Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 11, § 5506 - Definition of Key Terms

For the purposes of Penal Code section 29180 and Chapter 41, the following definitions will apply:

(a) "Barrel" means the tube, usually metal and cylindrical, through which a projectile or shot charge is fired. Barrels may have a rifled or smooth bore.

(b) "Barrel length" means the length of the barrel measured as follows: Without consideration of any extensions or protrusions rearward of the closed bolt or breech-face the approved procedure for measuring barrel length is to measure from the closed bolt (or breech-face) to the furthermost end of the barrel or permanently attached muzzle device. Permanent methods of attachment include full-fusion gas or electric steel-seam welding, high temperature (1100° F) silver soldering, or blind pinning with the pin head welded over. Barrels are measured by inserting a dowel rod into the barrel until the rod stops against the closed bolt or breech-face. The rod is then marked at the furthermost end of the barrel or permanently attached muzzle device, withdrawn from the barrel, and measured.

(c) "Bolt Action" means a firearm mechanism activated by manual operation of the breechblock that resembles a common door bolt.

(d) "Bore" means the interior of a firearm's barrel excluding the chamber.

(e) "Break Top" means an action design wherein the barrel(s) is pivoted on the frame/receiver. When the action is open, the barrel may pivot up, down, or sideways for loading or unloading. When the action is closed, the breech of the barrel(s) swings against the standing breech. Opening the action is normally accomplished by movement of a top-, side-, or under-lever.

(f) "Caliber" means the nominal diameter of a projectile of a rifled firearm or the diameter between lands in a rifled barrel. In the United States, caliber is usually expressed in hundredths of an inch; in Great Britain in thousandths of an inch; in Europe and elsewhere in millimeters.

(g) "CFARS" means the California Firearms Application Reporting System.

(h) "Conspicuously" means that all required markings shall be placed in such a manner as to be wholly unobstructed from plain view.

(i) "Department" means the California Department of Justice.

(j) "Firearm precursor part" has the meaning set forth for that term in Penal Code section 16531.

(k) "Firearms Eligibility Check" means a state and federal background check pursuant to Penal Code section 28220 that is used to determine an individual's eligibility to possess, receive, own, or purchase a firearm.

(l) "Frame" has the meaning set forth for that term in section 4303, subdivision (a)(3).

(m) "FSC" means Firearm Safety Certificate as defined in Penal Code section 16535.

(n) "Legibly marked" means using exclusively Roman letters (A, a, B, b, C, c, and so forth) and numbers.

(o) "Other mark of identification" has the same definition as subdivision (r).

(p) "Receiver" has the meaning set forth for that term in section 4303, subdivision (a)(6).

(q) "Single Shot" generally means a firearm with a break top or bolt action design that lacks a magazine. The shooter would manually load the firearms chamber each time the weapon was fired. A variation of the single shot is the single shot repeating style firearm which traditionally will have a bolt action, lever action or pump action coupled with a magazine.

(r) "Unique Serial Number" means a serial number issued by the Department that consists of a sequence of alphanumeric characters, is easily identifiable as belonging to a privately made firearm, and is unique to each firearm.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 11, § 5506

1. New section filed 5-21-2018; operative 7-1-2018 (Register 2018, No. 21).
2. Renumbering of former section 5506 to section 5512 and renumbering and amendment of former section 5507 to section 5506 filed 5-31-2023; operative 5-31-2023. Changes without regulatory effect amending subsection (c) pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations; additional amendments are exempt from APA pursuant to Statutes 2022, chapter 76 (AB 1621), section 39, and submitted to OAL for filing and printing only pursuant to Government Code section 11343.8 (Register 2023, No. 22).

Note: Authority cited: Section 29182, Penal Code. Reference: Sections 16170, 16520, 16535, 16670, 28220, 29180, 29182, 29183 and 29184, Penal Code.

1. New section filed 5-21-2018; operative 7/1/2018 (Register 2018, No. 21).
2. Renumbering of former section 5506 to section 5512 and renumbering and amendment of former section 5507 to section 5506 filed 5-31-2023; operative 5/31/2023. Changes without regulatory effect amending subsection (c) pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations; additional amendments are exempt from APA pursuant to Statutes 2022, chapter 76 (AB 1621), section 39, and submitted to OAL for filing and printing only pursuant to Government Code section 11343.8 (Register 2023, No. 22).