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California legal term

short-barreled shotgun in California Criminal Law

Current through 2026 California legislative session

In California criminal law, “short-barreled shotgun” 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 “short-barreled shotgun” mean in California criminal law?

“short-barreled shotgun” means any of the following: (a) A firearm that is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell and has a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length. (Cal. Penal Code § 17180)

Statutes defining or using this term

Related terms in the same statutes

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.