Sawed Off Shotgun

Short, loud and full of history. Sawed off shotguns have been part of American life since the frontier, and 2026 brought the biggest change to the rules in nearly a century.

Compact Serbu pump shotgun with a vertical foregrip
Serbu with vertical grip
Short pump shotgun with a bird-head grip and sling at the range
Short pump on the range
Full-size Remington pump shotgun next to a compact Serbu pump at the range
Full size next to compact
Two compact pump shotguns with red shotgun shells on camo
Compact pumps and shells

What counts as a sawed off shotgun?

Under federal law, a shotgun needs a barrel of at least 18 inches and an overall length of at least 26 inches. Go shorter and it lands in a different category.

Chart comparing a standard shotgun, short-barreled shotgun, AOW and pistol-grip firearm, drawn to scale
Short shotguns sorted by federal law
  • Short-barreled shotgun (SBS): has a shoulder stock, but the barrel is under 18 inches or the gun is under 26 inches overall.
  • AOW (any other weapon): a smoothbore gun that never had a stock and is short enough to conceal, like the Serbu Super-Shorty.
  • Pistol-grip firearm: guns like the Mossberg 590 Shockwave and Remington Tac-14 have a 14-inch barrel but measure at least 26 inches overall and never had a stock, so federal law treats them as neither a shotgun nor an NFA item.

Dig deeper

The law in 2026

  • 1934 to 2025: the National Firearms Act required federal approval, registration and a $200 tax to make or transfer a short-barreled shotgun. AOWs carried a $5 transfer tax.
  • January 1, 2026: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut the tax on short-barreled shotguns and AOWs to $0.
  • August 5, 2026: a federal court in Texas ruled that NFA registration for these items exceeds Congress’s authority once the tax is gone.
  • October 9, 2026: ATF announced it will no longer enforce the NFA approval, registration and tax-stamp requirements for short-barreled shotguns and AOWs, nationwide.

What still applies

  • The Gun Control Act still treats these guns as firearms. Dealer sales still need a background check.
  • Moving a short-barreled shotgun across state lines still requires filing ATF Form 20 first.
  • State and local laws still apply. Many states tie possession to NFA registration, and a few ban short-barreled shotguns outright.
  • ATF still accepts voluntary registration, and warns that enforcement could resume if the court ruling is overturned or Congress brings back a tax. Unregistered guns would not automatically be grandfathered.

Before you cut a barrel or buy a short shotgun, check your state law and ATF’s current NFA guidance at ATF.gov. This area of law is changing fast, and this page is a plain-English overview, not legal advice.

Short shotguns on video

Shooting a short-barreled Remington 870

Serbu short-barreled shotgun with Knox stock

Serbu Super-Shorty with mini-shells

Building a short shotgun with Tromix (filmed under the pre-2026 ATF paperwork rules)

Why shooters love them

  • Easy to handle in tight spaces like hallways, vehicles and blinds
  • Fast to swing for close-range work
  • A big piece of Western and American firearms history
  • Pure fun on the range

For more on suppressors, short-barreled rifles and other NFA items, visit NFA Buyers Guide.com in the Gun Websites Firearms Network.

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