Smooth bore insert for TC Contender 22 shot cartridge, legality

[ok-22shooter]

Not wanting to make anything that is not legal. I have a need to control pests in a barn and shotguns make to much damage. animals a little to fast for a pellet gun. the rifling in my 22lr barrel makes the pattern pretty thin at the distances I need to shot. Would it be legal to build a smooth bore insert for a 357/44/45 caliber barrel similar to the inserts used to reduce the bore size on shotguns. this would allow shooting 22 shot cartridges with the rimfire firing pin in the gun. ejecting shell with a rod down the bore. the minimum length for a shotgun is 18". does the smooth bore and shot cartridges make it a shotgun? There were some smooth bore 22 gallery rifles that may have been under 18". I have always wondered if almost straight grooves, minimal twist makes it legal. there is a double barrel 45/410 pistol that has 1:48 twist. Not aware of any donor 22 barrels that would be that slow.
Looking for possibilities.

 

[dlbleak]

Interesting. I’m inclined to think that it wouldn’t be illegal? I’m curious of the answer and your solution once built.

 

[mr ed]

Smooth bores are a no-no that's why even a 410 derringer has a hint of rifling, without the rifling you have a short-barreled shotgun and must be registered as such. If shooting cci shotshells, you need the rifling to break up the blue plastic. They are generally called snake shot to indicate the distance from the end of your arm to the snake under your feet. I've shot them at rats at 20 feet with no problem out of a FIE western 6 revolver.

 

[OneMoreEvan]

I would honestly be very surprised if anybody took the time to check and see in a .22 single shot had rifling in the barrel, and even more surprised if anybody would say anything if it didn't, especially on a barn gun used to hit the occasional pest. I'm not saying to "Break the law" but I am saying "What are the chances anyone says anything?"

 

[OHJEEZE]

Not wanting to make anything that is not legal. I have a need to control pests in a barn and shotguns make to much damage. animals a little to fast for a pellet gun. the rifling in my 22lr barrel makes the pattern pretty thin at the distances I need to shot. Would it be legal to build a smooth bore insert for a 357/44/45 caliber barrel similar to the inserts used to reduce the bore size on shotguns. this would allow shooting 22 shot cartridges with the rimfire firing pin in the gun. ejecting shell with a rod down the bore. the minimum length for a shotgun is 18". does the smooth bore and shot cartridges make it a shotgun? There were some smooth bore 22 gallery rifles that may have been under 18". I have always wondered if almost straight grooves, minimal twist makes it legal. there is a double barrel 45/410 pistol that has 1:48 twist. Not aware of any donor 22 barrels that would be that slow.
Looking for possibilities.

Does you contender have a rifle stock, or a pistol grip?

If it has a rifle stock, then you can have a 18" or longer smooth barrel.

Marlin actually made a 22 mag smooth bore "shotgun" it was named the garden gun, made just like one of their bolt action rifles, but with bead sight.

Henry is making a lever action garden gun.

Garden Gun Smoothbore .22 | Henry Repeating Arms

I like the garden gun concept, but the price of ammo, removes the wind from my sails. A bb gun becomes more of a reality.

I think the garden hun concept is more popular in europe

 

[HillsideDesolate]

ATF shotgun definition

What is a Shotgun? The ATF Definition​

Defined Under Federal Laws: 18 U.S.C., § 921(A)(5) and 27 CFR § 478.11

The term “Shotgun” means 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 the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

This illustration below is from the ATF website. It shows the primary characteristics exhibited in the “Shotgun” category. Since shotgun configurations differ significantly, various models in this classification may exhibit any of the illustrated components in a revised configuration but not necessarily all components shown will be incorporated in any one given design.


SHOTGUN CLASSIFICATIONS
Defined Under: 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53

For the purposes of the National Firearms Act, the following definitions are used to define and verify the different types of firearms:

§ 5845(d) — The term “Shotgun Unaltered” means:

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 the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

§ 5845(a)(1) — The term “Shotgun Altered” means:

A shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;


§ 5845(a)(2) — The term “Over All Length Altered Shotgun” means:

A weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;

 

[JEVapa]

I would honestly be very surprised if anybody took the time to check and see in a .22 single shot had rifling in the barrel, and even more surprised if anybody would say anything if it didn't, especially on a barn gun used to hit the occasional pest. I'm not saying to "Break the law" but I am saying "What are the chances anyone says anything?"

You are probably on a watchlist now, lol

 

[JEVapa]

Not wanting to make anything that is not legal. I have a need to control pests in a barn and shotguns make to much damage. animals a little to fast for a pellet gun. the rifling in my 22lr barrel makes the pattern pretty thin at the distances I need to shot. Would it be legal to build a smooth bore insert for a 357/44/45 caliber barrel similar to the inserts used to reduce the bore size on shotguns. this would allow shooting 22 shot cartridges with the rimfire firing pin in the gun. ejecting shell with a rod down the bore. the minimum length for a shotgun is 18". does the smooth bore and shot cartridges make it a shotgun? There were some smooth bore 22 gallery rifles that may have been under 18". I have always wondered if almost straight grooves, minimal twist makes it legal. there is a double barrel 45/410 pistol that has 1:48 twist. Not aware of any donor 22 barrels that would be that slow.
Looking for possibilities.

Get you some of these They are simply badass and accurate. Out of a rifle you don't even hear them...better than CBs IMO. Still watch your backstop.

 

[OneMoreEvan]

You are probably on a watchlist now, lol

I'm sure the ATF is well aware of who I am, considering I spend a decent amount of time mentioning Ruby Ridge and Randy Weaver and also Waco TX where they barbecued children and posed with the ashes on anything they post Obviously I haven't said or done anything too egregious because I still have my CLEET license, and no black Chevy Tahoe's have been seen sitting outside of my home

 

[JEVapa]

and no black Chevy Tahoe's have been seen sitting outside of my home

They use rentals now