Is a muzzleloader considered a SBR if I hack the barrel down to less than 16"

[jy951]

This might be a dumb question, but I was wondering if I could hack a muzzleloader barrel down to less than 16" and use a shoulderstock and be ok? I'm not talking about a T/C encore or any other switch barrel types. Just a generic fixed barrel muzzleloader.

Also, if it's ok, do you think it would be ok to deer hunt with it? I know black powder handguns are allowed.

 

[giovani]

Muzzleloaders are sold without a background check or a 4473 , this makes me believe the BATF views them as a none firearm, and therefore they sould not be restricted in this manner.
However I am not an expert on BATF type laws and would reccomend that you pose the question to them on their website.

 

[Bill B]

Be sure to check state laws as well.

 

[KoopaKGB]

I regularly see BP pistols, but never thought about a SBR version. Just like an antique I firgured you could SBR it. Good luck hitting anything with it.

 

[.452browning]

Muzzle loaders are not considered firearms federally. Indiana I do not know. I have heard both yes and no. If no then I imagine its good to go.

I get really confused when it comes to muzzle loading shotguns. Since Indiana does not allow SBS, would a Howdah Hunter 20GA with a stock be considered an SBS and therefore illegal in Indiana?

 

[Lafayette Yeti]

The problem I see with an SBR ML is that black powder and its substitutes (like Pyrodex) are very slow burning. I don't know that cutting the barrel shorter than 16" would give you enough room to burn the powder that you'd need to kill a deer. I don't know that you wouldn't either, just something to think about.

 

[jy951]

Well I thought about purchasing a muzzleloading single shot handgun to play around and possibly deer hunt with. Then I thought about just hacking down a long gun muzzleloader. At close range, I think it should have pleanty of power to cleanly kill a deer. I'm not gonna do it if there is any question about legality.

 

[scottka]

Warning: Random observation that is no help to the OP...

Isn't it silly that we have to question many modifications to our firearms? It just irritates me that simple modifications (read: easily done whether legally or illegally) are restricted because big brother thinks they somehow make them much more deadly. *sigh...

 

[patience0830]

B/P pistols usually use a finer powder, FFFF for example. So if you cut it down to pistol length you may want to research loads to get the performance you want.

 

[Hookeye]

Warning: Random observation that is no help to the OP...

Isn't it silly that we have to question many modifications to our firearms? It just irritates me that simple modifications (read: easily done whether legally or illegally) are restricted because big brother thinks they somehow make them much more deadly. *sigh...

Agree.

Even Ms Hook agrees (paraphrased).......says we should be able to have silencers and machineguns without stamps or registry, figures if we are legal to own a gun we should be allowed any gun (after all, the badguys do whatever the hell they want).

 

[TiminMishawaka]

FWIW, I have seen BP Howdah pistols for sale at Cabela's. They might be rifled though.

See if you can buy a blunderbuss. I think they're under 16 inches.

 

[Beowulf]

B/P pistols usually use a finer powder, FFFF for example. So if you cut it down to pistol length you may want to research loads to get the performance you want.

Definitely this. Blackpowder burns differently than smokeless. If you just hack down the barrel of a muzzle loader rifle and then shoot it with a full rifle charge of FFG, I imagine you'll be shooting out a lot of burning powder, along with the ball.

If you want to do this, you might want to look at the equivalent loads recommended for the larger .50 caliber pistols in FFFG.

For example, a quick search told me that the CVA Hawken .50 cal pistol takes a load of about 40gr FFFG, whereas the .50 cal rifle takes 80gr of FFG.

Though really, I'd just look at buying one of the Howdah pistols or Dragoon pistols depending on what you are looking for (historic military type weapon or just a nice SBR/SBS that you can legally own without the tax stamp nonsense).
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_187_189&products_id=5876

 

[jy951]

I was intersted in buying a CVA pistol like this: Cabela's: CVA Optima .50-Caliber Pistol

And then thought about putting a shoulder stock on it.