Thompson Center, Bond and a few others make handguns chambered for .45/.410.  I thought shotgun barrels had to be over 18 inches.  If this is legitamate howcome no one makes a 20 or 12 gauge derringer or Encore pistol barrel?

Well, I guess it's a matter of when does a pistol because a shotgun or a shotgun a pistol, or a rifle a pistol, etc, etc.

Does an M4 with a 9mm upper become a pistol?  Well, it's shooting 9mm, a pistol round, but obviously we all know it falls within the restraints of being a rifle (barrel length, etc).  Well, what makes the difference between a pistol and a rifle, such as (now) Bushmasters Carbon/Corbon 15 'pistols' (that are essentially ARs in pistol form).  Those are 'pistols' but function very much like a rifle.  the answer?

Umm.. me?   My 'guess' is that if it meets the pistol requirements (is small enough, operates like 'standard pistols'??), in terms of size, then it is a pistol, regardless of round fired.

Magnum Research, known for their Desert Eagle series of pistols, makes a (single shot) Lone Eagle, which fires a .223.
=)

Some Derringer's are offered in .410

Quoted: Thunder 5!

Super-tactical-shotty-pistol


CHRIS

So do you think it would be legal to have a ten inch 12 gauge barrel on a TC Encore frame that is registered as a hand gun?

Handguns must have rifled barrels. All those you mentioned would have rifled barrels. If smooth bore they become NFA weapons called AOWs. If over 50caliber as handguns they become Destructive Devices so your 12ga Encore is out. You could always register an Encore as a short rifle or AOW.

That is exactly what I was looking for.  I totaly overlooked the 1/2 inch bore restriction.  Thank you.