I will be getting a used NEF 10 ga break open shotgun. This is more of a fun project for me to mess with, possibly learn something, so I want to keep it fairly cheap. I want to have the barrel cut down to either 18 1/2" or 20". What is the best method / tool to cut it down on my own or should I just take it to a gunsmith? What is a rough estimate for having a gunsmith do it. Thanks in advance for the help.

Just cut it,,its not rifled and no crown per se,,use hacksaw, band saw, cut off wheel, etc etc. Just touch up the end so it doesnt rust.

Yup, minus the wheel. The heat could discolor bbl.
Use some files to square it and break/bevel edges

Tape the barrel with masking tape where you want to cut it.Use a pipe cutter to mark a line around the barrel.........don't try to cut the barrel with the pipe cutter .All you need to do is scribe a line around the circumference.When you have a line use a hacksaw to cut NEAR the line.When you have sawn through the barrel use files to dress the area down to the line.


 You wont like an 18" barrelled 10 ga.

If it were a 12ga I'd offer my services. I cut, square (in a lathe) and thread for using removable Rem-chokes, all for only $75. But I've only got the tooling to do it on 12gauge barrels. The method Dana posted is probably your best bet, and be sure to touch it up with some cold blue or the like. +1 for stubby 10 gauge being no fun...

And don't forget to re-install the bead sight.

Like others said, scrib with a pipe cutter then cut with a hacksaw. Make sure the gun still meets legal minimum overall length requirements (26" is the Federal minimum IIRC).

Here's my minimum tools method to cut down a shotgun barrel:

Cutting down a shotgun barrel
Measure the existing barrel by closing the action (make sure it's empty) and putting a dowel rod or cleaning rod down the barrel.
Mark the rod even with the muzzle, remove it and measure from the end of the rod to the mark.
This is the actual barrel length.

Measure the rod to the length you want the barrel to be and mark it.
The barrel MUST be at least 18" long, and if you're smart, you won't go under 18 1/2".

After marking the rod at 18 1/2" or how ever long you want it, lay it along side the barrel with the FIRST mark even with the muzzle, then mark the barrel at the second mark.
This will be where the barrel will be cut.

STOP...... Start all over and measure everything AGAIN to be SURE.
Make sure the action is closed when you put the rod down the bore, and make SURE you measure everything RIGHT so the cut line isn't less than 18 1/2".
A smart man measures everything several times. Cut too short and you just committed a FELONY.

Once you're sure about where you want to cut, carefully wrap a piece of tape around the barrel, keeping it as square with the barrel as possible.
Buy a good fine-tooth hacksaw blade and use it in a good high-tension saw frame.

When you're ready to make the cut...STOP... check everything out again one last time.

When you're sure, make a one or two stroke gentle cut on the tape cut line. Then rotate the barrel and make another one or two stroke light cut.
Continue this until you have a shallow line cut all the way around the barrel.

Continue making one or two stoke cuts and rotating the barrel until the barrel is cut through.
Doing it this way insures you make a square cut that doesn't drift off and make the muzzle uneven.
This prevents having to do a lot of filing to try to square the muzzle up again.

Once the barrel is cut, use a fine-cut file to carefully remove the saw marks from the end of the muzzle, then use the file to break the sharp outer edge.
Wrap fine metal-type wet or dry sand cloth around the ball of your thumb, and use that to break the sharp inner edge of the muzzle.

Use cold blue to touch up the cut edge.

For a new front sight, have a gunsmith install a new bead by drilling and taping the barrel.

Yep, I think I read somewhere that this is actually legally required.

Uhm No...there are no laws regarding sights being mandatory.


Unless there is some import law/rule that requires them to be imported.

I just wanted to thank everyone for there advice. I think I'm going to use the method that dfaris described, except I'll score the barrel with a pipe cuter to get one even scribed line. Dress the end up with a file and take the bur off the inside and outside edge and then cold blue before paint.

I'm definitely going to make sure I measure multiple times before I even score the barrel and measure the overall length.

I've got a couple of squirrel guns that haven't had a bead since the 80's.  

I highly doubt there's any law against it...

I have a cheap Spanish side by side that I dented the muzzle on so I cut it from 28" to 18.5" to make a "coach gun".

I used a hacksaw and had a slight angle when I finished.  I used a hand-held belt sander with 50 grit sandpaper to even it up.

Solder between the barrels to fill in the gap, moved the front sight.  Polishing stone for a pneumatic grinder used in a drill took care of the burrs in the barrels.  

Birch-Casey cold blue on the muzzle.

It looks almost professional, even if it did remove all of the choke.

I fired the law enforcement shotgun qualification course with it and it did fine, even if the pattern is a bit large.

when I did my cut down, me and a buddy laid the barrel on a picnic table, I grabbed a hacksaw and tape measure out of the truck and we grabbed a 6 pack of cheap beer and started cutting
they were $70 gunbroker mossberg-derivatives we didnt care much about. his barrel came out almost perfect. mine was ribbed, and came out crooked so I had to file it down to straighten it up...
moral of the story, even drunk college kids can do it and get it to turn out right. take a little prep time, and actually try to make it look nice and youre golden

I've cut a couple barrels down myself using a pipe cutter. Cutting the barrel is easy. It's getting the sight centered and installed correctly that's the challenge.

I'll probably never attempt the job myself again. A gunsmith would probably cut a barrel and reinstall a sight for $40 to $50. I'd say it's money well spent to do the sight right. As much as I'm all for doing work yourself, I'll leave this job to a pro next time.

A hacksaw and this:

Muzzle facing tool Rental

I cut mine down with a bandsaw, cleaned end of the barrel in a mill (bore not large enough in lathe to chuck it in there...) Drill and tapped it for a bead.

Was pretty easy, was my first time took, me roughly 30 minutes.

I was surprised how well a 13in barrel patterns at 15 yards with 00buck.