# Firearms and Shooting > Shotgunning >  cutting shotgun down

## el borracho

I am wanting to get a second hand side by side 12g shot gun but most I have seen of the old era have 30inch tunes -a little long for me . Is it easy enough to have a smith shorten these ? and what is the implication for chokes -can they be re choked ?

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## Spook

Westpac prefer 12" barrel length, all other banks are happy so long as under 16"
There are probably any number of reasons why gun manufacturers make barrels to the length they do...but there is always someone out there that differs...just use a hacksaw...hammer the cut ends a bit for choke...weld the triggers together so you don't have to piss around finding the second one...

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## el borracho

interesting Spook lol

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## Spook

Why not be different...have barrels at different lengths   :Wink:

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## Rushy

Isn't shortening a shotgun a "little sick bird"?  You know, sort of "ill eagle"

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## CreepingDeath

Just buy my boito coach gun cost you less than the mods

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

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## Cyclist

Shotguns can be pretty damn short and still legal - have a look at Gun Shitty's "Farm Defence" model, its about 12 inches or something!

They will be long for a reason - like sight radius or so they swing better or something.  Need a short one buy a short one - there are plenty of shorter shooters out there.

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## Bill999

I asked this question on the other forum not long ago. theoretically the powder would be burnt quickly seeing as it is a fast burning type. 
Used a single barrel cut down for pig hunting and it was loud. very very loud.
the long barrel serves two purposes swing Ie balance and getting the noise away from you ear. 

chokes can be fitted if there is enough "meat" where you cut it back to. at approx 150 fitted each barrel

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## Savage1

> Shotguns can be pretty damn short and still legal - have a look at Gun Shitty's "Farm Defence" model, its about 12 inches or something!
> 
> They will be long for a reason - like sight radius or so they swing better or something.  Need a short one buy a short one - there are plenty of shorter shooters out there.


Still needs to be at least 762mm long or it will be considered a pistol.

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## R93

The whole point of them being as long as they are is how they swing. A longer set of barrels also reduces percieved lead. My clay gun has 34" barrels, I regularly shoot 3 diciplines with it. Heaps and heaps of skeet with 3/4 chokes for club shoots and training.

But yes, you can machine down a set of barrels and fit chokes to it if you want to. An older gun has its challenges with ribs and such but it can be done.

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## el borracho

The reason I asked was I find walking for hours with one that weighs a lot a drag .I have never been a water fowl shooter and only upland game which to be truthful haven't participated in for around 8  years bar 2 days a few months back -my own gun was a 20g and had barrels around 26inches - I suppose 4 inches of shotgun tube is bugger all in reality .Anyway just thinking out loud nd getting some opinions -cheers guys

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## Pointer

A lot of misinformation on here, Nothing illegal about shortening the barrels on a rifle or shotgun as long as it stays about 30 inches total length.

As for the problem of chokes, if they are fixed you will end up with an open choked gun at worst, which is fine over pointing dogs as you are usually shooting a bird up the clacker at less than 20 metres anyway. If the gun is of thicker barrel wall construction, you could have it threaded for briley style multi-chokes.
My go-to gun is a Miroku that started life as a 28 inch gun fixed choke half and full. After an accident it was shortened 2 inches, now it is choked just under half and quarter - more applicable for my type of shooting and it patterned better to boot.

You will find a lot of guys going back to 30+ inch barrel on double guns as they swing better. I have a 30 inch barreled Gorosabel here which is nice but choked a bit too much for my liking. Wasn't going to get it chopped as it feels nice as is, was thinking to get the chokes bored out. Nothing wrong with long barrels on a double barrel

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## el borracho

Pointer , good info cheers

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## Spanners

If its too heavy...



Buy a semi - then you only have 1 barrel

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## el borracho

HAHAHA Good one Spanners --very true!!!

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## Bill999

choppers a bit of a fan of short shotguns, .410 single shot is what he used........

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## Pointer

*Spanners* I reckon shooting from a maimai you cant go past an autoloader, but anything that involves walking, be it upland or jumpshooting ponds, creeks and drains, a nice light double is the go. Chop it* El Borracho*

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## el borracho

Just purchased another side by side in Whangarai last night -didnt even have the barrel length on it but I could see it was a shorty -$200 Spanish gun  not to be sneezed at for that price even if not one you would proudly own

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## Spanners

My autos weigh less than my doubles - considerably less. Autos never been in a maimai , they've done hundreds of km in my hand while walking the hills of molesworth and surrounding areas shooting high country geese, chukar, quail, rabbits etc

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## el borracho

Its a thing of style and tradition the s/s gun unlike the auto wish is a meat machine spanners   :Thumbsup:

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## Spanners

Style and tradition?
You're turning it into a coach gun, with the excuse of, its too heavy.
what are you going to do if you shoot somthing? Dump all your ammo on the ground?

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## el borracho

haha  I thought a more terse comment would come .Everyman to his own style and fit of gun -me I enjoy the tradition look and feel of the side by side and where I have shot its not longer range shooting so a shorter more snappy s/s works well .I have owned u/o and benneli but just simply prefer the old faithful .I wish I hadthe cash to buy something I could admire in the way of s/s but alas as you know I went and spent big on scopes and rifles

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## Munsey

> *Spanners* I reckon shooting from a maimai you cant go past an autoloader, but anything that involves walking, be it upland or jumpshooting ponds, creeks and drains, a nice light double is the go. Chop it* El Borracho*


He'll I couldn't be without my auto for quail. How many times do you get that flush where all hell breaks loose , hard to pick a bird out of 15 so it's normally hit one mis one , then the stragglers come out one at a time  six more in the extension mag  = birds in hand .  I'm sure the roosters are different , especially over a pointer doubles would be nice.

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## scottrods

No problem carrying my mossy pump around after bunnies. Longer 28inch barrel only a problem jumping in and out of the truck to blast something.

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## el borracho

the cheap bestie I just got

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## Rushy

> No problem carrying my mossy pump around after bunnies. Longer 28inch barrel only a problem jumping in and out of the truck to blast something.


Hey Scottrods, I'm taking the piss here but surely you don't jump in the truck to blast something!

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## Pointer

El Borracho, is it a Jabali? 

Spanners if your auto is lighter than your doubles you have the wrong doubles or the right autos, im not sure which?  :Grin:

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## el borracho

Pointer it is a goralsabal -- or something like that -I haven the paper work on it which has the name but it looks to be made in my old stomping ground of Northern Spain in the Basque country .Many gun makers were not more than a few hours from me up there but sadly I didnt have an interest in shotguns all those years ago otherwise I would have been visiting many in the area

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## Pointer

I had a boxlock gorosabel briefly - good for the money. Their sidelocks are not too bad, nice one on TM lately went cheap at 1200. Choked nicely too, 1/4 and 1/2

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