pistol grip shotgun not a shotgun

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Pistol Grips and Shotguns

Firearms with pistol grips attached:
The definition of a shotgun under the GCA, 18 U.S.C.
§ 921(a)(5), is “a weapon designed or redesigned, made or
remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed
or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of
an explosives to fire through a smooth bore either a number
of ball shot or single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

Under the GCA, 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(29)(A), handgun
means “a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to
be held and fired by the use of a single hand.” Federal law
provides under 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1), that if the firearm to be
transferred is “other than a rifle or shotgun,” the purchaser
must be 21 years of age or older.

Certain commercially produced firearms do not fall within
the definition of shotgun under the GCA even though
they utilize a shotgun shell for ammunition. For example,
firearms that come equipped with a pistol grip in place of
the buttstock are not shotguns as defined by the GCA.

A firearm with a pistol grip in lieu of the shoulder stock is
not designed to be fired from the shoulder and, therefore,
is not a shotgun. Since it is a firearm “other than a rifle or
shotgun,” the purchaser must be 21 years of age or older.

Additionally, interstate controls apply. The licensee and
transferee must be residents of the same State.

Other questions raised pertain to entries made in the
licensee’s required records with respect to firearm “type.”
These entries should indicate the firearm type as “pistol grip
firearm.”


Age Restriction & Interstate Transfer Reminders

Licensees are reminded that firearm frames, receivers, and
other firearms that are neither handguns nor long guns
(rifles or shotguns) are considered “Other Firearms.” They
cannot be sold or delivered by a licensee to any person under
21 years of age. Additionally, 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3) states that
a licensee shall not sell or deliver any firearm other than a
shotgun or rifle to any person who does not reside in the
State in which the licensee’s place of business or activity is located;
this restriction includes handguns, pistol grip firearms
utilizing shotgun ammunition, and frames and receivers.



From the ATF FFL Newsletter of November 2009:
http://www.gunreports.com/news/news/ffl-newsletter-2009-11.php
 
I've looked for an answer to this before, but it's still unclear to me. It's about transporting a pistol grip shotgun.
My 500 came from the factory with a shoulder stock on it, so it's not “a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand.” It's a long gun, a shotgun and, as I understand it, can legally be transported in a pickup truck behind the seat, unloaded and unlocked.

Will this still be true, the transporting unlocked part specifically, if I replace the stock with an after market pistol grip?

Or will I have "re-designed" or "re-made" the gun into a firearm “other than a rifle or shotgun,” and must now transport it in a locked container?
 
So does it make fall under AOW (Any Other Weapon)? I'm pretty sure a short barrel 12/20ga with out a stock is an AOW and needs a $5 tax stamp. Please correct me if I'm mistaken. Or is it the barrel length that makes all the difference here?
 
Old news.



Incorrect. It is not a shotgun, but it is not a handgun either.

Pat (as defined by Saturday Night Live), our pistol-gripped shotgun, is neither male (shotgun)....nor female (pistol)...well, neither that we can determine. Pat just "is". And therefore we can rule on Pat and whichever makes it easier to make it illegal for you, the Massachusetts [strike]parolee[/strike] resident.

On a serious note. I poked my nose into a Basic firearm course today (a friend of mine and his son took the class), and I spoke with the instructor very briefly about a comment that was made during the shotgun/rifle section. It was mentioned that shotguns must be limited to 3rnds unless the user is LEO/Mil in said function of LEO/Mil. Then it becomes a tactical weapon and the limitations cease to exist (as many rnds as you can stuff in the tube, flash suppressors, pistol grip, scope, buttplate, etc...essentially, all the "evil" features Mass asshats are afraid of)

Can anybody clear this up, because I went digging thru MGL and couldn't find anything relating to 3 rounds.

On a side note, I thought the instructor was pretty energetic and knew his stuff, so hats off to him. (Jon at GOAL, [bow], I'm still not worthy, please don't crucify me [wink])

J~
 
Pat (as defined by Saturday Night Live), our pistol-gripped shotgun, is neither male (shotgun)....nor female (pistol)...well, neither that we can determine. Pat just "is". And therefore we can rule on Pat and whichever makes it easier to make it illegal for you, the Massachusetts [strike]parolee[/strike] resident.

On a serious note. I poked my nose into a Basic firearm course today (a friend of mine and his son took the class), and I spoke with the instructor very briefly about a comment that was made during the shotgun/rifle section. It was mentioned that shotguns must be limited to 3rnds unless the user is LEO/Mil in said function of LEO/Mil. Then it becomes a tactical weapon and the limitations cease to exist (as many rnds as you can stuff in the tube, flash suppressors, pistol grip, scope, buttplate, etc...essentially, all the "evil" features Mass asshats are afraid of)

Can anybody clear this up, because I went digging thru MGL and couldn't find anything relating to 3 rounds.

On a side note, I thought the instructor was pretty energetic and knew his stuff, so hats off to him. (Jon at GOAL, [bow], I'm still not worthy, please don't crucify me [wink])

J~

Hunting regulation...

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/plain_language/hunting_shotguns.htm

I have no idea where he came up with all the tactical, LEO/MIL crap.
 
I'm now pretty confused on this pistol grip issue. I mean I thought AOW's were illegal in MA. and I've seen countless pistol grip pump action shotguns for sale to MA residents at gun shops. Also the age part confuses me too. I was fairly certain with an FID you could possess a pistol grip shotgun. and as for the evil features (over 5 rounds, pistol grip stock, adjustable stock, etc.), yes you can only have one, but that applies to semi's only. you can completely trick out a pump.
 
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