Mossberg Shockwave: Tax Stamps

[Siggy-06]

The Mossberg Shockwave has been out since earlier this year, and no tax stamp is needed when bought as it comes from the factory.

My question now is, if I put a stock on it it becomes a short barreled shotgun and need to file for a stamp @ $200(in Florida). But what if I want to just put a pistol grip and foregrip on it? Would that make it an AOW(therefore only costing $5 in FL)?

I've gotten a few different answers from several people, 2 of which really know their stuff but they gave different answers. I'm probably going to end up writing a letter to the ATF anyways.

So does adding a pistol grip instead of the shockwave grip, along with a foregrip make it an AOW or a SBS?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The gun must be 26 inches overall. If the new grip reduces the length to below 26', a tax stamp is required.
Not sure about the pistol foregrip-but it would probably put it in tax stamp territory, too.

 

[FITASC]

The reason for the particular grip is to get that 26" OAL.

 

[Siggy-06]

So of it's below 26 inches overall does it become a smoothbore pistol or an AOW?

 

[Siggy-06]

So after a bunch of research, I've come to this:

PGO shotguns -- manufactured and sold without ever having a shoulder stock installed -- are "Other Firearms" on the 4473 form. Just like a stripped AR receiver or a belt-fed, semi-auto M1919. They cannot be sold by a dealer to anyone under 21.

A "Shotgun" is restricted to at least an 18" barrel, and 26" overall by the definitions of the National Firearms Act '34. BUT, a shotgun by definition must be "designed or redesigned to be fired from the shoulder."

So, the ATF says, an "Other Firearm" is not subject to the 18" barrel rule. However, if it becomes less than 26" overall, it is now a concealable arm and thus falls into their interpretation of one definition of a Title II "Any Other Weapon."

 

[Bill DeShivs]

A smoothbore pistol IS an AOW.

 

[Siggy-06]

Exactly right Bill. I can change the shockwave grip to a shorter style pistol grip once I have an AOW stamp for it(only $5 here in FL). As for putting a foregrip on a smoothbore pistol, I'm at a bit of a loss.

 

[FITASC]

The $5 stamp is not limited to Florida, that is Federal, not state.

So, can someone who buys a standard PGO cruiser that is an "other" and then buy a bird's head grip and a 14" barrel and change it legally? Can you even buy a 14" barrel legally in the US (Canada notwithstanding)?

 

[MadDawg]

I asked this question to the ATF real recently.. They said - as long as it was still over 26 inches overall length, I'm good to go without any paperwork.

I don't particularly like the birds head grip on the shockwave; so I dug around and found the Blackhawk Specops Gen III BreachersGrip..

It's about 27.25 inches long with the grip installed.

I should add.. I've done a lot of research into the "Firearm" category, mainly because of an AR pistol. At 26.x inches, anything above 26 inches, you should be good to go on adding a forward pistol grip. IMO, a pistol grip on the front would be far better safety measure than the sling Mossberg chose to ship with.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

This months "World of Firepower' magazine has a good article on the Shockwave. FYI

 

[Auto5]

Here's another thought: I have a RIFLED slug barrel for a mossberg. If I were to cut that down and the overall length was less than 26", would I have an AOW, or a big bulky pistol? (This is assuming I started with an "other", not a shoulder fired "shotgun").

 

[Don Fischer]

A guy I worked for in Alaska yeas ago had an 870 he'd cut down just like that. He said it was his bear gun when he was out fooling around. He only owned two gun's that one and some kind of rifle. He wasn't a gun nut.

But that gun was easy to tote around and a heck of a lot handier than a full length shotgun. Didn't know anyone made then. That would be a shotgun I'd consider for home defense! I wouldn't hunt chukars with it though!

 

[CalmerThanYou]

Another good article in the NRA's latest magazine,

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Siggy 06- you are confused.
The transfer of an existing AOW is a $5 tax.
MAKING an AOW (which is what you would be doing) is a $200 tax.
Both taxes are federal, and have nothing to do with Florida

 

[Siggy-06]

It looks like my best bet is to find a pistol grip that would keep it at 26 inches, and then just add a verticle foregrip. No stamp needed that way.