Some buddies and myself were out a few nights ago and started a big debate with some other gun haters at a local establishment. The thing that really made me think in the whole debate was one person (not my friend) said oh well pretty soon every state will be like california? Now right off the bat that scared me, but then it made me think. First off I am a big fan of military arms, and these are not allowed in cali, Right? I mean for the first time I realized my ignorance of the whole situation in cali. Can someone give me an explanation as to how their law works. Second, how did this happen? Was it a vote for the people by the people or enacted by there legislator's? I will also check the NRA site as well for more info.

Yeah ca sucks no ar's Uzis, aks or anything that looks a little evil.
I don't think that the rest of the country will be like CA because guns are more prevelent in other states then here.
did you here about the 10rd mag ban in california hi caps are no longer legal to buy.

I'm sure if someone such as Troy or California Kid decides to reply here, you'll get a much better explanation, but for what it's worth:

Basically, anything that looks mean is illegal here, and they're using every trick in the book short banning everything all at once to impede people's excercising of their 2nd amendment rights.


Right now, the state of things are:

Rifles:  The only .223 semi-auto with a detachable magazine that is legal to purchase (either "privately" or through dealers) is the mini-14.  All so-called assault weapons had to be registered about two years ago, and all further transfers were prohibited, to the point that if you die, no one in the state is allowed to get them from you.  So if you registered your "assault weapon", you're free to go shoot it now, at least until they decide to confiscate them, as they did a few years ago with ...detachable magazine SKS's that they'd of course had everyone register.  But there is no transfer of assault weapons occuring here now, except of course the criminals who care not about breaking a few more laws.  And except for the fact that so few crimes are/were committed with "assault weapons" anyway.

Pistols:  Only one a month can be purchased, only pistols that have submitted to testing to prove that they're not "junk" guns can be sold here, next year they're implementing a stricter outright licensing scheme for anyone who wants to purchase one.  Pistols are registered at the time of purchase, any new residents of hte state are required to register within 10 days of moving here.


General Firearms:  All transfers must go through a dealer.  No firearm may be sold without a CA DOJ approved trigger lock in place (the local Wal Mart has a Henry's .22 rifle that is marked "Do not sell, no approved trigger lock).  There was a scandal this year when that lock went into place because of a shortage of available locks, or so I heard.  No standard capacity magazines may be imported, bought, sold, or loaned.  10 day wait on all firearms.

Thanks!

The last line below is a link to the Caliban Ministry of Justice's site.

There are three major junctures in the evolution of Caliban assault weapons laws:

- The Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act in 1989, which was a list of makes and models including the Colt AR-15.  Manufacturers complied with the law by changing names of their products.  ArmaLite, Bushmaster, etc. arms were not on the list and continued to be sold.  Owners of existing rifles had to register them or become felons.  There are some other twists - one being an extension in the registration deadline by the AG which ended in March 1992 but was later declared illegal in the ruling on a lawsuit by Handgun Control, Inc.  That left about 1,500 gun owners in a state of legal limbo.  The state has made no move to prosecute them en masse.

- The 1994 federal ban caused manufacturere to alter features, e.g. removing bayonet lugs, etc.  Federal law does apply in CA, although the state does not treat federal pre-bans any differently than post-bans.  No AWs can be transferred to anyone in the state other than a licensed AW dealer or a law enforcement agency.  You can't even will them to your kids.

- Senate Bill 23 defines AWs by features, similar to the federal feature list but requires only one offending feature  - e.g. any centerfire, semiauto rifle that accepts detachable mags and has a pistol grip is an AW.  A Ruger Mini-14 in standard configuration is not an AW, but put a pistol grip stock on and it IS an AW.

The Roberti-Roos list is still in effect and can be expanded at will by the AG.  A lawsuit failed to declare that power unconstitutional even though IMHO it is (violates separation of powers, the AG can't write law).

Here's a little anecdote to show what kind of nonsense we have to deal with:

In June 2000 I went to a gun show.  I bought a stripped brand-new PWA Commando lower receiver (standard AR-15 clone).  Because there is a mandatory 10-day wait for firearms purchases, the seller wrapped up the item in paper, took my money (including $14 for the state Dealer's Record of Sale), and we walked it over to another dealer who lives close to me.  He acted as a transfer agent.  I paid him another $12 to keep my lower for 10 days.  During that 10-day wait the Attorney General released a letter declaring all PWA models (presumably even a paintball gun if they made one) as Assault Weapons.  It looked like my purchase might have to be reversed.  But two days later the AG rescinded the letter.  I picked up the lower receiver, and three weeks later it was again declared an AW.  I registered it along with a few other firearms, which made it legal for me to build it up into a complete rifle.

Read Caliban gun law the way you watch "The Nazis - A Warning from History" on the Hitler Channel.

Here's the official poop from the head poopster Bill Lockyer:

[url]http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/index.html[/url]

Holy shit.  Where's that earthquake we've been promised for the last hundred years?

California Kid:  You're welcome.  You and Troy are the two most reliable sources I've found on this site in terms of overall cohesive and coherent explanations of PRK law.  

I'm so angry with the current situation that while my knowledge is fairly thorough, usually it is reduced to a working understanding of "Nope, can't have that either".

I missed the deadline to buy an "assault weapon" by only a couple of months.  I was in college at the time, no money, so I wasn't frequenting gun stores very often and didn't hear anything about it from them, and I hadn't found this site yet.  So when I came into some money and decided to get an AR-15, I was quite shocked to find out that they simply weren't available anymore.  

Ugh...I'm constantly carrying around an anger about that in my mind, and then when I actively think about it, it gets worse.

I just think of years and years of going to to the odd gunshow or gunstore with my cheap ass dad who would always look at AR-15's, want to get one, but never feel like parting with the money.  bah

What a bunch of crap.

I hate this state.

I never would have thought that it was that in depth. Thank you guys for such a thorough explanation. I hope to GOD this never spreads to the rest of free america!! I never had a desire to go to cali anyways. Thanks again.

I bought a gun today, and the guy told me I have to buy an $18 gun lock if I want to take the gun home.  I said that last time I bought a gun they forced me to buy the lock and that I will bring in the lock when I pick up the gun.  He said no, that that was illegal and from now on for every gun bought you must buy a new, CA dept of justice approved, overpriced, gun lock.