Introduction. In the article the possibility of introduction to legal turnover of short-barreled civil firearms is considered. Prerequisites and the imminent problems of society are described, the possibility of introduction of short-barreled civil weapon for his use by citizens for self-defense is considered, at the controlled and directed nature of process of legalization from law enforcement agencies and according to the tactical and technical and criminalistic requirements to this type of weapon agreed by them. Theoretical analysis. The purposes and tasks for which solution it is supposed to introduce short-barreled civil firearms into legal turnover are considered. The developed tactical and technical and criminalistic requirements as one of necessary conditions for consideration and coordination of the project on legalization of short-barreled civil weapon of self-defense are offered. Empirical analysis. The ballistic experiments showing criteria of efficiency of this type of weapon for assessment of opportunities his use by citizens for self-defense are made. Kinetic and specific energy of the striking elements is calculated. Results. Introduction of the concept on legalization of short-barreled civil firearms of self-defense in the territory of the Russian Federation the citizen with effective weapon for ensuring necessary self-defense, will allow to solve problems of providing with low probability of causing at its application and influence by a shell on the person of a lethal outcome. The possibilities of ballistic identification of short-barreled smooth-bore weapon for the purpose of establishment by law enforcement agencies of a concrete copy and its owner on criminalistic traces on a bullet and a sleeve are considered.