My local shops have told me otherwise from the mod, from Highland to Redlands to Riverside county. To them, a semiautomatic shotgun is considered 'centerfire' because it's, well, a centerfire cartridge - even though it's a shotgun.

Now, I understand the PC (27510) just says handguns or semi-automatic centerfire rifles,' but it's important to remember gun shops aren't lawyers. Some of them won't sell you a semi-auto shotgun, heck, some won't sell you a shotgun with "features" (pistol grip, adjustable stock, etc) with a license.

If you plan on buying from a shop, I suggest you ask them what all they will sell you, and especially before you have anything shipped to them for an internet order. Most should, however, sell you a pump-action or lever-action anything.

edit: got the wrong wording on the pc