I bought a 16'" barrel for my 1911, two questions...

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

I got it just for the halibut, and because it's a (You guessed it!) Hand Rifle by definition.

So:

Question the first.

When set-up in my 1911, with 230 grn FMJ's, the darn thing shoots three FEET left of where the fixed sights look at 40 yds. The regular barrel does not suffer from this. Anybody got any ready explanations as to why this might be so? Or do I just have one of "those" barrels? The darn thing shoots like a friggin' Liberal! Mind you, it's plenty accurate, but it's kind of annoying to aim by lining up one side of the rear sight with the OPPOSITE side of the front sight. A tricky business, let me tell you. Could it be a factor of barrel time in the longer tube, combining with torque, to drag the gun someplace odd before the bullet leaves? Changing my grip from a normal grip to a crush grip didn't make much difference, so I'm open to suggestions at this point.

Worst to worst, I can always build a jig and bend the barrel a bit. It works for every rifle barrel made, after all. I have a backround in cold-forming tubing from my machine shop days, so I could do that, And there's 11 spare inches of barrel floating out there to play with, and heck, the darn thing only cost $55, so if I screw it up, it's not the end of the world.

Question the second.

When I asked this question on another forum, one person thought it was illegal to put a long barrel on a pistol, as that made it an un-registered short rifle! I personally don't agree with this, as I thought that that law refered to putting a shoulder stock on a pistol. Short barrels on rifles are a no-no, but I thought you could always run whatever length barrel you wanted. It's certainly not amy MORE concealable with that 16" barrel mounted on it! And I was hoping to eventually track down a stock-mounting mainspring housing, so I could make a carbine out of it, but the korny Kaliforny pistolgrip ban probably has made that illegal, just like Mech-Tech carbine kits. (However, maybe since the stock grows off the bottom of the grip, it would be like a pistol-grip style wooden rifle stock. Nah, they outlawed thumbholes too. Rats.)

This set-up is strictly for fun, so I don't want run afoul of the BATF just because I want my 1911 to do nine different things, and it IS only $55. Should I stash the barrel away in my junk box, and only get it out in the privacy of my own room like some perverted artwork? I'd rather not, as this is a real head-turner at the range, and turning heads at the range with my odd guns is on of my favorite things.

But going to jail is one of LEAST favorite things in all the world. Opinions? Don't worry, I won't consider it legal advice, I just want some reassurance that I've got the right opinion going.

 

[Gpappy]

Not sure as to the actual legality of it all but I have 2 TC handguns that have between 10" and 14" barrels from the factory. I also own a comercially made kit to make a 1911 into a 308 single shot. It was made by Pachmeyr. I do not know what the barrel length is but I can get it out to measure if you like. Kind of a neat unit but I don't think I would ever waste a perfectly good 1911 frame by installing this thing.
Greg

 

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

That would be the Dominator, correct? I have the Springfield Armory S.A.S.S, which is about the same thing, but it doesn't require dismounting anything like the extractor. I can slap my kit on in less time than it takes to put the gun back together from a field-strip. No bushing, you see.

My S.A.S.S barrels are 15", which still confines them too pistol status, and it would be illegal to put a shoulder stock on those, but I don't really want to, as Hand Rifles was they're purchased purpose.

But my semi-auto barrel is 16" long, legal rifle length, hence the question...

 

[ajacobs]

You are perfectly legal.

With a 16 in barrel in you are still just a pistol shooter. With a 16 in barrel and a shoulder stock you are a legal rifle shooter.

With a less than 16 in barrel and a sholder stock you are in possesion of a firearm that must be registered as a short barreled rifle, have a 200$ tax payed and be engraved with you name and town and comply with all the other nfa requirements.

 

[yankytrash]

From US Code, Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 921:

(29) The term ''handgun'' means -
(A) a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand; and
(B) any combination of parts from which a firearm described in subparagraph (A) can be assembled.

(30) The term ''semiautomatic assault weapon'' means -

(C) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of -

(i) an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

(ii) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer;

(iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned;

(iv) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and

(v) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm;

Put a 5' barrel on it if you want, and a shroud, too, if you like. As long as the barrel is unthreaded and one piece, and the entire gun with no mag, unloaded, weighs less than 3lbs 2oz, you're fine.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Agree with AJacobs. Just a pistol with a sticky out barrel.

I got a long barrel a little over thirty years ago. 17", 20 bucks.

Lateral was ok but it shot horribly low at longer ranges. Usin surplus ball ammo. Figured the powder burn was too fast for that long barrel and maby actually slowin down again before fallin out the other end.

Never checked it out further, couldn't figure a use for it.

Sam

 

[yankytrash]

The use of a longer barrel on a 1911?

Obviously, it's in case you come up on 9 BGs that need killin'. Shoot the first 8 guys, then poke the last guy's eyes out.

 

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

Ok, I'm sold on the legality. Figured as much.

It's not supposed to have a USE, it's just supposed to BE. I like the poke yer eye out bit. Something my mother would appreciate, along with running with the scissors. 'Acourse, I wouldn't be pokin' out MY eye, so it's ok.

So now the big question is WHY does it shoot like Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinswine rolled together? If the answer is something not conveniently fixable, I'm gonna bend that sucker.

That somehow doesn't seem right, but I will not tolerate a Liberal gun!

FWIW, data I've read indicates that any given load gains about 150 fps over a stock barrel. That's from Marlin Camp .45 info, with typical .45 ACP loads in the longer barrel.

Now where's my rawhide mallet? Time for a little political re-education...