Custom Barrel

[kg4tyr]

Where can I find a custom barrel for my charger? I am looking for 15" with sights installed for an unlimited silhouette gun.

[260 Striker]

David, You could get an aftermarket rifle barrel for a 10/22 and have a smith cut and crown it to 15" then drill and tap some holes for a front sight. I just got an aftermarket rifle stock and barrel for a 10/22 and converted my Charger to a rifle. Barrels are easy to change. I can now switch back to a handgun anytime I want. I may get another aftermarket 10/22 barrel and have a local smith cut it down just exactly like what you are looking for.

[RockinHRacin]

I can now switch back to a handgun anytime I want.

Be very careful with that statement. As I have had it interpreted to me (I could be wrong), but once a rifle...always a rifle. To convert it back could get you into a lot of trouble. (The Contender and Encore are the only exception to this rule.)


Chris

[260 Striker]

Just to claify to not scare anyone off. A Ruger Charger is classified as a pistol when it was manufactured and sold. It is OK to convert it to a rifle then back to a pistol later. Not all TC frames are pistol frames since many were sold as complete rifles or as a basic rifle action with rifle stocks and no barrel. Those TC frames should NOT be used for handguns since they were originally classified and sold as rifles. I don't know of any BATF guys going around the country with the serial numbers of TC frames sold as rifles so I think there are a lot of TC handguns that could be illegal today. Buying a used TC handgun from someone could actually get you in trouble unless you checked the serial number to see if the gun was originally sold as a handgun. But who wants to do that when a hot deal comes along? The Ruger Charger can be converted to a rifle and then changed back to a pistol and be 100% legal. Just don't take a regular Ruger 10/22 and convert to a handgun. Big NO NO. In fact many years ago Richard Mertz (MOA) started making his own cloned version of the Ruger 10/22 action but was selling them as pistols. He provided proof on the bill of sale his actions were orginally classified as pistols. This pistol/rifle issue gets messy at times but unless some of the TCs and cloned 10/22 pistols are tracked by serial numbers, it is almost impossible to tell the legal ones from the illegal. The Ruger Charger frame has Charger engraved in the frame so it is pretty obvious to the untrained eye that it started life as a pistol. You also have to be careful when legally switching back and forth from pistol to rifle to pistol. If you want to step back and admire that short barrelled Charger action while wearing a rifle stock you now have and illegal rifle in your hands.

[RockinHRacin]

Again...be very careful with that statement. Just because a firearm was originally manufactured as a pistol, if converted to a rifle, cannot be converted back to a pistol. LEGALLY. I'm not saying it can't be done. As long as the ATF doesn't know, who cares right? Have a ball. The only thing I ask is that you don't accept the TC ruling by the ATF applies to ALL pistols as it is not the case.


Chris

[260 Striker]

Not to beat a dead horse but this has been checked with the BATF and it is legal. But really each person should do what they feel is right. Definitely don't start with a rifle action to make a pistol regardless if it gets converted back to a rifle. While it is a pistol it is illegal. Some of the pistol/rifles would be hard to identify with the variety of guns being produced today that were strictly rifles years ago. Most notably the pistols now being built on cloned 10/22 actions.

[260 Striker]

Sorry I didn't mean to sidetrack David's subject. I too would like to know if any barrel makers are offering 15' barrels for Chargers. I have seen some quality replacement bull barrels offered on Ebay that can be cut down an recrowned but would like to know if any company is offering a barrel ready for our silhouette use.

[ole95]

Lynn you may have looked but lot info
on rimfire central about after market stuff
for chargers and 10/22