Shortest Rifle

[Eye5600]

I got to wondering what the shortest that a rifle can be and be available in CT without any licenses or permits. (This is just curiosity; not planning to buy one.) The CT .gov web sites don't offer much guidance. The best I could find would be the Federal limits of 16" barrel and 26" overall. Is that correct?

It would seem that the FH PS90 was built to those limits, with enough to just spare that you won't get in trouble if they measure on a very cold day. Who else is building a gun at that size?

 

[RFWAVELENGTH]

I got to wondering what the shortest that a rifle can be and be available in CT without any licenses or permits. (This is just curiosity; not planning to buy one.) The CT .gov web sites don't offer much guidance. The best I could find would be the Federal limits of 16" barrel and 26" overall. Is that correct?

It would seem that the FH PS90 was built to those limits, with enough to just spare that you won't get in trouble if they measure on a very cold day. Who else is building a gun at that size?

Many, but not all, manufacturers go with 16.5", just to hedge their bets a bit on those very cold days. I have fired a Marlin .357 Magnum carbine with a 16.1" barrel and it was a pleasant experience. Then again, even a powerful handgun cartridge in a short carbine always is. True centerfire rifle cartridges are a different story. When I touched off a full-house 7.62x51mm Nato load from a .308 Ruger carbine with 16.5" barrel, it kicked like a mule. Muzzle blast and flash were also very bad. Whatever you plan to purchase, do yourself a favor and fire one first. I am glad I got to fire that Ruger, because the experience made me opt for the 22" barrelled version in .308 instead. The Federal 16" law trumps all state laws.

 

[medbill]

A bullpup design will give you your shortest overall length which is what I think your asking. Sorry I can't help with CT laws.

 

[BossHarley]

My STG-556 is also 26" OAL with a ~16" barrel.

Since you can't get a folding stock etc, you are probably stuck with the 26".

The Ruger Charger was/is illegal in CT apparently due to OAL and weight (too heavy to be a pisotl). When enterprising individuals put on aftermarket light barrels - can be reclassified as a pistol and is ok (at least they had one for sale at Hoffmans)

 

[Eye5600]

It was a hypothetical question: If you didn't have a pistol permit (or didn't have a pistol permit YET), and were faced with a credible threat, what would be available to you that you could take from place to place.

 

[tmitney]

Any firearm with a barrel of 12 inches or more is considered a "rifle" in CT. Of course, Federal law requries NFA registration as a SBR.