Pen. Code, § 31900 · Article 4. “Unsafe Handgun” and Related Definitions
Pen. Code, § 31900
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
As used in this part, the “drop safety requirement for handguns” means that at the conclusion of the firing requirements for handguns described in Section 31905, the same certified independent testing laboratory shall subject the same three handguns of the make and model for which certification is sought, to the following test:
(a) A primed case (no powder or projectile) shall be inserted into the chamber. For a pistol, the slide shall be released, allowing it to move forward under the impetus of the recoil spring, and an empty magazine shall be inserted. For both a pistol and a revolver, the weapon shall be placed in a drop fixture capable of dropping the pistol from a drop height of 1m + 1cm (39.4 + 0.4 in.) onto the largest side of a slab of solid concrete having minimum dimensions of 7.5 x 15 x 15 cm (3 x 6 x 6 in.). The drop distance shall be measured from the lowermost portion of the weapon to the top surface of the slab. The weapon shall be dropped from a fixture and not from the hand. The weapon shall be dropped in the condition that it would be in if it were dropped from a hand (cocked with no manual safety applied). If the pistol is designed so that upon leaving the hand a “safety” is automatically applied by the pistol, this feature shall not be defeated. An approved drop fixture is a short piece of string with the weapon attached at one end and the other end held in an air vise until the drop is initiated.
(b) The following six drops shall be performed:
(1) Normal firing position with barrel horizontal.
(2) Upside down with barrel horizontal.
(3) On grip with barrel vertical.
(4) On muzzle with barrel vertical.
(5) On either side with barrel horizontal.
(6) If there is an exposed hammer or striker, on the rearmost point of that device, otherwise on the rearmost point of the weapon.
(c) The primer shall be examined for indentations after each drop. If indentations are present, a fresh primed case shall be used for the next drop.
(d) The handgun shall pass this test if each of the three test guns does not fire the primer.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=31900.
- Text hash
- sha256 9e8b9fe45ee91c4e22a0f7978683111d51813e75f15f80a9ac146c9b7f397de2
- Composed by
- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Cited by 7 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Pen. Code, § 31900. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Penal Code
- Pen. Code, § 16500Printed as Section 31900
- Pen. Code, § 32000Printed as Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive
- Pen. Code, § 32005Printed as Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive
- Pen. Code, § 32010Printed as Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive
- Pen. Code, § 32015Printed as Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive
- Pen. Code, § 32020Printed as Sections 31900 and 31905
- Pen. Code, § 32025Printed as Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.