Is it illegal to have a gun that is orange?

[MikePGS]

I read "somewhere" before (don't remember where) that it is not legal to have a gun that is orange. I know some after market accessories for Glock's are orange (magazine base plates, and mags, some others) and I've seen pictures of orange guns online (not 100% sure whether or not they were for training purposes) but for some reason I'm under the impression that you are not allowed to have a gun that is orange. Does anyone know whether or not this is legal or not? Thanks in advance.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Don't know but I've always wanted a hunting rifle with a safety orange stock and have been stymied.

The closest is the chartreuse grips on my s&w




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about

 

[MedWheeler]

I know of no such law. In fact, didn't that nutjob in Tennessee that was parading around parks displaying an AK-47 have it painted orange? He was charged with some "breach of peace" crime, but never for having an "orange gun."

 

[bigfatdave]

There was some nonsense in NYC about this, but in the real world, no.

Personally I don't want real guns that look like toys or toys that look like real guns - but there's no need for legislation to enforce that concept.

 

[56hawk]

I sure hope not.

 

[ArthurDent]

Perhaps you are recalling the law about Air Soft guns requiring an Orange tip? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airsoft#Orange-tipped_airsoft_gun_muzzles

I also found this: http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/dwcl/12551.php
See sections 12553, and 12555, part (c)(3).

Is that what you had in mind?

 

[LeonCarr]

Most Remington 870 stocks that are Orange have the words "LESS LETHAL" written on the stock indicating their use for Less Lethal Munitions only, such as bean bag rounds, tear gas, rubber buckshot, etc.

Maybe that is why Orange is not encouraged for use on "live ammo" type guns, but I have never seen a law stating that the color is illegal for firearms use.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[MikePGS]

I mostly mean stuff like this



That is actually the configuration I like, orange frame, black slide. I really don't know where I heard that it was not legal before, but it very well could have some entanglement (in my mind) with airsoft guns requiring an orange tip (if they in fact do).

 

[jmorris]

That looks red to me.

 

[suemarkp]

Doesn't California have a law regarding colors? Something like you can get the black and grey XD pistols, but not the tan ones. I didn't think they had a specific prohibition on orange, but guns had to be a certain set of allowed colors.

 

[bigfatdave]

Doesn't California have a law regarding colors? Something like you can get the black and grey XD pistols, but not the tan ones.

those idiots require seperate "safety" testing on each model of a gun - that's where the "this color os OK but this other one isn't" comes from.

 

[blarby]

Green or orange guns are "banned" in California.

CA Penal Code:12020.3. Any person who, for commercial purposes, purchases, sells, manufacturers, ships, transports, distributes, or receives a firearm, where the coloration of the entire exterior surface of the firearm is bright orange or bright green, either singly, in combination, or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern, is liable for a civil fine in an action brought by the city attorney of the city or the district attorney for the county of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

 

[fanchisimo]

It's better to lean towards the safe side of the law, but it seems like you could argue what is a bright orange/green and doesn't that say entire exterior surface, or predominant? To me it seems like there is some gray area with the Orange/Green issue. I could be reading it wrong, but legal jargon is bout the same as latin to me.

 

[evan price]

http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-minibolt.cfm

One of these is in my safe at this moment. Kids' first shooter.

 

[heyjoe]

nassau county ny passed a law prohibiting all but a few colors for guns but it has been tied up under legal challenge in court for years now.

 

[MtnCreek]

Asking a question about ‘why’ California would do something is probably a dumb question, but here-gos. Why would a green gun be outlawed? I understand (somewhat) orange, but why green? Seems like blue would be a better candidate than green…

 

[Trent]

Probably because as a kid, we used to have green plastic M-16's that made machinegun sounds when the trigger was pulled. Didn't you ever play Army as a child? Or did they use 1903's back then.

 

[BlisteringSilence]

Asking a question about ‘why’ California would do something is probably a dumb question, but here-gos. Why would a green gun be outlawed? I understand (somewhat) orange, but why green? Seems like blue would be a better candidate than green…

Bright orange, green, and yellow stocks signify less-lethal shotguns. Orange and green are used interchangeably nationwide, and generally mean impact or chemical launchers.

Yellow is used by taser for their shotgun round.

Personally, I don't know of any agencies outside california that use green for less lethal, but given that the quoted law was a california law, it would make sense that they would define it that way.

This is one of those places where I would hope common sense would override the need for legislation. Don't make your guns colors that would cause people (and specifically children) to assume they're anything other than what they are: dangerous weapons.

Pics for reference:

 

[Sav .250]

Could you be thinking of the "orange tip" on airsoft ,fake weapons ? It`s illegal to remove the orange-tip from those.

 

[highlander 5]

I've seen some ARs in various colors mostly pink or purple though. I seem to remember a company 30+ years ago that had pocket pistols in different colors. They were trying to get the woman's market,don't know how successful they were. Wasn't S&W it was Llama I think.

 

[hq]

For a while I thought about having my Glock 17 powder coated in blue gun blue. It didn't take long to realize that it wasn't a good idea, after all.

 

[mortablunt]

Что ты? I think you're thinking about the orange tip mandated to be on airsoft and imitation weapons. There isn't a law about what color your guns may or may not be.

 

[Quiet]

Also note that the CA law, prohibits selling firearms (making to sell, importing to sell, etc) in bright orange or bright green colors. The law does not make possession or making for personal use illegal.

Therefore...
It is legal to own a firearm in those colors, just can't sell them in those colors.



Penal Code 23800
Any person who, for commercial purposes, purchases, sells, manufactures, ships, transports, distributes, or receives a firearm, where the coloration of the entire exterior surface of the firearm is bright orange or bright green, either singly, in combination, or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern, is liable for a civil fine in an action brought by the city attorney of the city, or the district attorney for the county, of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

 

[Upstater]

In NYC the mayor "nanny"Bloomberg wanted to ban colored guns because the bright colors would make people want these dangerous tools of public destruction - it hasn't gone anywhere yet.

 

[sonick808]

I remember the Bloomberg mess over the colors. The company he was talking about, Lauer, then came out with a limited edition set of Bloomberg-customized rifles with different paint schemes. Google for them, they're funny..