DraftDraft definitions, under editorial review. Informational content is not legal advice.
Draftfederal and California definitions
The National Firearms Act covers a shotgun with a barrel shorter than 18 inches and specified weapons made from shotguns with barrels shorter than 18 inches or overall lengths shorter than 26 inches. [1] Its shotgun definition includes shoulder-fire design and a smooth bore. [1] California Penal Code section 17180 separately defines short-barreled shotgun using fixed-shotgun-shell capability, dimensions, and additional statutory categories. [2] Because the state and federal definitions differ, the abbreviation SBS describes a legal category whose jurisdiction must be identified. [1][2]
- 1. 26 U.S.C. section 5845, 2024 editionretrieved 2026-10-04
- 2. California Penal Code: General definitionsretrieved 2026-10-04
See also
- National Firearms ActDraft
The National Firearms Act originated in 1934 as a federal tax and registration statute for specified firearm categories, later amended by Congress.
- overall lengthDraft
A dimensional criterion used in several firearm statutes with different thresholds and scopes.
Terms that use short-barreled shotgun
About this glossary
This entry is one of 153 defined terms in the CalGunHub glossary of California and federal firearm-law vocabulary. The 11 core terms are short plain-English definitions; the extended terms are cited research drafts, labelled as drafts, with their statutory sources listed under each entry. Every definition here is informational only and is not legal advice.
Get the weekly Roster and Law brief
One email a week on California roster changes, new laws and court rulings. Alerts when something changes.