In connection with the Plano, Texas incident, Chi was indicted by a Federal grand jury on a charge of possession of a destructive device in violation of the National Firearms Act; the indictment was filed on July 11, 2012 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The 12.5 inch model may be sold by Beretta-USA only as a "Law Enforcement weapon", and all NFA rules apply to it, as its short barrel length restricts its civilian availability as a "Short Barreled Rifle" (any rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches as described in the NFA Title 2), a category of firearms which is forbidden to own in certain States and that requires a BATFE Form 4 to be filed and a payment of $200.00.
During the same timeframe, Gilbert Equipment Co. tried to bring semi-automatic version of USAS-12 to the U.S. market, but the BATF promptly classified this weapon as "having no sporting purpose", so it became a "destructive device" under the U.S. National Firearms Act of 1934.
This registration is a defense to prosecution if you possess the proper forms, processed in accordance with the National Firearms Act which includes a paid tax stamp and approval by the NFA branch of the BATFE.
NFA weapons are weapons that are heavily restricted at a federal level by the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986.
The actual length of the barrels of a long gun are subject various laws in many jurisdictions, for example by the National Firearms Act in the United States, which sets a minimum length of 16 inches (40 cm) for rifle barrels and 18 inches (45 cm) for shotgun barrels.
According to this letter, "...because the Act conflicts with Federal firearms laws and regulations, Federal law supersedes the Act, and all provisions of the Gun Control Act and the National Firearms Act, and their corresponding regulations, continue to apply."
In the U.S., the BATF made a ruling in 1982 that semi-automatic open-bolt weapons are readily convertible to fully automatic fire, therefore such weapons manufactured after the date of this ruling are classed and controlled as fully automatic weapons (weapons manufactured prior to the ruling are grandfathered and are still considered semi-automatic).
Selective fire weapons are regulated in the United States under the National Firearms Act of 1934; their new manufacture for the civilian market was prohibited by the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986.
In the United States, firearms are categorized by the National Firearms Act and firearms manufactured with specific features are subject to restrictions and controls.
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