Is a 16 inch rifle barrell legal

[wildcat]

The other day a friend and I came across a ad for some 6.5x55 barrels that are in carbine length 17.7 inches.My friend said that they would not be legal to use for a custom rifle because the only rifles that are legal with a barrell shorter than 18 inches are ones manufactured that way by the original manufacturer.Since we wuold not be using sweede actions we would be altering the way the gun was originaly built.What is your opinion George?

[This message has been edited by wildcat (edited February 02, 2000).]

 

[Rosco P. Coltrain]

16 inches is the minimum for rifle barrels, 18 inches is the minimum for shotgun barrels, overall length must be at least 27 inches.

 

[James K]

One good thing about the Gun Control Act of 1968 was the decrease in legal rifle barrel length from 18" to 16". This was done specifically for some U.S. carbines and those Swedish carbines. Swedish carbines imported before the change of the law had to have a 1/2 inch extension welded onto the barrel.

Jim