FFL123 FFL Blog

The No-Nonsense, Non-NFA 14-inch Scatterguns

What is a Short Barreled Shotgun?

Traditionally, a shotgun has to have a barrel longer than 18 inches. Any shorter and it is considered to be a short barreled shotgun (SBS), or Any Other Weapon (AOW). In either case, they fall under the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and are title 2 weapons. Civilian ownership of a title 2 weapon requires registration, a tax stamp, a bit of paperwork, and a (long) wait to be approved.


What do you mean Firearm?

I keep saying firearm as if it is its own classification of gun. In a way it is, but it’s basically a catch all term for guns that falls outside of the normal classifications. The new Mossberg 590 Shockwave and Remington Tac 14 both fall into this firearms category. These are technically 12 gauge, pump action firearms with 14 inch barrels.

Traditionally a shotgun has to have a barrel longer than 18 inches, or it is a short barreled shotgun, or AOW. In either case they fall under the NFA and are title 2 weapons. Civilian ownership of a title 2 weapon requires registration, a tax stamp, a bit of paperwork, and a long wait to be approved. Firearms like the Shockwave and Tac 14 require nothing more than a traditional 4473 and a background check since they are not Title 2 weapons.

When is a Shotgun Not a Shotgun?

Firearms like the Mossberg 590 Shockwave, Remington 870 Tac-14, Henry Axe, Black Aces Tactical Pro Series, and others are often chambered in common shotgun gauges like 12 gauge and .410, but their barrels are shorter than 18 inches. So, they’re short barreled shotguns, right? Wrong. They require nothing more than a traditional 4473 and a background check since they are not Title 2 weapons.

But Why Aren’t They Shotguns?

A shotgun as defined in the National Firearms Act as a shoulder-fired weapon. One thing you’ll notice about all of the guns mentioned above is that they do not – and were never intended to have – traditional stocks to allow firing from the shoulder. If a gun that just so happens to be patterned after a traditional shotgun, but has never had a stock attached to it, then it is not a shotgun.

Length is Key

Some shotguns are classified as AOWs. AOW shotguns aren’t really shotguns either (hence the AOW designation), but are instead regarded simply as 12 gauge firearms. The best example is the Serbu Super Shorty series of 12 gauge firearms. They fall into the AOW class because they are under 26 inches in overall length.

With firearms like the 590 Shockwave, Tac-14, Black Aces Tactical, and others mentioned here, barrel length is not actually a concern. Instead, the concern is overall length. These firearms must maintain an overall length of 26 inches.

Not Shotguns or AOWs – Just Firearms

Guns mentioned in this article sometimes feature what are often referred to as “bird’s head” grips that are clearly not designed to be fired from the shoulder. This grip extends the firearm’s overall length to 26 inches when fitted with a 14 inch barrel. Theoretically, if you have a long grip of some kind on this kind of firearm, then the barrel could be even shorter. As long as the overall length is 26 inches or more and it wasn’t designed to be fired from the shoulder, then it’s not a short barreled shotgun or an AOW. It’s just a “firearm.”

A Few Important Things to Remember

A critical component to keeping this firearm as just a firearm and not a shotgun of any kind is to never attach a stock to it. There are two reasons why you shouldn’t attach a stock to your firearm. First, if you attach a stock while the weapon has a 14 inch barrel, it becomes an unregistered short barreled shotgun. Doing this without the proper NFA paperwork is a Federal felony, and carries with it heavy fines and a lengthy prison sentence.

OK, so you may be thinking, “I’ll just attach a longer barrel and then a stock.” Technically, you wouldn’t be breaking any laws, but you would be changing the status of your firearm. As soon as a stock is attached, it goes from being a firearm to a shotgun. Now that you’ve redesigned it as a shotgun, it cannot be converted back into a firearm. As odd as it sounds, firearms can become shotguns, but shotguns cannot become firearms.

If you really wanted to, you could attach an 18 inch barrel and a normal, 90-degree pistol grip. This will not change the status of the firearm in any way. However, leaving the short 14 inch barrel in place with a standard 90-degree pistol grip will shorten the overall length and it will fall into NFA territory.

Some states classify shotguns differently from the Federal government and these types of guns may not be legal in your state. Always double-check state and local laws prior to purchasing or building one of these 12 gauge firearms.

Practicality

You might be wondering if these firearms are practical in any way. A gun with a stock is always going to be easier to fire than one without. With a stock, a 12 gauge is easier to handle, more comfortable to shoot, and easier to fire rapidly. These non-NFA scatterguns are very lightweight and maneuverable – much more maneuverable than a standard shotgun. In a home defense situation, it has some of the advantages of a pistol, but retains the power of a 12 gauge.

What’s really impressive with these bird’s head stype grips is how they displace recoil. There is no wrist pain from shooting one of these firearms. These are more practical than your traditional pistol grip only shotgun.

Fun Factor

Sometimes practicality doesn’t matter. Sometimes you just want a fun gun, and these 12 gauge firearms are a literal blast. They don’t necessarily need to serve a purpose except that you want one and it’s fun to shoot.

Share