I'll take issue to Ross's claims about C&R licenses. Here in CA there are exceptions. He probably is correct in a general sense but perceptions are important.
Most of the claims of progress are technical, i.e. better guns and more of them.
The apples and oranges comparison where we compare what military weapons a citizen could own in '32 and what they can own now seems to favor the past.
A $200 tax on a silencer is still confiscatory, just a little less so, a GIANT mistake on their part, I'm sure. It should be $2000 if it were typically progressive.
Summary of California C&R (Class 03) FFL related law, updated Jan. 1st, 2003 (note recent paragraph requiring purchaser to buy approved gun-locks for each weapon or have a state-approved gun-safe in their home before taking possession of any firearms in California as of 1/1/02).
Using your C&R Class 03 FFL you can buy from anyone and receive from out of state by common carrier, in conformity with federal law, any firearm that cannot be readily concealed on the person, i.e. long rifle, that is a federally defined C&R that is at least 50 years old (manufactured on or before 1952) excluding of course machine guns.
It MUST be more than 50 years old. CZ-52's and M-44's dated 1954 are NOT C&R in California.
True antiques (rifles & pistols manufactured before January 1st, 1899) are exempt because they are not considered firearms.
NO PISTOL or concealable firearm, regardless of C&R status can be ordered from out of state and shipped in, or sold within the state without going through a Class 01 Dealer FFL.
There is now a limit of 1 pistol per 30 day period even if ordered through a dealer. This rule applies to all pistols, including C&R pistols. There currently (subject to change at any time) is an exception to this limit for holders of both a Class 03 (C&R) FFL and COE.
Within California, non dealers, which includes private parties with or without a Class 03 (C&R) FFL license, can sell each other any rifle that cannot be readily concealed on the person that is a federally defined C&R that is more than 50 years old (except to minors, drug addicts and those with felony or certain misdemeanor criminal records). This is supposed to be on an occasional basis only - a fuzzy concept for which you must check the statutes and case law yourself, but a few a year is probably ok. Just don't make a business of it.