, right? And you still have the gun. I sawed off the stock on an old Marlin hammer pump-gun and threw away the original butt plate in order to put on a recoil pad. I also shot slugs through the tightly full choked barrel and caused a bulge. See, it could've been worse. :wink:
 
#14 ·
Also remember that the 18" is measured from the BOLT FACE, forward. When I cut an old Mossberg, I made 2 cuts. I made a pretty close guess with the 18" rod, allowing about an extra 1 -11/2". After making that cut, I could close the bolt, drop the rod down the barrel and actually see where "exactly" 18" was. Then I made the final cut and still allowed an extra 1/2". If ATF ever measures your gun, that is exactly how they do it, they take a 18" rod, close the bolt and drop the rod down the pipe. If wood sticks out .....You're DONE. Also remember that there is an over-all gun length to watch for.....Jack
 
#19 ·
If there isn't a rib, the pipe cutter is the way to go. I've done a few that way. Crown the muzzle inside with a 1" grinding ball turned by hand.

Latest one is my Clyde Barrow Special. Old beater Remington mod. 11 cut down. 1930's Tacti-cool.
 
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