AR-15 Style Rifles in CA?

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A gunshop/range in the area has AR-15 looking rifles for sale with CA-10 round magazines. I was under the impression that these rifles were considered "assault rifles" regardless of capacity?

Are there any AR-15 style rifles still legal in CA? If so, I want one...

Oops, this was meant to go in the rifle forum....please move there.
 
Check out this web site http://www.calguns.net/

If you have a pistol grip the mag must be pinned, if you cut the pistol grip down you may have a removeable mag, but it can only be 10 rounds.

One of the lower recievers that is not on the CA "banned list", is CMMG inc, I have 2 of them they match up with Rock River Arms uppers very well, fit is good and finish is almost the same.

OK, now you can move to the rifle.
 
Yes, there has been an open loop hole for a few months now...(waiting for CA DOJ to do something about it). Basically, you can purchase an off list lower, build a fixed 10 rounder & wait until the DOJ says we have to register our "assault rifles" before you can attach an actual mag release.
Good luck!
 
Fixed magazines...uggh....in that case not interested. Magazines fail all the time, a magazine that is fixed and cannot be removed is a liability IMO. And for me, the appeal of the AR-15 type is the pistol grip, so I wouldn't be removing that to allow for removable magazines. Guess I'll have to stick to Mini-14s until I leave the state.
 
Build one and it's still legal, with the mag lock kit (read up on this). Get an offlist lower(s) now, before it's to late and end up SOL.

I'm in the process of building mine, I'm using a double star lower also.

Hey blackedoutharley, what kind of scope is that, and is that a shade on there?
 
I would recommend an M-1 Garand. Many were rebarreled for .308 during the Korean War. You might be able to convert one to .308-7 or .243 if you want a smaller bullet diameter and less bullet weight. Changing eight rounds via the Garand clip is one option.
The other choice would be to make a fixed-10-round mag Springfield M-1A1. These can be reloaded from the top using stripper clips. Since it is an auto the action would have to be retuned if you rebarrel it for .308-7 or .243. There may be some configurations (no handgrip or flash suppressor) where changeable 10-round mags are allowed.
The newest Remington 7600 in .223 will accept AR-style 10-round magazines. It is a pump but at least it has a magazine release and should pose no problems for CA. Perhaps a custom gun with no handgrip and no flash hider could be auto and have 10-round changeable magazines.
If a flash hider needs to be replaced by a muzzle break, barrel weight, or anything else that covers the threads, it must be permanently attached.
The problem with AR-15 look-alikes is that there is no fast reload option for CA.
Richard
Schennberg.com
 
Whoa, lets clear up some misinformation here.

You can in fact build an AR type rifle in CA. You can build the rifle one of two ways, either with all the "evil" features (flash suppressor, pistol grip, collapsible stock, etc.) and pinned 10 round magazine

OR

Detachable magazine using 30 round or whatever capacity mags you want, BUT no evil features like pistol grip, flash suppressor, etc. Basically in this configuration you have a rifle with a detachable magazine, but winds up being pretty tough to shoot since it doesn't have a pistol grip.

If it were me I'd elect to build a pinned mag rifle that is essentially a top loader that has to be broken open to be loaded. This way at least when I travel to Arizona or Nevada for a shoot, in less than 5 minutes I can remove the dumb magazine lock and have a fully functional AR. Reconfigure to CA legal status with mag lock attached and 10 round mag back in place, and you are ready for the trip back across state line behind the iron curtain.
 
richardschennberg said:
I would recommend an M-1 Garand. Many were rebarreled for .308 during the Korean War. You might be able to convert one to .308-7 or .243 if you want a smaller bullet diameter and less bullet weight. Changing eight rounds via the Garand clip is one option.
The other choice would be to make a fixed-10-round mag Springfield M-1A1. These can be reloaded from the top using stripper clips. Since it is an auto the action would have to be retuned if you rebarrel it for .308-7 or .243. There may be some configurations (no handgrip or flash suppressor) where changeable 10-round mags are allowed.
Click to expand...

The Springfield M1A (M1A1s are variants of the M1 Carbine) is completely legal in California with the substitution of a muzzle brake for the flash suppressor. You can use whatever capacity magazine you like, as long as you owned any magazines over 10 rounds capacity before 1/1/2000.

richardschennberg said:
If a flash hider needs to be replaced by a muzzle break, barrel weight, or anything else that covers the threads, it must be permanently attached.
Click to expand...

No, there is no requirement for permanent attachment of a muzzle device.

These are the "generic characteristics" used to define assault weapons in California. A centerfire rifle with a detachable magazine and any of the following is considered an assault weapon:
  • A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
  • A thumbhole stock.
  • A folding or telescoping stock.
  • A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
  • A flash suppressor.
  • A forward pistol grip.

So, if your AR-style rifle doesn't have a detachable magazine, the generic characteristics don't apply. Of course, it also cannot be one of the makes and models named in previous efforts to ban assault weapons.
 
Whoa, lets clear up some misinformation here.

You can in fact build an AR type rifle in CA. You can build the rifle one of two ways, either with all the "evil" features (flash suppressor, pistol grip, collapsible stock, etc.) and pinned 10 round magazine

OR

Detachable magazine using 30 round or whatever capacity mags you want, BUT no evil features like pistol grip, flash suppressor, etc. Basically in this configuration you have a rifle with a detachable magazine, but winds up being pretty tough to shoot since it doesn't have a pistol grip.

If it were me I'd elect to build a pinned mag rifle that is essentially a top loader that has to be broken open to be loaded. This way at least when I travel to Arizona or Nevada for a shoot, in less than 5 minutes I can remove the dumb magazine lock and have a fully functional AR. Reconfigure to CA legal status with mag lock attached and 10 round mag back in place, and you are ready for the trip back across state line behind the iron curtain.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind 30 round magazines must be purchased before the ban in 2000. Now, if you had 30 round AR magazines, but a CA compliant AR, that would seriously be suspicious as to why you don't have a registered AW to go along with the 10+ round magazine.

Personally, to be on the safe (and legal) side I'd go with the pinned 10 round magazine.
 
There is an alternative! There is a company that makes an AR look-a-like called a Fab Ten. AR style, but you have to open the upper to load the 10 rounds. Not my cup of tea, but it may work for you.

As someone who lives in CA, I think there are better rifle platforms available depending (of course) on what you want to do with this 'tool'.
 
A gunshop/range in the area has AR-15 looking rifles for sale with CA-10 round magazines. I was under the impression that these rifles were considered "assault rifles" regardless of capacity?

Are there any AR-15 style rifles still legal in CA? If so, I want one...

Oops, this was meant to go in the rifle forum....please move there.
Click to expand...

http://www.calguns.net/a_california_arak.htm
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=35137
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/forumdisplay.php?f=81
http://www.ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/AWpolicyrev4.pdf

It's a big mess.
 
dmckean44 said:
Why hasn't anyone come up with a stripper clip loaded AR?
Click to expand...

You can't make an AR load from the top like an M14 or a FAL because of the gas system parts above the magazine well area. You'd have to come up with some other way to charge the magazine.

It would be neat to see an AR lower receiver with a side-charging rotary magazine a la the '41 Johnson.
 
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