California Grossly Expands Legal Definition of ‘Assault Weapon’

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The California Department of Justice announced recently that those small number of firearms covered by SB 118 would need to be registered. IMG NRA-ILA

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Following the passage of Senate Bill 118 during the 2020 Legislative Session, the California Department of Justice announced recently that those small number of firearms covered by SB 118 would need to be registered.  The registration period for “Other Assault Weapons” will open on October 1, 2021, and run through the end of the year.  For those who intend to comply with this registration requirement, please see the below information:

Penal Code section 30900, as amended, requires any person who, prior to September 1, 2020, lawfully possessed an assault weapon as defined by Penal Code Section 30515 subdivision (a) paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), and is eligible to register an assault weapon as set forth in Penal Code Section 30900, subdivision (c), to submit an application to the DOJ to register the firearm before January 1, 2022. The regulations for Other Assault Weapon Registration that contain additional information regarding registration requirements are now available on the Firearms Regulations/Rulemaking Activities webpage.

What is considered an “Other” assault weapon?

Pursuant to Penal Code section 30900, subdivision (c), paragraph (1), effective September 1, 2020, an “Other” assault weapon is defined in Penal Code section 30515, subdivision (a), paragraphs (9), (10), or (11), as:

  1. A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that does not have a fixed magazine, but that has any one of the following:
    1. A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
    2. A thumbhole stock.
    3. A folding or telescoping stock.
    4. A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
    5. A flash suppressor.
    6. A forward pistol grip.
    7. A threaded barrel, capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer.
    8. A second handgrip.
    9. A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel that allows the bearer to fire the weapon without burning the bearer’s hand, except a slide that encloses the barrel.
    10. The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.
  2. A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
  3. A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that has an overall length of fewer than 30 inches.

For purposes of this section, “fixed magazine” means an ammunition feeding device contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm in such a manner that the device cannot be removed without disassembly of the firearm action.

Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates. ​


About NRA-ILA:

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org

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Alan in NH

Why would anyone who reads Ammoland still want to live in California?

Arizona

Why would ANYONE submit to the unconstitutional so-called “laws” of California is a better question. The dregs of humanity who call themselves “government” have only the power that We the People cede to them. Live free.

jukk0u

Surrendering one’s nation and one’s home is not a good answer. If you run from this fight you only end up tired, defenseless, and dispossessed of your property.
All you folks in the other 49 are facing an influx of Californians fleeing the shambles they’ve created, and will soon be facing a similar fight.

Deplorable Bill

A semi automatic center fire firearm that IS NOT a rifle, pistol or shotgun?????

Their intent is clear. They mean to outlaw and/or confiscate every firearm no mater what it is. They fear a revolt of the people they are supposed to serve. Seems to me they are asking for a French revolution. Be careful what you ask for

Arm up and carry on

swmft

there are too many of them rope will have to do lots of bridges soooooo

Tank

Importing as many unvetted, disease carrying vectors, ignorant, indigent & state dependent voting slaves as they can pull off. STILL.

Last edited 2 years ago by Tank
Montana454Casull

Definition of an assualt weapon = Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff , Gavin Newsome and the rest of the liberal gun grabbing trash out there . You all qualify as Assault weapons . There I fixed that for you idiots that can’t comprehend your oath and our constitution. Shiela Jackson Lee is an assualt weapon with a 50 caliber mouth and her lies weigh as much as ten piles of liberal politicians bullshit .

DDS

A threaded barrel, capable of accepting …, forward handgrip, ….

WTF.

A forward handgrip attached via a threaded barrel?

Sounds like a great way to lose some fingers!

“Shoulder thing that goes up” v2.0 maybe?

Finnky

Shrouded barrel pretty much covers any AR variant. I’m guessing they wouldn’t accept my pistol’s overall length as over 30″ even if I had suppressor pinned on it – but then they hate suppressors anyway 🙁 Couldn’t an enterprising individual attach a forward grip to the barrel using hose clamps? Thus any exposed barrel is capable of accepting a forward handgrip. They don’t want to explicitly say it, but are trying to ban all semi-auto firearms regardless – pistol, shotgun, rifle or other is irrelevant. Of course at the same time they will exempt ‘non-civilians’ — despite Washington Post’s constant… Read more »

nrringlee

I learned this at a major California university nearly 50 years ago: contrary to progressive premise number one you cannot legislate your way out of a collapsing culture. The Progressive New Left has destroyed American culture and that destruction was their primary goal since the early 1970’s. They are now living with the consequences. Blue Utopias like California are now struggling with the consequences of that destruction. This bill is an example of that struggle. Dead letter.

Tank

Very true.

ralph

In the logistical sense, it was not easy to leave California at age 81, with my 75 year old wife, but intellectually it was the easiest thing we ever did.

My all-OEM wooden stock Ruger Mini-30 would be okay in CA today, but if I put a bipod on it I’m off to “Q”? Amazing. Rural Texas is great and I carried on my grocery run today. Just as natural as putting on my boots.

Ralph

Boz

Most Dem’s faces are “assauIt weapons”.

Tank

The CaliFORNICATion of Commiefornia is beyond obvious while millions of Americans don’t even blink still. Stupefying ignorance & wasted intellectual Idiocracy on display. State was ruined by complacency, apathy & ignorance. Soddam & Gomorrah literally brought to life.

Coelacanth

All against the Second Amendment. Marbury v Madison precedent.

Tank

I’m trying to figure out why Commiefornia has literally become a turd world state right before our eyes & yet not one syntilla of any metric can show any improvement. State has been ruined by culture jamming of the highest order. More will continue to flee as it’s policies & politics continue to fail at all levels. Really no difference between Obama & Newsome. Both are dictators & doing/did/committed unconstitutional edicts/actions/acts. Smdh why people continue the path of destruction yet in complete denial. Cringes me to think what kind of future Marxist – Sabbatean – Zionist – Collectivist’s ideologies seeds… Read more »

CDR-C

This is confusing. The characteristics listed apply to “A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that does not have a fixed magazine, but that has any one of the following” (emphasis added)

So THIS clause does not apply to ARs, SKS, AKs, etc. This clause applies to the “any other weapon” type, such as the Shockwaves.

I suspect other (pre-existing) clauses have the same wording, but apply to “rifle, pistol, or shotgun”.