Chapter 56 — EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS
Section 5606
California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION AND SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION COMPONENTS
5606.1 General. Indoor storage and display of black powder,¶
smokeless propellants, small arms primers and small arms ammunition shall comply with this section and NFPA 495.
5606.2 Prohibited storage. Small arms ammunition shall not¶
be stored together with Division 1.1, Division 1.2 or Division 1.3 explosives unless the storage facility is suitable for the storage of explosive materials.
5606.3 Packages. Smokeless propellants shall be stored in¶
approved shipping containers conforming to DOTn 49 CFR Part 173.
5606.3.1 Repackaging. The bulk repackaging of smokeless propellants, black powder and small arms primers shall not be performed in retail establishments.
Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.
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EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS
5606.3.2 Damaged packages. Damaged containers shall not be repackaged.
Exception: Approved repackaging of damaged containers of smokeless propellant into containers of the same type and size as the original container.
5606.4 Storage in Group R occupancies. The storage of¶
small arms ammunition components in Group R occupancies shall comply with Sections 5606.4.1 through 5606.4.3.
5606.4.1 Black powder. Black powder for personal use in quantities not exceeding 20 pounds (9 kg) shall be stored in original containers in occupancies limited to Group R-3. Quantities exceeding 20 pounds (9 kg) shall not be stored in any Group R occupancy.
5606.4.2 Smokeless propellants. Smokeless propellants for personal use in quantities not exceeding 20 pounds (9 kg) shall be stored in original containers in occupancies limited to Group R-3. Smokeless propellants in quantities exceeding 20 pounds (9 kg) but not exceeding 50 pounds (23 kg) and kept in a wooden box or cabinet having walls of not less than 1 inch (25 mm) nominal thickness shall be allowed to be stored in occupancies limited to Group R-3. Quantities exceeding these amounts shall not be stored in any Group R occupancy.
5606.4.3 Small arms primers. Not more than 10,000 small arms primers shall be stored in occupancies limited to Group R-3.
5606.5 Display and storage in Group M occupancies. The¶
display and storage of small arms ammunition components in Group M occupancies shall comply with Sections 5606.5.1 through 5606.5.2.3.
5606.5.1 Display. Display of small arms ammunition components in Group M occupancies shall comply with Sections 5606.5.1.1 through 5606.5.1.3.
5606.5.1.1 Smokeless propellant. Not more than 20 pounds (9 kg) of smokeless propellants, in containers of 1 pound (0.454 kg) or less capacity each, shall be displayed in Group M occupancies.
5606.5.1.2 Black powder. Not more than 1 pound (0.454 kg) of black powder shall be displayed in Group M occupancies.
5606.5.1.3 Small arms primers. Not more than 10,000 small arms primers shall be displayed in Group M occupancies.
5606.5.2 Storage. Storage of small arms ammunition components shall comply with Sections 5606.5.2.1 through 5606.5.2.3.
5606.5.2.1 Smokeless propellant. Commercial stocks of smokeless propellants shall be stored as follows:
Quantities exceeding 20 pounds (9 kg), but not exceeding 100 pounds (45 kg) shall be stored in portable wooden boxes having walls of not less than 1 inch (25 mm) nominal thickness.
Quantities exceeding 100 pounds (45 kg), but not exceeding 800 pounds (363 kg), shall be stored in nonportable storage cabinets having walls not less than 1 inch (25 mm) nominal thickness. Not
more than 400 pounds (182 kg) shall be stored in any one cabinet, and cabinets shall be separated by a distance of not less than 25 feet (7620 mm) or by a fire partition having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.
- Storage of quantities exceeding 800 pounds (363 kg), but not exceeding 5,000 pounds (2270 kg) in a building shall comply with all of the following:
3.1. The warehouse or storage room is not open to unauthorized personnel.
3.2. Smokeless propellant shall be stored in nonportable storage cabinets having wood walls not less than 1 inch (25 mm) nominal thickness and having shelves with not more than 3 feet (914 mm) of separation between shelves.
3.3. Not more than 400 pounds (182 kg) is stored in any one cabinet.
3.4. Cabinets shall be located against walls of the storage room or warehouse with not less than 40 feet (12 192 mm) between cabinets.
3.5. The minimum required separation between cabinets shall be 20 feet (6096 mm) provided that barricades twice the height of the cabinets are attached to the wall, midway between each cabinet. The barricades must extend not less than 10 feet (3048 mm) outward, be firmly attached to the wall and be constructed of steel not less than 1 /4 inch thick (6.4 mm), 2-inch (51 mm) nominal thickness wood, brick or concrete block.
3.6. Smokeless propellant shall be separated from materials classified as combustible liquids, flammable liquids, flammable solids or oxidizing materials by a distance of 25 feet (7620 mm) or by a fire partition having a fire-resistance rating of 1 hour.
3.7. The building shall be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
- Smokeless propellants not stored in accordance with Item 1, 2, or 3 shall be stored in a Type 2 or 4 magazine in accordance with Section 5604 and NFPA 495.
5606.5.2.2 Black powder. Commercial stocks of black powder in quantities less than 50 pounds (23 kg) shall be allowed to be stored in Type 2 or 4 indoor or outdoor magazines. Quantities greater than 50 pounds (23 kg) shall be stored in outdoor Type 2 or 4 magazines. Where black powder and smokeless propellants are stored together in the same magazine, the total quantity shall not exceed that permitted for black powder.
578 2019 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.
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5606.5.2.3 Small arms primers. Commercial stocks of small arms primers shall be stored as follows:
Quantities not to exceed 750,000 small arms primers stored in a building shall be arranged such that not more than 100,000 small arms primers are stored in any one pile and piles are not less than 15 feet (4572 mm) apart.
Quantities exceeding 750,000 small arms primers stored in a building shall comply with all of the following:
2.1. The warehouse or storage building is not open to unauthorized personnel.
2.2. Small arms primers shall be stored in cabinets. Not more than 200,000 small arms primers shall be stored in any one cabinet.
2.3. Shelves in cabinets shall have vertical separation of not less than 2 feet (610 mm).
2.4. Cabinets shall be located against walls of the warehouse or storage room with not less than 40 feet (12 192 mm) between cabinets. The minimum required separation between cabinets shall be allowed to be reduced to 20 feet (6096 mm) provided that barricades twice the height of the cabinets are attached to the wall, midway between each cabinet. The barricades shall be firmly attached to the wall and shall be constructed of steel not less than 1 /4 inch thick (6.4 mm), 2-inch (51 mm) nominal thickness wood, brick or concrete block.
2.5. Small arms primers shall be separated from materials classified as combustible liquids, flammable liquids, flammable solids or oxidizing materials by a distance of 25 feet (7620 mm) by a fire partition having a fire-resistance rating of 1 hour.
2.6. The building shall be protected throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
- Small arms primers not stored in accordance with Item 1 or 2 of this section shall be stored in a magazine meeting the requirements of Section 5604 and NFPA 495.
5606.6 Transportation of Small Arms Ammunition, Small¶
Arms Primers, Smokeless Powder and Black Sporting Pow- der.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1574.1. Transportation]
§1574.1. Transportation. Quantities, in shipping containers approved by the U.S.D.O.T., of not more than twenty (20) pounds of smokeless powder or not more than five (5) pounds of black sporting powder (or any combination thereof) may
EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS
be transported in a private passenger vehicle without a per- mit.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1574.2. Magazine]
§1574.2. Magazine— When Required. Quantities in excess of twenty (20) pounds (but not exceeding fifty (50) pounds) of smokeless powder, or not more than five (5) pounds of black sporting powder (or any combination thereof) may be trans- ported in a private passenger vehicle when approved by the “Chief” having jurisdiction, provided however, that such pow- der shall be transported in separate portable magazines hav- ing wooden walls of at least one (1) inch nominal thickness.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1574.3. Transportation Prohibitions]
§1574.3. Transportation Prohibitions. Transportation of quantities in excess of fifty (50) pounds of smokeless powder or five (5) pounds of black sporting powder is prohibited in a private passenger vehicle.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1574.4. Transportation—U.S. Department of Transporta- tion]
§1574.4. Transportation—U.S. Department of Transporta- tion. Transportation of quantities in excess of fifty (50) pounds of smokeless powder or five (5) pounds of black sporting powder in other than a private passenger vehicle shall be in accordance with the U.S.D.O.T. regulations.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1574.5. Storage Containers]
§1574.5. Storage Containers. All smokeless powder and black sporting powder shall be stored in U.S.D.O.T. approved shipping containers, or in a container approved by the “Chief” having jurisdiction.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1575. Primer Containers]
§1575. Primer Containers. Small arms ammunition primers shall not be transported or stored except in the original ship- ping container approved by the U.S.D.O.T.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1575.1. Transportation
§1575.1. Transportation. Truck or rail transportation of small arms ammunition primers shall be in accordance with U.S.D.O.T. regulations.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1575.2 Transportation Prohibitions]
§1575.2 Transportation Prohibitions. Not more than 250,000 small arms ammunition primers shall be transported in a private passenger vehicle.
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