Shell Maximum for Shotguns in CA?

[BOBGBA]

...Uh, tubular magazines are "magazines" and they are not treated differently when it comes to shotguns. The only reason tubular magazines are treated a bit differently in CA is because of all the Cowboy Action shooters who would only support CA's proposed AW/mag ban if it did not directly affect them.

Or is it that each tube is considered a magazine?

[sigstroker]

Ok thanks that's what I thought haha. I was just like... wtf? Maybe he was going off the range's policy of not allowing more than 2 shells loaded at a time and thought that was "law".

Maybe that's the law for over & unders.

Great answers my friend.

Unless you are a hunter most people do not know what a plug is. The attachment is the Remington 870 version for those who may not know.

My pump is so old it came with a wooden dowel.

[Quiet]

Overheard gun shop employee tell a customer that it's illegal to load a shotgun with more than 2 shells in California. First I've heard of this. Truth or BS?

I've read that while hunting, maximum capacity is 3 shells. But that's not what the employee was talking about and that's still not "2". He said that doesn't matter what activity you're doing?hunting, target shooting, home defense?2 shells is the legal limit.

Under CA laws/regulations regarding hunting...

When hunting non-game animals; the shotgun's capacity is limited to 6 rounds. [FGC 2010(a)]
^6 rounds = 5 in magazine + 1 in chamber.

When hunting big game, small game, and birds; the shotgun's capacity is limited to 3 rounds. [FGC 2010(c); 14 CCR 311(a), 353(d), & 507(a)(4)]
^3 rounds = 2 in magazine + 1 in chamber.

CA Fish & Wildlife measures magazine capacity on a fixed tubular magazine by using the shells that are in the possession of the hunter.


Under CA laws/regulations regarding large capacity magazines...

CA large capacity magazine laws makes it illegal (felony) to import, make, advertise for sale, or transfer a fixed tubular magazine for a bolt-action shotgun or pump-action shotgun or semi-auto shotgun. [PC 32310(a)]
Increasing the capacity of a fixed tubular magazine to be greater than 10 rounds is considered making a large capacity magazine, which is illegal to do for a bolt-action shotgun or pump-action shotgun or semi-auto shotgun. [PC 32310(b)]

CA large capacity magazine conversion kit laws makes it illegal (misdemeanor) to make, import, or transfer magazine parts that could be used to increase the magazine capacity of a fixed tubular magazine, on a semi-auto shotgun or pump-action shotgun or bolt-action shotgun, to over 10 rounds. [PC 32311(a)]

CA DOJ measures magazine capacity on a fixed tubular magazine by using the shell length marked by the manufacturer.

Magazine extensions for fixed tubular magazines for bolt-action shotguns, pump-action shotguns, and semi-auto shotguns are CA legal; if they do not increase the capacity to be greater than 10 rounds.

Lever-action shotguns with fixed tubular magazines are exempt from the CA large capacity magazine laws. [PC 16740(c)]
^It is CA legal to (make) increase the capacity of a fixed tubular magazine on a lever-action shotgun to be greater than 10 rounds and CA legal to advertise it for sale or transfer it in CA.

Due to Federal Court actions...
If a person legally owns a large capacity magazine, then they can continue to legally possess/use it. But, they cannot legally advertise it for sale or transfer it in CA.

[sigfan91]

He is correct for a double-barrel shotgun.

[Quiet]

Why is a Tavor TS-12 legal in CA? Does it only have 2 tubes in California?

The IWI Tavor TS-12 is a CA legal semi-auto shotgun that is chambered for 3" shells and has three fixed tubular magazines with each magazine having a capacity of four 3" shells.

Because each magazine has a capacity of less than 10 rounds and it requires a manual action to rotate each magazine into place, the ammunition feeding device on the TS-12 is not considered a large capacity magazine.
^Under CA laws/regulations, it has a capacity of 4+4+4+1.


Note that for determining capacity of a fixed tubular magazine is different, depending on if its determination is used for (CA DOJ) large capacity magazine laws or (CA Fish & Game) for hunting laws.

CA DOJ BOF measures the capacity of a tubular magazine by using the largest shell that the manufacturer indicates for the firearm.
~If shotgun is marked for 3" shells, then 3" shells are used to measure the capacity.
~If shotgun is marked for 2.75" shells, then 2.75" shells are used to measure the capacity.

CA Fish & Wildlife measures the capacity of a tubular magazine by using the shells that are in the possession of the person with the shotgun.
~If the person has 2.75" shells, then 2.75" shells are used to measure the capacity even if the shotgun is marked for 3" shells.

[Garv]

My pump is so old it came with a wooden dowel.

Same, I had to ask here what the heck it was.

[Capybara]

My Cal legal M&P12 holds 15 2.75" shells or 23 Mini Shells. Thank goodness for innovation.

[Quiet]

My Cal legal M&P12 holds 15 2.75" shells or 23 Mini Shells. Thank goodness for innovation.

S&W marks it for 3" shells and it has two fixed tubular magazine that requires a manual action to switch feeding, this gives it a CA legal capacity of 6+6+1.
^This is how CA DOJ BOF views it.

[PogoJack]

Quiet, thank you for the explanation!

[IVC]

Two takeaways from this thread:

(1) Low limits are for hunting (and it makes sense).

(2) The capacity of the magazine is determined via *a method* and that makes the *magazine itself* legal (or not) in CA, regardless of how many rounds/shells are actually in the magazine.

[mausercat]

The Standard Manufacturing DP-12 holds 12 shotgun shells, and since it does not require a switch because both tubes feed at the same time it is not legal to sell in California unless it is modified with some California compliant plugs that Standard sells. I have seen a few for sale, but they are not that common.

They operate like a double barreled tube fed shotgun. You can shoot two shots without having to repump the shotgun, because each barrel shoots independently.

https://stdgun.com/dp-12-double-barrel-pump-shotgun-black/

[acaligunner]

Overheard gun shop employee tell a customer that it's illegal to load a shotgun with more than 2 shells in California. First I've heard of this. Truth or BS?

I've read that while hunting, maximum capacity is 3 shells. But that's not what the employee was talking about and that's still not "2". He said that doesn't matter what activity you're doing?hunting, target shooting, home defense?2 shells is the legal limit.

This imbecile would have had a heart attack if he was transported back in time to see NORMAL capacity firearms with Oem magazines, gets boring hearing all the BS / FUD that gun sales people spread.

[ar15barrels]

Overheard gun shop employee tell a customer that it's illegal to load a shotgun with more than 2 shells in California. First I've heard of this. Truth or BS?

I've read that while hunting, maximum capacity is 3 shells. But that's not what the employee was talking about and that's still not "2". He said that doesn't matter what activity you're doing?hunting, target shooting, home defense?2 shells is the legal limit.

2 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber is hunting regulation.

Does not apply to anything but hunting.

[morrcarr67]

It's California, so most people think;



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[TAS]

It's California, so most people think;



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For California safety reasons, shouldn?t that have a lanyard?