Legal Penal Code 30315 Question

[Ace70707]

PC 30315 states "Any person, firm, or corporation who, within this state knowingly possesses any handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor is guilty of a public offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in the county jail for a term not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment."

What exactly counts as "handgun ammunition" for the purposes of this? I would assume 9mm and other obvious calibers are, but what about calibers like 556, 308 that are primarily rifle calibers but lowers DROS'ed as pistols exist? Larger stuff like 30-06, 8mm Mauser definitely would not fall under this, unless someone for some reason makes a pistol for these?

 

[foothillman]

"16640.
(a) As used in this part, “handgun” means any pistol, revolver, or firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.
(b) Nothing shall prevent a device defined as a “handgun” from also being found to be a short-barreled rifle or a short-barreled shotgun.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.)

16650.
(a) As used in this part, “handgun ammunition” means ammunition principally for use in pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed upon the person, notwithstanding that the ammunition may also be used in some rifles.
(b) As used in Section 30312 and in Article 3 (commencing with Section 30345) of Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4, “handgun ammunition” does not include either of the following:
(1) Ammunition designed and intended to be used in an antique firearm.
(2) Blanks.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.)

16660.
As used in this part, “handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor” means any ammunition, except a shotgun shell or ammunition primarily designed for use in a rifle, that is designed primarily to penetrate a body vest or body shield, and has either of the following characteristics:
(a) Has projectile or projectile core constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium, or any equivalent material of similar density or hardness.
(b) Is primarily manufactured or designed, by virtue of its shape, cross-sectional density, or any coating applied thereto, including, but not limited to, ammunition commonly known as “KTW ammunition,” to breach or penetrate a body vest or body shield when fired from a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.)

 

[Malibu]

Interestingly, the 5.7X28 cartridge was initially designed by FN-Herstal as a replacement for the 9mm NATO, and with the SS-190 loading was initially designed to penetrate ballistic armor vests. That loading is most often unavailable to non-military civilians, but there was a small amount that made its way of normal distribution.
I’m of the belief that this is why the legislature acted against it.
I have seen boxed samples of .357 S&W Magnum made by Western, as a collector’s item. That stuff is much older.