I purchased a stripped ar-15 lower last month here in CA (and registered it with FFL etc). If I put it together with a detach mag then i cannot have any of the other "assault weapon" attributes prohibited by CA DOJ.  I got the lower registered through a legal loop hole as the lower is a DSA model that wasnt on the ban list....

.50 cal's are now banned in CA....but a .50 upper for a AR-15 doesnt have to be registered..so does that mean I can install a .50 upper on my AR and since it wont have a detachable mag then it will still be legal even though 50's car banned...but the upper is not banned correct? just .50 lowers?

not actually sure, but i dont htink so,but barret is coming out witha new round that is legal for cali,ii think its the .416

Hit Calguns, they had an argument of sorts about this about a week or two ago.


Definitely DO NOT get a 50BMG upper and put it on the lower receiver before the receiver has been added to the named "assault weapon" list.    In the eyes of the law, that lower receiver in combination with that upper installed will be a 50BMG rifle and have to be registered as a 50BMG rifle.

You can only register a 50BMG if you bought it/owned it prior to Jan 1st 2005, that is not the case with your lower so you cannot legally register it as a 50BMG.    If you put a 50BMG upper on the lower receiver you will in effect be manufacturing a 50BMG rifle, AFTER the ban which is a no-no.


Now, if you wait until the lower is added to the uber evil "assault weapon" list.    You MAY potentiall be able to put a 50BMG upper on it.  


The arguments on calguns are even questioning whether it would be legal to add a 50BMG upper to one of the receivers after it has been granted AW status and you have legally registered it, they still question whether it would be viewed as creating a 50BMG.     This is even though it is well recognized that a rifle already registered as an "assault weapon" does not need to again be registered as a 50BMG.

No.  If you didn't purchase the upper before the .50bmg cut-off date, you're SOL.  Get one of the other large caliber uppers instead.

Quoted: No.  If you didn't purchase the upper before the .50bmg cut-off date, you're SOL.  Get one of the other large caliber uppers instead.

Backwards there, if you didn't buy the lower receiver before the cut off date.


But it's still an unknown regarding if the lower receiver attains "assault weapon" status and is added to the list.


Consider this, I have 3 registered AR15s that came from before Jan 2000.    Back when I got my DPMS lower receiver in 2004 I called the DOJ concerning my other 3 AR15s and if I ever decided to put the 50BMG upper assembly on one of them.      The Ca. DOJ person I was talking to didn't seem to care hide nor hair, said there was no need to register the other 3 rifles as 50BMG as they were already registered as AWs.


But here's the thing, don't go calling the damn DOJ on this crap until after the lower receivers are added to the list.    Loose lips sink ships, let them give Californians the greatest late christmas present of the decade and shut the hell up.

.50 cal is fine....50BMG is a no go.  The exact dimensions of the chamber for 50BMG is what has been baned.  Take a look at stuff like the 510DTC (think of it as an ackley improved and short version of the BMG)

http://www.edmarms.com/products/510dtc.htm

AidanN20,

head by here, www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=26570

Ignore the definitive "no" answers posted here for now.     Don't outright ignore them, just be of the conclusion that there is no definitive "yes" or "no" right now.

Specifically, read the response on page 3 that has excerpts from the Ca DOJ webpage regarding 50BMG registration.     Then on page 4 the discussion really starts to get heated.    


There is no definitive answer as of yet with regards to putting a 50BMG upper assembly on something like a Stag lower receiver should it be allowed to be registered as an "assault weapon."

And we should not give them any ideas on whether they should try to rule that one of the newly registered "assault weapons" can be built into a 50BMG by installing an upper assembly on it.hence the DO NOT CALL THE DOJ PLEAS

There are uppers chambered for 50Spotter though that are available and you could build up presently without breaking the definitions of the ban on 50BMG chambered rifles.    No uppers yet for 510DTC that I know of, dies are terribly expensive making even handloading an expensive proposition(no known commercial source that I know of for loaded ammo).

I'm not from cali nor would I live there, but I am curiuos if this 50cal ban in California also would ban the .50 Beowulf upper.  Or is it just a ban on the 50BMG rounds.  That would suck for guys like AidanN20 who want to do more with their AR15 lower than just shoot 223 out of it.  

Quoted: I'm not from cali nor would I live there, but I am curiuos if this 50cal ban in California also would ban the .50 Beowulf upper.  Or is it just a ban on the 50BMG rounds.  That would suck for guys like AidanN20 who want to do more with their AR15 lower than just shoot 223 out of it.

They went out of their way to specifically name the 50BMG and banning rifles chambered for the cartridge, listing it's dimensions.


That's why the 510 DTC is perfectly legal.      The EDM guys were at a gunshow only a few weeks after the new ban took effect in 2005 and a DOJ guy stopped by at the booth to raise hell.     When he found that a rifle chambered for 510DTC will not allow you to chamber a 50BMG round, the DOJ guy had to eat crow.

No other 50s are currently banned, though the 510DTC or even 50Spotter may wind up bringing about a ban on 50s in Ca. when the stupid assed politians view them as deliberate attempts to exploit a "loophole."

Quoted: Quoted: I'm not from cali nor would I live there, but I am curiuos if this 50cal ban in California also would ban the .50 Beowulf upper.  Or is it just a ban on the 50BMG rounds.  That would suck for guys like AidanN20 who want to do more with their AR15 lower than just shoot 223 out of it.   They went out of their way to specifically name the 50BMG and banning rifles chambered for the cartridge, listing it's dimensions. That's why the 510 DTC is perfectly legal.      The EDM guys were at a gunshow only a few weeks after the new ban took effect in 2005 and a DOJ guy stopped by at the booth to raise hell.     When he found that a rifle chambered for 510DTC will not allow you to chamber a 50BMG round, the DOJ guy had to eat crow. No other 50s are currently banned, though the 510DTC or even 50Spotter may wind up bringing about a ban on 50s in Ca. when the stupid assed politians view them as deliberate attempts to exploit a "loophole."

Thanks...Figured as much but wasn't sure as I do not pay that much attention to the Cali-ban.

The .50 BMG is a separate law from the AWB.  Until I get a ruling from the higher-ups at DOJ, I'd stay away from .50BMG uppers unless I were willing to put in the time and money to be a test case.  I'm not saying they will absolutely go after you.  But the possibility exists. AB50 didn't have any exemptions, that I recall, for registered AWs.

Quoted: Until I get a ruling from the higher-ups at DOJ, I'd stay away from .50BMG uppers unless I were willing to put in the time and money to be a test case.

Agreed on the concept of waiting to let things play out.     And hopefully the request for a ruling will come after the lowers are added to the list and the registration period for newly added AWs has begun?

is he talking about 50 BMG or 50 AE caliber????

the .50 Beowolf is completely legal.  

I was referring to 50 BMG's...


I appears I will just wait till they add my DSA lower to the ban list, then after I register it as an AW then I will add the 50BMG upper pending no suprises from the DOJ...

Quoted: I was referring to 50 BMG's... I appears I will just wait till they add my DSA lower to the ban list, then after I register it as an AW then I will add the 50BMG upper pending no suprises from the DOJ...

I would advise that you first get the registration for the lower taken care of.  After that has been secured I'd send a letter to the DOJ asking specifically whether it would be legal to add a .50BMG upper to your legally registered AW.  Do not accept anything from anyone less than Lockyear, Rossi or Merrilees indicating that it's perfectly legal.  I know this sounds paranoid, but we do live in the People's Republik.