Well...it’s not my first choice, but may have to.  I have several AR’s and know about the CA laws, great you tube stuff out there.  I am very confused on AR pistols though.  I have a couple.  What can I NOT bring?  

Also...do I have to ship all of my ammo to a dealer or ammo reseller, then pick it up through that dealer with the background check?

You can't bring anything defined as an assault weapon.  So supposing you brought it in as pieces parts, you can't assemble them into an illegal configuration.  I don't know about a new resident moving ammo in.  The check to purchase/transfer/import ammo for a resident just validates you are a resident who is qualified to purchase a firearm.  If not established as a resident, you won't be on the list.

AR pistols must have a fixed 10-round magazine (or less); fixed according to law and regulations (disassembly of the action required to remove magazine).  In the unlikely event your pistols are not semi-auto, this isn't an issue.  Receivers can't be on the list (from the earlier make/model type AWBs).  Don't shoulder braces where you can be seen by strangers unless you have your AOW stamp (ATF might care at that point, but CA DOJ won't since AOWs are exempt from SBR/SBS laws in CA).  Other than that, they are GTG.  

I'm pretty sure you can bring your ammo in with you since you would initially be a non-resident, and non-residents aren't restricted in the same fashion, to the best of my recollection.  I'll have to look that one up.

Thanks for the info all.

(1) my plan is to bring in the full size AR's already configured for fixed mag (Juggernaught Hellfighter)
(2) The AR pistols, I'm seeing both sides of the info.  Happy to convert to fixed mag aka Hellfighter, but want to make sure I don't end up like that guy in the video getting his house raided for trying to register a pistol lower.
(3) ammo...Same thing, most of that info seems to apply to residents attempting to buy ammo, there is vague, or no info about me bringing my own ammo in....but there are also the restrictions I read on bringing ammo into the state w/o going through a dealer...ughhhh.  It's just so damned confusing.

What area of the state?

Be aware of the border agriculture check points (some are quite a way into the state) on the main routes into the state.  If you are coming in a U haul there's a good chance you might get pulled off to the side for an inspection. These people are looking for plants, food products, animal products, etc.  

No idea what their reaction is to anything weapon or ammo related.

The most interaction I've ever had with them is them asking me where I'm coming from or if I have any plants or fresh fruits or vegetables.  I answer Arizona or Nevada or nope.  Most the time in the last few decades just get waved through. But I have California plates.  

If one did a detailed study of the highways and roads here, one might find there are routes where you will not encounter one of these ag checkpoints.

Juggernaut stuff sucks your much better off converting to featureless and retaining your standard mag release as well as being able to use your freedom week 30 round mags.

Muzzle brake, fin grip, and make your stock fixed. Easy removing the fin grip if you leave CA takes less than a minute

I wouldn't recommend a grip fin.  Based on trying them out, I don't find them very practical.  Better for range toys you'll only shoot from the bench or something.

Unlike with other firearm designs (like the FAL), the AR's layout permits grip designs that simply alter the angle to meet the letter of the law while providing a much better grip.

On my first build (and soon, on my second), when in CA I have the different grip, a different muzzle device, and a stock stop from Strike Industries installed.  Once I cross the border back into free America, I can swap everything out within a few minutes with just a couple of tools.

I would second going featureless on rifles.  Fixed mag is the only choice for pistols, unfortunately.  It is literally impossible to make an AR pistol featureless.

Cali-legal on top, compared to standard configuration at my preferred shooting spot in AZ.  Swapping either way, again, doesn't take long and isn't difficult.  If you look at that FAL trigger housing, you can see why such a grip cannot work with that, meaning fin or fixed-mag (I went the latter route; fins are even worse on a FAL, and they can be set up to be loaded using chargers, like in this case).

Also, non-residents register off-roster pistols all of the time.  The issue with AR pistols is that they are almost all off-roster, so you can't get them from an FFL or import them as a resident unless bought/acquired from qualifying family members.  Once in CA, they can be transferred to other Californians via PPT and they are completely legal to own and possess.  As a new resident, you can legally register off-roster pistols.  It's your last chance to get anything you want that is not on the roster, too, so I'd buy what you can in that case.

Just as a point of reference the only AR 15 Pistol you can buy in California is.
Franklin Armory CA7 5.56 7.5 inch
This is a no gas port or tube, charge handle pull for each round loaded, Single shot weapon.
Foam covered buffer tube. 10 round magazine.

California has a single large Sporting goods and Guns Chain store and you can find it on their site.

This is the ONLY AR15 lower registered as a Pistol. All other lowers sold in this state are Rifle only.

We have the most screwed up morass of gun laws imaginable here and even when you think your in-bounds you constantly wonder WTH they will move the goal posts again.


I've built the 3 major Ca. legal options. Featureless, Locked Mag / split upper-lower to drop mag. And the Locked Mag / reload via ejection port.
Both versions of the Locked Magazine suck as clearing the weapon is now a nightmare. With the bolt anywhere but locked forward you can't split the upper / lower enough to make the Magazine release move.
Pull both pins and fight to get it apart enough to pry the magazine out and clear it. After the 2nd FTF-FTE I'd had enough.

While clumsy at first I adapted soon enough to the fin grip on my Featureless Rifle build and will be removing the Juggernaut kit from the Rifle it's on. Putting an ambidextrous safety on makes a fin grip a lot more tolerable as well.
Thread Protector or muzzle brake, Fin Grip and Lock the stock.

Look for the package kit as it's the same price as the fin grip alone and saves you some coin. Includes a muzzle Brake, Stock lock pin and the fin grip.
"Aim Sports Featureless Kit"
<-- Already living under the Biden gun plan. It looks like they just flat copied what they rammed down out throats here.

You'll need "Real" identification to buy ammo if it ever comes back into stock again. US Passports work best. If you don't have one I'd start the paperwork.

Edit:: Spelling
Bob-

A featureless build option that does not use a fin grip and is surprisingly ergonomic is the Thordsen stock.

I built one using that stock.  The only thing better, IMO, is an original AR15 configuration but that would be an "assault weapon".

In experimenting around a while back, I decided to change from the early, uglier Thordsen to a Resurgent Arms grip and one of the Magpul stocks pinned.  I also replaced my rather generic ambidextrous safety with the Resurgent Arms version 2.1.  That works quite well with the Thordsen, for me, and I've as yet to do the grip/stock swap.  I like the positioning of the lever on the left side and reversed the right side as well. It's still ugly but agree the feel and ergonomics do well for me.  The extended short throw ambi safety adds to it.

I personally like the Sparrow Dynamics grip (pictured in a post above).  I find it more comfortable in the hand than the Resurgent Arms grip.  I also find less distasteful than the other options, aesthetically (kinda looks like it could have been made by Magpul; I think that was intentional on their part).  Of course, with ergonomics and aesthetics, people definitely vary.  My dad uses the Resurgent Arms grip and finds it more comfortable than the Sparrow Dynamics grip, although he likes the look of mine better.  With mine, I use a selector that lets me change the lever orientation.

First.  CA laws fucking suck.

Are these just range toys?  If so, the compmag is a simple drop in that you can easily remove if you find yourself in a free state later, or need to transport your AR's  https://www.compmag.net/.

Hellfighter is garbage imo.  As are fin grips.  I've tried them all.  

Sparrow Dynamics grip and the safety they offer with a pinned MFT stock is what I'm using on my featureless rifles that arent mag locked with compmags.