what is the shortest length legal in california for shotgun? how about a rifle? i know min. legal barrel lengths are 18,16 inches. i think fed law is atleast 27 inches overal.

First off, here's a link you should check out...

California Penal Code


California Penal Code - 12276.1
    (3) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.

There doesn't seem to be a "minimum" length for shotguns (pump or semi) so you'll have to go by the federal law. There's only a ban on semi-auto shotguns that have both a pistol grip and a folding/telescoping stock, any shotgun with a revolving cylinder and finally, a semi-auto shotgun that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

so a pre ban folding stock chinese ak47 clone purchased before the kaliban and registered is ilegal in california?

Yup...anything that was registered before the 2000 ban is legal (and legal to modify to pre-FEDERAL-ban configuration when the AWB sunsets) so long as it didn't violate the Roberti-Roos ban (which named specific brand/models)....

Now if you have a gun that was on the Roberti-Roos list, it would be legal if you owned it BEFORE the ban (in 1989) and you registered it (I don't know what the cutoff date was for the '89 ban registeration)....

Also, the gun has to have been a "complete" gun (sold from the factory as a "complete" gun) or, just like the Federal laws, you'd have to have solid proof that the receiver was made into a complete gun before whichever ban applies....

after long hours searching the cali doj site i found the answer.  legal minimum overal length for a rifle or a shotgun is 26 inches. any semi auto rifle under 30 inches long is considered an assualt weapon and had to be registered in 2000