Man Reports Gun Theft and Gets Arrested for Too Short Shot Gun

[david86440]

I doubt he even was aware that it was illegal. It was overall length that was too short.

Appeal-Democrat
A Camptonville man who reported his guns had been stolen ended up being arrested for possession of a shotgun about 2 inches too short to be legal, a Yuba County Sheriff's Department official said today.

Stephen Clark Davis, 51, of the 13900 block of Moonshine Road, was arrested early Tuesday and was being held  in Yuba County Jail on $11,000 bail.

When a deputy arrived, Davis told him several firearms had been stolen from his camper trailer, department spokeswoman Melanie Oakes said.

"He went to check for this particular gun, and came out of the trailer to show the deputy that this one was still there. The gun was a .410 shotgun with a pistol grip. The overall length of the gun was 23 ¾ inches, and to be legal it needs to be at least 26 inches long," Oakes said.

Davis told the deputy he affixed the pistol grip after buying the gun.

[fightingquaker13]

I doubt he even was aware that it was illegal. It was overall length that was too short.

Appeal-Democrat
A Camptonville man who reported his guns had been stolen ended up being arrested for possession of a shotgun about 2 inches too short to be legal, a Yuba County Sheriff's Department official said today.

Stephen Clark Davis, 51, of the 13900 block of Moonshine Road, was arrested early Tuesday and was being held  in Yuba County Jail on $11,000 bail.

When a deputy arrived, Davis told him several firearms had been stolen from his camper trailer, department spokeswoman Melanie Oakes said.

"He went to check for this particular gun, and came out of the trailer to show the deputy that this one was still there. The gun was a .410 shotgun with a pistol grip. The overall length of the gun was 23 ¾ inches, and to be legal it needs to be at least 26 inches long," Oakes said.

Davis told the deputy he affixed the pistol grip after buying the gun.

He'll probably do more time than a thief. Before joining this board I didn't realize the overall length mattered. I thought it was just the barrel that mattered. I would bet the majority of gun owners were in the same boat.
FQ13

[Big Frank]

Since he put the pistol grip on, they might charge him with manufacturing a SBS, not just posession of one. BTW the overall length requirement for rifles is the same but the barrel length is 2" different. That never made any sense to me.

[r_w]

He'll probably do more time than a thief. Before joining this board I didn't realize the overall length mattered. I thought it was just the barrel that mattered. I would bet the majority of gun owners were in the same boat.
FQ13

I learned it from "Unintended Consequences"