Section 40 of California Assembly Bill 88 is expanding the definition of what constitutes an “assault weapon” to include more firearms. Because of course they are.
The notable additions are:
(9) A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that does not have a fixed magazine, but that has any one of the following:
(A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
(B) A thumbhole stock.
(C) A folding or telescoping stock.
(D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
(E) A flash suppressor.
(F) A forward pistol grip.
(G) A threaded barrel, capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer.
(H) A second handgrip.
(I) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel that allows the bearer to fire the weapon without burning the bearer’s hand, except a slide that encloses the barrel.
(J) The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.(10) A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
(11) A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun, that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.
That “not a rifle, pistol, or shotgun” part is interesting. I suspect they have such things as the U.S. Ordnance M1919 Semi Auto and the Franklin Armory Reformation in mind; items that aren’t what people usually think of as handguns or rifles, or which blur GCA/NFA definitions.
This also proactively addresses other attempts at complying with California’s current bans, while still trying to provide Golden State gun buyers with a useful or fun product.
But we can’t have that in the People’s Republic.