Tinygnat... You can own any handgun in CA so long as it doesn't have a few scary "assault" features like a threaded barrel. CZ-52 is no problem at all. Pretty much any handgun your can think of is fine. The standard capacity magazine might not be OK to import but the gun itself is fine.
Where CA residents get zapped is that dealers can't import or sell any gun that isn't on the "approved" list. A private citizen can sell them (so there's a significant "consignment" section in most dealers' counters) and anyone can own them but the dealer can't import or sell them.
So how do they get into the state? Some were already there before the new laws passed. Some were brought in by C&R licencees, but most are brought in by new residents.
Example#1: When I was a CA resident I imported a C&R handgun. I did that by buying the gun in another state and flying back to CA with it. In order to make the importation legal I had to send paperwork and $25 within 5 days of importing the gun into CA. I could not have had that gun shipped to me though.
Example#2: When a new CA resident moves into the state they have 60 days to get all of their handguns papered or sold. So an owner of a Glock, CZ-52, or anything else, whether or not it is on the "approved" list, can bring it in and either register it or sell it. In the case of the Glock they would NOT be allowed to bring the standard capacity magazines. Of course this is only for new residents.
So it's perfectly legal for him to have the gun so long as he has gone through the paperwork.
He can ship the gun to himself. If he was in NE he could take it to FEDEX, ship it to His Name at whatever address (including a hotel he had reservations for...) and if he has done all the state paperwork he is completely fine. California C&R people do it fairly often with pistols. They'll be traveling in another state and find a pistol they want, buy it on their C&R license, mail off the state paperwork/payment and ship the handgun to themselves at some address where a family member/friend can pick it up. So long as the package remains unopened until the listed recipient takes delivery everything is legal.
