California legal term
semiautomatic pistol in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “semiautomatic pistol” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “semiautomatic pistol” mean in California criminal law?
“semiautomatic pistol” means a pistol with an operating mode that uses the energy of the explosive in a fixed cartridge to extract a fired cartridge and chamber a fresh cartridge with each single pull of the trigger. (Cal. Penal Code § 17140)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.