[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 27, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 27CFR478.11]

[Page 20-28]
 
            TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND FIREARMS
 
   CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES, 
                          DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
 
PART 478_COMMERCE IN FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION--Table of Contents
 
                          Subpart B_Definitions
 
Sec.  478.11  Meaning of terms.


    When used in this part and in forms prescribed under this part, 
where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with 
the intent thereof, terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this 
section. Words in the plural form shall include the singular, and vice 
versa, and words importing the masculine gender shall include the 
feminine. The terms ``includes'' and ``including'' do not exclude other 
things not enumerated which are in the same general class or are 
otherwise within the scope thereof.
    Act. 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44.
    Adjudicated as a mental defective. (a) A determination by a court, 
board, commission, or other lawful authority that a person, as a result 
of marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, 
condition, or disease:
    (1) Is a danger to himself or to others; or
    (2) Lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his own affairs.
    (b) The term shall include--
    (1) A finding of insanity by a court in a criminal case; and
    (2) Those persons found incompetent to stand trial or found not 
guilty by reason of lack of mental responsibility pursuant to articles 
50a and 72b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 850a, 
876b.
    Admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or sporting 
purposes. (a) Is entering the United States to participate in a 
competitive target shooting event sponsored by a national, State, or 
local organization, devoted to the competitive use or other sporting use 
of firearms; or
    (b) Is entering the United States to display firearms at a sports or 
hunting trade show sponsored by a national, State, or local firearms 
trade organization, devoted to the competitive use or other sporting use 
of firearms.
    Alien. Any person not a citizen or national of the United States.
    Alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. Aliens who are 
unlawfully in the United States are not in valid immigrant, nonimmigrant 
or parole status. The term includes any alien--

[[Page 21]]

    (a) Who unlawfully entered the United States without inspection and 
authorization by an immigration officer and who has not been paroled 
into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (INA);
    (b) Who is a nonimmigrant and whose authorized period of stay has 
expired or who has violated the terms of the nonimmigrant category in 
which he or she was admitted;
    (c) Paroled under INA section 212(d)(5) whose authorized period of 
parole has expired or whose parole status has been terminated; or
    (d) Under an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal, or under 
an order to depart the United States voluntarily, whether or not he or 
she has left the United States.
    Ammunition. Ammunition or cartridge cases, primers, bullets, or 
propellent powder designed for use in any firearm other than an antique 
firearm. The term shall not include (a) any shotgun shot or pellet not 
designed for use as the single, complete projectile load for one shotgun 
hull or casing, nor (b) any unloaded, non-metallic shotgun hull or 
casing not having a primer.
    Antique firearm. (a) Any firearm (including any firearm with a 
matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition 
system) manufactured in or before 1898; and (b) any replica of any 
firearm described in paragraph (a) of this definition if such replica 
(1) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional 
centerfire fixed ammunition, or (2) uses rimfire or conventional 
centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the 
United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary 
channels of commercial trade.
    Armor piercing ammunition. Projectiles or projectile cores which may 
be used in a handgun and which are constructed entirely (excluding the 
presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of 
tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or 
depleted uranium; or full jacketed projectiles larger than .22 caliber 
designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight 
of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile. The term 
does not include shotgun shot required by Federal or State environmental 
or game regulations for hunting purposes, frangible projectiles designed 
for target shooting, projectiles which the Director finds are primarily 
intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any other projectiles or 
projectile cores which the Director finds are intended to be used for 
industrial purposes, including charges used in oil and gas well 
perforating devices.
    ATF officer. An officer or employee of the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) authorized to perform any function relating 
to the administration or enforcement of this part.
    Business premises. The property on which the manufacturing or 
importing of firearms or ammunition or the dealing in firearms is or 
will be conducted. A private dwelling, no part of which is open to the 
public, shall not be recognized as coming within the meaning of the 
term.
    Chief, National Licensing Center. The ATF official responsible for 
the issuance and renewal of licenses under this part.
    Collector. Any person who acquires, holds, or disposes of firearms 
as curios or relics.
    Collection premises. The premises described on the license of a 
collector as the location at which he maintains his collection of curios 
and relics.
    Commerce. Travel, trade, traffic, commerce, transportation, or 
communication among the several States, or between the District of 
Columbia and any State, or between any foreign country or any territory 
or possession and any State or the District of Columbia, or between 
points in the same State but through any other State or the District of 
Columbia or a foreign country.
    Committed to a mental institution. A formal commitment of a person 
to a mental institution by a court, board, commission, or other lawful 
authority. The term includes a commitment to a mental institution 
involuntarily. The term includes commitment for mental defectiveness or 
mental illness. It also includes commitments for other reasons, such as 
for drug use. The term does not include a person in a mental

[[Page 22]]

institution for observation or a voluntary admission to a mental 
institution.
    Controlled substance. A drug or other substance, or immediate 
precursor, as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, 
21 U.S.C. 802. The term includes, but is not limited to, marijuana, 
depressants, stimulants, and narcotic drugs. The term does not include 
distilled spirits, wine, malt beverages, or tobacco, as those terms are 
defined or used in Subtitle E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as 
amended.
    Crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year. Any 
Federal, State or foreign offense for which the maximum penalty, whether 
or not imposed, is capital punishment or imprisonment in excess of 1 
year. The term shall not include (a) any Federal or State offenses 
pertaining to antitrust violations, unfair trade practices, restraints 
of trade, or other similar offenses relating to the regulation of 
business practices or (b) any State offense classified by the laws of 
the State as a misdemeanor and punishable by a term of imprisonment of 2 
years or less. What constitutes a conviction of such a crime shall be 
determined in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction in which the 
proceedings were held. Any conviction which has been expunged or set 
aside or for which a person has been pardoned or has had civil rights 
restored shall not be considered a conviction for the purposes of the 
Act or this part, unless such pardon, expunction, or restoration of 
civil rights expressly provides that the person may not ship, transport, 
possess, or receive firearms, or unless the person is prohibited by the 
law of the jurisdiction in which the proceedings were held from 
receiving or possessing any firearms.
    Curios or relics. Firearms which are of special interest to 
collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with 
firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons. 
To be recognized as curios or relics, firearms must fall within one of 
the following categories:
    (a) Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the 
current date, but not including replicas thereof;
    (b) Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, 
State, or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics 
of museum interest; and
    (c) Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their 
monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or 
because of their association with some historical figure, period, or 
event. Proof of qualification of a particular firearm under this 
category may be established by evidence of present value and evidence 
that like firearms are not available except as collector's items, or 
that the value of like firearms available in ordinary commercial 
channels is substantially less.
    Customs officer. Any officer of the Customs Service or any 
commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the Coast Guard, or any agent 
or other person authorized by law or designated by the Secretary of the 
Treasury to perform any duties of an officer of the Customs Service.
    Dealer. Any person engaged in the business of selling firearms at 
wholesale or retail; any person engaged in the business of repairing 
firearms or of making or fitting special barrels, stocks, or trigger 
mechanisms to firearms; or any person who is a pawnbroker. The term 
shall include any person who engages in such business or occupation on a 
part-time basis.
    Destructive device. (a) Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas (1) 
bomb, (2) grenade, (3) rocket having a propellant charge of more than 4 
ounces, (4) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more 
than one-quarter ounce, (5) mine, or (6) device similar to any of the 
devices described in the preceding paragraphs of this definition; (b) 
any type of weapon (other than a shotgun or a shotgun shell which the 
Director finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for 
sporting purposes) by whatever name known which will, or which may be 
readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive 
or other propellant, and which has any barrel with a bore of more than 
one-half inch in diameter; and (c) any combination of parts either

[[Page 23]]

designed or intended for use in converting any device into any 
destructive device described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section and 
from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. The term shall 
not include any device which is neither designed nor redesigned for use 
as a weapon; any device, although originally designed for use as a 
weapon, which is redesigned for use as a signalling, pyrotechnic, line 
throwing, safety, or similar device; surplus ordnance sold, loaned, or 
given by the Secretary of the Army pursuant to the provisions of section 
4684(2), 4685, or 4686 of title 10, United States Code; or any other 
device which the Director finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, is 
an antique, or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for 
sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes.
    Director. The Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the 
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC.
    Director of Industry Operations. The principal ATF official in a 
Field Operations division responsible for administering regulations in 
this part.
    Discharged under dishonorable conditions. Separation from the U.S. 
Armed Forces resulting from a dishonorable discharge or dismissal 
adjudged by a general court-martial. The term does not include any 
separation from the Armed Forces resulting from any other discharge, 
e.g., a bad conduct discharge.
    Division. A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Division.
    Engaged in the business--(a) Manufacturer of firearms. A person who 
devotes time, attention, and labor to manufacturing firearms as a 
regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of 
livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the firearms 
manufactured;
    (b) Manufacturer of ammunition. A person who devotes time, 
attention, and labor to manufacturing ammunition as a regular course of 
trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit 
through the sale or distribution of the ammunition manufactured;
    (c) Dealer in firearms other than a gunsmith or a pawnbroker. A 
person who devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as 
a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of 
livelihood and profit through the repetitive purchase and resale of 
firearms, but such a term shall not include a person who makes 
occasional sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms for the 
enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby, or who sells all or 
part of his personal collection of firearms;
    (d) Gunsmith. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to 
engaging in such activity as a regular course of trade or business with 
the principal objective of livelihood and profit, but such a term shall 
not include a person who makes occasional repairs of firearms or who 
occasionally fits special barrels, stocks, or trigger mechanisms to 
firearms;
    (e) Importer of firearms. A person who devotes time, attention, and 
labor to importing firearms as a regular course of trade or business 
with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale 
or distribution of the firearms imported; and,
    (f) Importer of ammunition. A person who devotes time, attention, 
and labor to importing ammunition as a regular course of trade or 
business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through 
the sale or distribution of the ammunition imported.
    Executed under penalties of perjury. Signed with the prescribed 
declaration under the penalties of perjury as provided on or with 
respect to the return form, or other document or, where no form of 
declaration is prescribed, with the declaration:

    ``I declare under the penalties of perjury that this--(insert type 
of document, such as, statement, application, request, certificate), 
including the documents submitted in support thereof, has been examined 
by me and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, is true, correct, and 
complete.''

    Federal Firearms Act. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 18.
    Firearm. Any weapon, including a starter gun, which will or is 
designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the 
action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any 
firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or any destructive device; but

[[Page 24]]

the term shall not include an antique firearm. In the case of a licensed 
collector, the term shall mean only curios and relics.
    Firearm frame or receiver. That part of a firearm which provides 
housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and 
which is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel.
    Firearm muffler or firearm silencer. Any device for silencing, 
muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any 
combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in 
assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any 
part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.
    Friendly foreign government. Any government with whom the United 
States has diplomatic relations and whom the United States has not 
identified as a State sponsor of terrorism.
    Fugitive from justice. Any person who has fled from any State to 
avoid prosecution for a felony or a misdemeanor; or any person who 
leaves the State to avoid giving testimony in any criminal proceeding. 
The term also includes any person who knows that misdemeanor or felony 
charges are pending against such person and who leaves the State of 
prosecution.
    Handgun. (a) Any firearm which has a short stock and is designed to 
be held and fired by the use of a single hand; and
    (b) Any combination of parts from which a firearm described in 
paragraph (a) can be assembled.
    Hunting license or permit lawfully issued in the United States. A 
license or permit issued by a State for hunting which is valid and 
unexpired.
    Identification document. A document containing the name, residence 
address, date of birth, and photograph of the holder and which was made 
or issued by or under the authority of the United States Government, a 
State, political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, political 
subdivision of a foreign government, an international governmental or an 
international quasi- governmental organization which, when completed 
with information concerning a particular individual, is of a type 
intended or commonly accepted for the purpose of identification of 
individuals.
    Importation. The bringing of a firearm or ammunition into the United 
States; except that the bringing of a firearm or ammunition from outside 
the United States into a foreign-trade zone for storage pending shipment 
to a foreign country or subsequent importation into this country, 
pursuant to this part, shall not be deemed importation.
    Importer. Any person engaged in the business of importing or 
bringing firearms or ammunition into the United States. The term shall 
include any person who engages in such business on a part-time basis.
    Indictment. Includes an indictment or information in any court, 
under which a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 
year (as defined in this section) may be prosecuted, or in military 
cases to any offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 
year which has been referred to a general court-martial. An information 
is a formal accusation of a crime, differing from an indictment in that 
it is made by a prosecuting attorney and not a grand jury.
    Interstate or foreign commerce. Includes commerce between any place 
in a State and any place outside of that State, or within any possession 
of the United States (not including the Canal Zone) or the District of 
Columbia. The term shall not include commerce between places within the 
same State but through any place outside of that State.
    Intimate partner. With respect to a person, the spouse of the 
person, a former spouse of the person, an individual who is a parent of 
a child of the person, and an individual who cohabitates or has 
cohabitated with the person.
    Large capacity ammunition feeding device. A magazine, belt, drum, 
feed strip, or similar device for a firearm manufactured after September 
13, 1994, that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or 
converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The term does 
not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable 
of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition, or a fixed 
device for a manually operated firearm,

[[Page 25]]

or a fixed device for a firearm listed in 18 U.S.C. 922, Appendix A.
    Licensed collector. A collector of curios and relics only and 
licensed under the provisions of this part.
    Licensed dealer. A dealer licensed under the provisions of this 
part.
    Licensed importer. An importer licensed under the provisions of this 
part.
    Licensed manufacturer. A manufacturer licensed under the provisions 
of this part.
    Machine gun. Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can 
be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without 
manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall 
also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed 
and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed 
and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any 
combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such 
parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
    Manufacturer. Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing 
firearms or ammunition. The term shall include any person who engages in 
such business on a part-time basis.
    Mental institution. Includes mental health facilities, mental 
hospitals, sanitariums, psychiatric facilities, and other facilities 
that provide diagnoses by licensed professionals of mental retardation 
or mental illness, including a psychiatric ward in a general hospital.
    Misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. (a) Is a Federal, State or 
local offense that:
    (1) Is a misdemeanor under Federal or State law or, in States which 
do not classify offenses as misdemeanors, is an offense punishable by 
imprisonment for a term of one year or less, and includes offenses that 
are punishable only by a fine. (This is true whether or not the State 
statute specifically defines the offense as a ``misdemeanor'' or as a 
``misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.'' The term includes all such 
misdemeanor convictions in Indian Courts established pursuant to 25 CFR 
part 11.);
    (2) Has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force 
(e.g., assault and battery), or the threatened use of a deadly weapon; 
and
    (3) Was committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian 
of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in 
common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the 
victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, (e.g., the equivalent of a 
``common law'' marriage even if such relationship is not recognized 
under the law), or a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or 
guardian of the victim (e.g., two persons who are residing at the same 
location in an intimate relationship with the intent to make that place 
their home would be similarly situated to a spouse).
    (b) A person shall not be considered to have been convicted of such 
an offense for purposes of this part unless:
    (1) The person is considered to have been convicted by the 
jurisdiction in which the proceedings were held.
    (2) The person was represented by counsel in the case, or knowingly 
and intelligently waived the right to counsel in the case; and
    (3) In the case of a prosecution for which a person was entitled to 
a jury trial in the jurisdiction in which the case was tried, either
    (i) The case was tried by a jury, or
    (ii) The person knowingly and intelligently waived the right to have 
the case tried by a jury, by guilty plea or otherwise.
    (c) A person shall not be considered to have been convicted of such 
an offense for purposes of this part if the conviction has been expunged 
or set aside, or is an offense for which the person has been pardoned or 
has had civil rights restored (if the law of the jurisdiction in which 
the proceedings were held provides for the loss of civil rights upon 
conviction for such an offense) unless the pardon, expunction, or 
restoration of civil rights expressly provides that the person may not 
ship, transport, possess, or receive firearms, and the person is not 
otherwise prohibited by the law of the jurisdiction in which the 
proceedings were held from receiving or possessing any firearms.
    National Firearms Act. 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53.

[[Page 26]]

    NICS. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System 
established by the Attorney General pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 922(t).
    Nonimmigrant alien. An alien in the United States in a nonimmigrant 
classification as defined by section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)).
    Pawnbroker. Any person whose business or occupation includes the 
taking or receiving, by way of pledge or pawn, of any firearm as 
security for the payment or repayment of money. The term shall include 
any person who engages in such business on a part-time basis.
    Permanently inoperable. A firearm which is incapable of discharging 
a shot by means of an explosive and incapable of being readily restored 
to a firing condition. An acceptable method of rendering most firearms 
permanently inoperable is to fusion weld the chamber closed and fusion 
weld the barrel solidly to the frame. Certain unusual firearms require 
other methods to render the firearm permanently inoperable. Contact ATF 
for instructions.
    Person. Any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, 
partnership, society, or joint stock company.
    Pistol. A weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a 
projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and 
having (a) a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently 
aligned with, the bore(s); and (b) a short stock designed to be gripped 
by one hand and at an angle to and extending below the line of the 
bore(s).
    Principal objective of livelihood and profit. The intent underlying 
the sale or disposition of firearms is predominantly one of obtaining 
livelihood and pecuniary gain, as opposed to other intents such as 
improving or liquidating a personal firearms collection: Provided, That 
proof of profit shall not be required as to a person who engages in the 
regular and repetitive purchase and disposition of firearms for criminal 
purposes or terrorism. For purposes of this part, the term ``terrorism'' 
means activity, directed against United States persons, which--
    (a) Is committed by an individual who is not a national or permanent 
resident alien of the United States;
    (b) Involves violent acts or acts dangerous to human life which 
would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of 
the United States; and
    (c) Is intended--
    (1) To intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
    (2) To influence the policy of a government by intimidation or 
coercion; or
    (3) To affect the conduct of a government by assassination or 
kidnapping.
    Published ordinance. A published law of any political subdivision of 
a State which the Director determines to be relevant to the enforcement 
of this part and which is contained on a list compiled by the Director, 
which list is incorporated by reference in the Federal Register, revised 
annually, and furnished to licensees under this part.
    Renounced U.S. citizenship. (a) A person has renounced his U.S. 
citizenship if the person, having been a citizen of the United States, 
has renounced citizenship either--
    (1) Before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in 
a foreign state pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1481(a)(5); or
    (2) Before an officer designated by the Attorney General when the 
United States is in a state of war pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1481(a)(6).
    (b) The term shall not include any renunciation of citizenship that 
has been reversed as a result of administrative or judicial appeal.
    Revolver. A projectile weapon, of the pistol type, having a 
breechloading chambered cylinder so arranged that the cocking of the 
hammer or movement of the trigger rotates it and brings the next 
cartridge in line with the barrel for firing.
    Rifle. A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended 
to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or 
remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge 
to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single 
pull of the trigger.
    Semiautomatic assault weapon. (a) Any of the firearms, or copies or 
duplicates

[[Page 27]]

of the firearms in any caliber, known as:
    (1) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs 
(all models),
    (2) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil,
    (3) Beretta Ar70 (SC-70),
    (4) Colt AR-15,
    (5) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC,
    (6) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12,
    (7) Steyr AUG,
    (8) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22, and
    (9) Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street 
Sweeper and Striker 12;
    (b) A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable 
magazine and has at least 2 of--
    (1) A folding or telescoping stock,
    (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of 
the weapon,
    (3) A bayonet mount,
    (4) A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a 
flash suppressor, and
    (5) A grenade launcher;
    (c) A semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a 
detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--
    (1) An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of 
the pistol grip,
    (2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash 
suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer,
    (3) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely 
encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm 
with the nontrigger hand without being burned,
    (4) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is 
unloaded, and
    (5) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and
    (d) A semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of--
    (1) A folding or telescoping stock,
    (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of 
the weapon,
    (3) A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds, and
    (4) An ability to accept a detachable magazine.
    Semiautomatic pistol. Any repeating pistol which utilizes a portion 
of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case 
and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the 
trigger to fire each cartridge.
    Semiautomatic rifle. Any repeating rifle which utilizes a portion of 
the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and 
chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the 
trigger to fire each cartridge.
    Semiautomatic shotgun. Any repeating shotgun which utilizes a 
portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired 
cartridge case and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate 
pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.
    Short-barreled rifle. A rifle having one or more barrels less than 
16 inches in length, and any weapon made from a rifle, whether by 
alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such weapon, as modified, has 
an overall length of less than 26 inches.
    Short-barreled shotgun. A shotgun having one or more barrels less 
than 18 inches in length, and any weapon made from a shotgun, whether by 
alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such weapon as modified has 
an overall length of less than 26 inches.
    Shotgun. A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and 
intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and 
made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun 
shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a 
single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.
    State. A State of the United States. The term shall include the 
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the 
possessions of the United States (not including the Canal Zone).
    State of residence. The State in which an individual resides. An 
individual resides in a State if he or she is present in a State with 
the intention of making a home in that State. If an individual is on 
active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, the individual's State of 
residence is the State in which

[[Page 28]]

his or her permanent duty station is located. An alien who is legally in 
the United States shall be considered to be a resident of a State only 
if the alien is residing in the State and has resided in the State for a 
period of at least 90 days prior to the date of sale or delivery of a 
firearm. The following are examples that illustrate this definition:

    Example 1. A maintains a home in State X. A travels to State Y on a 
hunting, fishing, business, or other type of trip. A does not become a 
resident of State Y by reason of such trip.
    Example 2. A is a U.S. citizen and maintains a home in State X and a 
home in State Y. A resides in State X except for weekends or the summer 
months of the year and in State Y for the weekends or the summer months 
of the year. During the time that A actually resides in State X, A is a 
resident of State X, and during the time that A actually resides in 
State Y, A is a resident of State Y.
    Example 3. A, an alien, travels on vacation or on a business trip to 
State X. Regardless of the length of time A spends in State X, A does 
not have a State of residence in State X. This is because A does not 
have a home in State X at which he has resided for at least 90 days.

    Unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance. A person 
who uses a controlled substance and has lost the power of self-control 
with reference to the use of controlled substance; and any person who is 
a current user of a controlled substance in a manner other than as 
prescribed by a licensed physician. Such use is not limited to the use 
of drugs on a particular day, or within a matter of days or weeks 
before, but rather that the unlawful use has occurred recently enough to 
indicate that the individual is actively engaged in such conduct. A 
person may be an unlawful current user of a controlled substance even 
though the substance is not being used at the precise time the person 
seeks to acquire a firearm or receives or possesses a firearm. An 
inference of current use may be drawn from evidence of a recent use or 
possession of a controlled substance or a pattern of use or possession 
that reasonably covers the present time, e.g., a conviction for use or 
possession of a controlled substance within the past year; multiple 
arrests for such offenses within the past 5 years if the most recent 
arrest occurred within the past year; or persons found through a drug 
test to use a controlled substance unlawfully, provided that the test 
was administered within the past year. For a current or former member of 
the Armed Forces, an inference of current use may be drawn from recent 
disciplinary or other administrative action based on confirmed drug use, 
e.g., court-martial conviction, nonjudicial punishment, or an 
administrative discharge based on drug use or drug rehabilitation 
failure.
    Unserviceable firearm. A firearm which is incapable of discharging a 
shot by means of an explosive and is incapable of being readily restored 
to a firing condition.
    U.S.C. The United States Code.

(5 U.S.C. 552(a), 80 Stat. 383, as amended; 18 U.S.C. 847 (84 Stat. 
959); 18 U.S.C. 926 (82 Stat. 1226))

[T.D. ATF-48, 43 FR 13536, Mar. 31 1978; 44 FR 55842, Sept. 28, 1979]

    Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting Sec.  
478.11, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the 
Finding Aids section of the printed volume and on GPO Access.