1923 Cal. Stat. 696, An Act to Control and Regulate the Possession, Sale and Use of Pistols, Revolvers, and Other Firearms Capable of Being Concealed Upon the Person; To Prohibit the Manufacture, Sale, Possession or Carrying of Certain Other Dangerous Weapons Within this State; To Provide for Registering All Sales of Pistols, Revolvers or Other Firearms Capable of Being Concealed Upon the Person; To Prohibit the Carrying of Concealed Firearms Except by Lawfully Authorized Persons; To Provide for the Confiscation and Destruction of Such Weapons in Certain Cases; To Prohibit the Ownership, Use or Possession of Any of Such Weapons by Certain Classes of Persons; To Prescribe Penalties for Violations of This Act and Increased Penalties for Repeated Violations Hereof; To Authorize, In Proper Cases, The Granting of Licenses or Permits to Carry Firearms Concealed Upon the Person; To Provide for Licensing Retail Dealers in Such Firearms and Regulating Sales Thereunder; And To Repeal Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five of California Statutes of 1917, Relating to the Same Subject, ch. 339, § 2.

Sec. 2. On and after the date upon which this act takes effect, no unnaturalized foreign born person and no person who has been convicted of a felony against the person or property of another or against the government of the United States or of the State of California or of any political subdivision thereof shall own or have in his possession or under his custody or control any pistol, revolver or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person. The terms “pistol,” “revolver,” and “firearms capable of being concealed upon the person” as used in this act shall be construed to apply to and include all firearms having a barrel less than twelve inches in length. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for not less than one year nor for more than five years.