Dedicated Can Cannon Lower

[Mojamz]

[ronlglock]

[SkyHawk]

centerfire with flash hider)

clarified important distinction

[Quiet]

I’d like to build a dedicated AR lower for my XProducts Can Cannon. Does the lower need to be Cali compliant if only used with the Can Cannon?

In order to be CA legal, there are two options:
A. The receiver needs to be a Title 2 AOW.
B. The maker/possessor needs to have a valid CA DOJ Dangerous Weapons Permit.

This is due to CA generally prohibited weapons (SBR, SBS, unconventional pistol, etc) laws.

[Quiet]

Under CA laws, a firearm with a non-rifled barrel that has a barrel length of less than 18" or an overall length of less than 26" is considered an unconventional pistol. [PC 17270]

It is CA illegal (felony) to import, make, transfer, or possess an unconventional pistol in CA. [PC 31500]

BATFE approved Title 2 AOW [PC 17710(a)] and CA DOJ Dangerous Weapons Permit holders [PC 17720, 17725, & 17730(c)] are exempt from CA unconventional pistol laws.

Therefore...

The Can Cannon upper by itself (unattached) is CA legal.

Installing a Can Cannon upper is only CA legal when attached to a BATFE approved Title 2 AOW or when installed on an AR15 pattern receiver that was registered as a "pistol" by a CA DOJ Dangerous Weapons Permit holder for business reasons (make/transfer to Gov/Mil/LE agencies or for use as a prop in the entertainment industry).

While in CA, installing a Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "rifle" or as a "rifle, receiver" would be making a illegal SBR and an illegal unconventional pistol.

While in CA, installing a Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "long gun, other" or as a "long gun, other, receiver" would be making an illegal unconventional pistol.

While in CA, installing a Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "pistol" or as a "pistol, receiver" would be making an illegal unconventional pistol and illegal unsafe handgun.

It is CA illegal to use a Can Cannon with any type of explosive, incendiary, and tear gas type projectile; because doing so will make it into an illegal destructive device. [PC 16460(a)(2)]

[Mojamz]

What is considered the “barrel” on a can cannon? If it’s the part that is threaded to the receiver, it can no longer fire a projectile since XProducts now welds shut the end of the “barrel.” Unless of course the barrel shroud, the part that accepts a 12oz soda can, is considered the barrel. Thoughts??

[Quiet]

What is considered the “barrel” on a can cannon? If it’s the part that is threaded to the receiver, it can no longer fire a projectile since XProducts now welds shut the end of the “barrel.” Unless of course the barrel shroud, the part that accepts a 12oz soda can, is considered the barrel. Thoughts??

Under Federal laws/regulations...

The Gen 1 Can Cannon has a 1" smoothbore barrel, which caused the BATFE to determine that it makes the firearm (lower receiver) into a Title 2 SBS.

The fix to the Gen 1 was to weld close the barrel, which caused it to be considered a non-firearm part and makes no changes to the classification of the firearm (lower receiver).

The current production Gen 2 Can Cannon uses a closed off "gas port".
What use to be a barrel is now a closed stainless steel 4.5" gas dispersion tube that can only chamber 5.56x45mm blank cartridges, this makes it a non-firearm part and makes no changes to the classification of the firearm (lower receiver).



Under CA laws/regulations...

The Gen 1 Can Cannon has a 1" smoothbore barrel, because it could chamber and discharge a round through that barrel.

The Gen 2 Can Cannon has a 4.5" gas dispersion port which is enclosed by an outer expansion tube.
That tube is considered a non-rifled barrel and it's barrel length measured from the front end of the dispersion port to the end of the tube.
Since that tube has a non-rifled barrel length of less than 18", it meets the CA definition of an unconventional pistol. [PC 17270]



Penal Code 17270
As used in this part, an “unconventional pistol” means a firearm with both of the following characteristics:
(a) It does not have a rifled bore.
(b) It has a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length or has an overall length of less than 26 inches.

[Mojamz]

So is the Gen 2 Can Cannon OK to use with a standard AR lower?

[Quiet]

So is the Gen 2 Can Cannon OK to use with a standard AR lower?

Under CA laws/regulations...

The Gen 2 Can Cannon has a 4.5" gas dispersion port which is enclosed by an outer expansion tube.
The outer expansion tube is considered a non-rifled barrel and it's barrel length is measured from the front end of the dispersion port to the end of the tube.
Since that tube has a non-rifled barrel length of less than 18", it meets the CA definition of an unconventional pistol. [PC 17270]
~While in CA, installing a standard Gen 2 Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "rifle" or as a "rifle, receiver" would be making a illegal SBR and an illegal unconventional pistol.
~While in CA, installing a standard Gen 2 Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "long gun, other" or as a "long gun, other, receiver" would be making an illegal unconventional pistol.
~While in CA, installing a standard Gen 2 Can Cannon upper on an AR lower that was DROS'd/registered as a "pistol" or as a "pistol, receiver" would be making an illegal unconventional pistol and illegal unsafe handgun.

In order to be CA legal...

For the Gen 2 Can Cannon, since the outer expansion tube is considered a non-rifled barrel, the outer expansion tube needs to be 18" or greater in length.

In order to determine it's barrel length, it needs to be measured from the front of the 4.5" gas dispersion port to the end of tube.
(insert dowel into tube until it stops/rests on the front of the gas port, mark dowel at end of tube, remove dowel and measure)
^This may result in needing a 22.5" or greater length outer expansion tube for it to be CA legal.
~The standard outer expansion tube is 11" in overall length and with the Gen 2 4.5" gas dispersion port it should have a CA "barrel length" of 6.5".

A Can Cannon with a 22.5" or greater length outer expansion tube can legally be utilized on a receiver that was DROS'd/registered as a "long gun, other, receiver" or "long gun, rifle, receiver" or "long gun, rifle".

[painkiller]

Even if one has a registered bbaw its still a no go?

[Quiet]

Even if one has a registered bbaw its still a no go?

Being a RAW does not exempt the firearm from CA generally prohibited weapons laws.

Being a BATFE approved Title 2 AOW exempts the firearm from CA generally prohibited weapons laws.

Therefore...

If your RAW is also a BATFE approved Title 2 AOW, then you can legally install a standard Gen 2 Can Cannon on it.

If your RAW is not a BATFE approved Title 2 AOW, then you can not legally install a standard Gen 2 Can Cannon on it, because doing so makes the firearm into an illegal unconventional pistol and illegal SBR or illegal unsafe handgun, depending what type (rifle/pistol) of RAW it is.