shortest legal OAL in CA

[Whiterabbit]

hi guys,

it's a break action single shot with a 16 3/8" barrel. With no repeater in the way the thing is REALLY short compared to my bolt action rifles. I was thinking of installing (via hand saw) a youth stock on it but I want it unquestionably legal!

what's the limit?

also, if I install (via handsaw) a youth stock, the butt pad area is gonna shrink a bit. any common and inexpensive butt plates that tend to be small so I dont have to grind it down for three hours?

[Merc1138]

It's a single shot, right? If so, you need it to be 26". There is one major difference, that the feds measure with a stock extended, CA measures in it's shortest fireable state. I don't know how CA applies that to guns that aren't semi auto, but as it stands 26" with a stock is still pretty short anyway.

30" is for semi auto centerfire rifles in CA.

I wouldn't want to stick a folding stock on a break action here, but a fixed stock that makes it 26" long, sure.

[tiger222]

Federal OAL is 26" you cannot go below that.
someone else chime in if not correct.

[Whiterabbit]

wow, 26? yes it is a single shot, and a single shot ONLY.

that is really, really short! that complies with CA state law too?

[Merc1138]

wow, 26? yes it is a single shot, and a single shot ONLY.

that is really, really short! that complies with CA state law too?

Yes. Like I said, CA cares about 30" on semi auto centerfire, otherwise you follow federal law which is 26".

So you can have a centerfire bolt action, single shot, lever, whatever that's 26" long because they aren't semi auto.

You can have a semi auto .22lr that's 26" long because it's not centerfire.

[nastyhabts26]

Ok I would go to a California DOJ web site and check this out for yourself before making any plans.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that a shotgun barrel had to be 18" a rifle barrel 16" with a total OAL of 30"

[ke6guj]

Ok I would go to a California DOJ web site and check this out for yourself before making any plans.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that a shotgun barrel had to be 18" a rifle barrel 16" with a total OAL of 30"

yes, the OP should look up the laws himself for confirmation, but your impression is wrong that all shotguns and rifles must have an OAL of at least 30". the posters above were correct that CA's SBS/SBR law has a 26" minimum (case law says that that measurement is made with the firearm in the shortest fireable configuration). that info is covered on both the rifle and shotgun flowcharts.

[Whiterabbit]

gee, its gonna end up being longer than 26 anyways, 26 would put the rear sight under my nose.

that's perfect. no matter how short I make it and be reasonable to use, it'll be legal, by many inches. Best case scenario.

Thanks again guys.

[Spanky8601]

gee, its gonna end up being longer than 26 anyways, 26 would put the rear sight under my nose.

that's perfect. no matter how short I make it and be reasonable to use, it'll be legal, by many inches. Best case scenario.

Thanks again guys.

Just make sure the barrel is left at it's current length (16 3/4 inch). A smaller than either measurement is a violation. 26 inch overall, 16 inch for the barrel.

[Whiterabbit]

barrel is set in stone now.

here's a dumb question, I'm gonna take this OT but I think it is relevant. FYI I do not plan on doing this, I'm just musing the technicalities.

The "action" portion of the gun is maybe 4 inches. That means the stock really need only be 6 inches, roughly, to be legal at 26 inches. Even less, if the barrel were a smidge longer. If I had something like the plastic thumbhole stock and cut it to 6 inches, the gun would basically look like a pistol. It would look like the pistol Jack Nicholson used to take down the bat plane in Batman, but the stock would look essentially like nothing but a pistol grip with an odd protrusion out the back.

Based on the DOJ regs, the gun WOULD be 26 OAL and barrel longer than 16 inches. But from a practical point, it would not really be shoulder firable. From a social point, anyone not versed in firearms would think it's a REALLY big pistol.

but I am forced to conclude that it must be legal?

[Merc1138]

barrel is set in stone now.

here's a dumb question, I'm gonna take this OT but I think it is relevant. FYI I do not plan on doing this, I'm just musing the technicalities.

The "action" portion of the gun is maybe 4 inches. That means the stock really need only be 6 inches, roughly, to be legal at 26 inches. Even less, if the barrel were a smidge longer. If I had something like the plastic thumbhole stock and cut it to 6 inches, the gun would basically look like a pistol. It would look like the pistol Jack Nicholson used to take down the bat plane in Batman, but the stock would look essentially like nothing but a pistol grip with an odd protrusion out the back.

Based on the DOJ regs, the gun WOULD be 26 OAL and barrel longer than 16 inches. But from a practical point, it would not really be shoulder firable. From a social point, anyone not versed in firearms would think it's a REALLY big pistol.

but I am forced to conclude that it must be legal?

Yes, it would still be legal.

Although I could have sworn that the joker used a revolver...

[Whiterabbit]

in a general sense, not the specific one.

[rromeo]

Ok I would go to a California DOJ web site and check this out for yourself before making any plans.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that a shotgun barrel had to be 18" a rifle barrel 16" with a total OAL of 30"

I would go to a California DOJ web site and check this out for yourself before making any posts with wrong information.

[-hanko]

Ok I would go to a California DOJ web site and check this out for yourself before making any plans.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that a shotgun barrel had to be 18" a rifle barrel 16" with a total OAL of 30"

I think I'd want to edit that...newb might see it, think it's factual, and get really screwed...not only by California but also the federales.

Not sure I'd post "impressions" before double-checking.

-hanko