I just moved to the bay area of California and I left my gun collection at home w/ Dad.  I've been itching to shoot and I'm wondering if it is legal for him to ship my guns to california from Ohio.  My guns are a couple of semi automatic pistols, two bolt action rifles, and a brand new post ban AR-15 which I bought earlier this year.  I think the pistols and bolt guns are okay, but what about my AR-15?  Can anyone help me on this one?

The AR requires a special permit which works pretty much like getting one for a full auto. I doubt anyone will ever get permission unless they are well connected.

The bolt action rifles are no problem. I believe that the pistols must be registered if you are going to be a resident here.

I do not know the impact of the new "safety" laws on bringing pistols here that are not on the approved list.

So-called "high cap" mags cannot be imported.

Ray

Your own personal handguns are exempt from the requirement to be on The List

The Caliban says:

[b]"You are considered to be a personal handgun importer as defined by California law.  You may bring all of your otherwise California-legal firearms with you, but you must report all of your handguns to the DOJ within 60 days as required.  You are not required to report rifles or shotguns.  You may not bring ammunition feeding devices with a capacity greater than ten rounds, machineguns, or assault weapons into California."[/b]

Please note the phrase "otherwise California legal" - In particular you should be aware that any firearm that is disguised to look like something else, e.g. pen guns, cell phone guns, are illegal.  Also any item that is covered by the National Firearms Act such as smoothbore pistols (other than signaling devices), or shoulder-stocked pistols that are not listed as a federal curio or relic, are also illegal.

Ordinary handguns are fine.

Please see [url]http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/pubfaqs[/url]

And people wonder why I am so emphatic when I say that I will NEVER live in Kalifornia!

[rolleyes]

Well, I went a gun store today and they said shipping the guns is okay and the AR is okay too as long as it is registered in my name.  They never mentioned anything about going through an FFL.  The gun shop was Reed's in San Jose.

Only if the AR is registered in your name AS A CALIFORNIA ASSAULT WEAPON.  If you used to live in CA, registered it when it was possible to do so, moved to Ohio, and are planning to move back it is OK.  If not, you literally stand a better chance of winning a multi-million dollar lottery prize than you do of getting a permit to bring in your AR.

Here's what the BATF has to say about shipping firearms:

[b]B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U. S. Postal Service?

A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. A nonlicensee may not transfer any firearm to a nonlicensed resident of another state. The Postal Service recommends that longguns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms.[/b]

See [url]http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm[/url]

Is this the United States of America, or did I take a wrong turn somewhere?  Damn!

Boys, it would seem that we are slowly losing this particular fight for this particular freedom.

oh, i am so sorry for you.  hope you get out soon. God Speed!

I don't want to get off on a rant here, but...(says diverdown in his best Dennis Miller)

That's my point.  As a citizen of this country, one would think that travel within this country, with one's legally owned possessions, would not be a problem.  Crossing the border to enter States such as California and New York is like crossing into a foreign country!  It's insane!  

I guess my real question is, when are we, as gun-owners in this country, going to REALLY challenge this kind of crap in court.  Sure, lawsuits are filed here and there, but I've yet to see (and unfortunately I probably never will) a major legal campaign launched and backed by the major players (read NRA, et al) in the pro-gun arena.  Let's challenge this foolishness, pursue it all the way to the Supreme Court, and settle it once and for all!  The Second Amendment either means what it says, or it doesn't!

Which brings me to another question.  At what point do we resort to "civil disobedience"?  I hear mantras all the time like, "Making guns illegal will mean that only criminals will have guns." And, "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."  Yet, they continue to pass legislation, and add guns to the "banned" list, and we just bend over and comply.  No cold, dead fingers here.  

At what point do we just dig in our heels and say, "Fine, yesterday I was a law abiding citizen, but today, with the stroke of a pen, I've been transformed into a criminal because one of my guns has two or more of the following cosmetic features, I may as well act the part."  My personal attitude is that if I am going to endure a felony prosecution for a gun violation because I have a retractable/folding stock on an otherwise legal firearm, I might as well swing for the fence and go for the full auto, short barreled, suppressed type of trouble, just to justify the hassle.  Now, for the disclaimer required by the litigiousness of our ambient culture, here is where I have to say that I do not possess, nor do I plan to possess, any illegal weapons, just in case the Alphabet Soup Gestapo is listening and feels the need to knock on my door and waste both of our time. I'm just exercising my as-yet-to-be-infringed First Amendment right to "assault speech" using "high capacity" words and "retractable/folding" phrases with "detachable" punctuation.

Never. People are too afraid of getting in trouble, I personally dont forsee any sort of civil disobedience cause as far as I know, people have so much faith in the government that anything done in the name of national security must be for their good. Now because of 9/11 anyone who disagrees with the government is labeled as terrorists or enemy combatant. I forsee when all guns have to be registered people will just bend over and comply. I really dont see anyone will disobey or whatever, that wont happen cause we are too busy with stuff and we are getting screwed without even knowing it. Who is challanging the USA patriot act anyways? no one cares cause as far as I know it only happens on forign nationals who the Americans dont care about. If it happens to a citizen we just shrug our shoulders and say he must be tied to some sort of terrorist group. What if that terrorist group happens to be the NRA, or the ACLU?

Save yourself the effort and don't bother having any of your currently legal weapons shipped to you.  

We will get around to banning those as soon as I'm reelected in November.

I will accept campaign donations in exchange for listening to you snivel about the inevitability of our (your humble state servants) future actions.