Best rifle/carbine for non-military non-LEO California citizen

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You should define your budget and needs.
No budget? An SKS and all the ammo you can buy.
Unlimited budget? How about a SOCOM II?
As for the MI not being a good "urban" weapon, remember that 30-06 will reduce most "cover" to rubble in a few shots.
Go to Calguns.net. Most people there actually live in CA, know the laws and won't give you disinformation.
Oh, and the Saiga is CA-legal.
 
Cali legal semi automatic rifles/ carbines

CA Legal AR rifle
CA Legal SKS carbine
*They actually say its "California legal" online, if it doesn't then the gun isn't California legal.

Mini-30 or Mini-14

M1 Carbine (.30 carbine can be a little bit hard to get, 10rd mags are also harder to get)
M1 Garand
M1A Rifle (rather expensive, around 1500-1700$)

The only California legal AK (without modification or some other thing) would be the Romanian PAR-1, pump action 7.62x39, but accepts regular AK magazines. (I checked it out- poorly made, really crappy)

There is a list of guns banned by name or brand in the 2000 AWB, it pretty much covers every "assault rifle". List of guns banned in California: http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/forms/pdf/awguide.pdf (2.45 MB, PDF file)

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I own a Norinco SKS carbine, probably bought it for much more than it's worth, but so far its been very reliable and I would recommend California residents to get. Everything else is either too expensive or has problems such as availability of magazines. Also, if you live in Los Angels county buying ammo online is illegal. I live in Orange county, apparently its not a problem.
 
'Let's think unconventional here for a little while...

Remington 7400 and 7600 series. 7400s are semiauto, 7600s are pump action. Available in a variety of calibers like .308, .30-06, .223, and .243. The 7615 version is in .223 and takes AR-15 mags.

"Think of it as an AR-15 with a manual transmission" (Krochus)"

Yes, the others only have 4 round mags, but 4 rounds of '06 is pretty powerful. In fact, I am thinking of picking one up myself. The pump action is faster than a bolt action...

The Marlin leverguns are also good...I like the 336 in .30-30. Set it up with XS sights and a scout rail, and you have a formidable rifle...
 
I have to vote for the SKS. Ammo is (relatively) cheap, and the rifle as well. Buy one, get 1000 rounds and practice away.
 
any AR 15, Any bolt action .308 or 30-06. any .30 cal lever gun (Winchester Mod 88 in .308).

Any gun you take from a dead neighbor or dead enemy so long as it has sufficient ammunition.
 
The only California legal AK (without modification or some other thing) would be the Romanian PAR-1, pump action 7.62x39, but accepts regular AK magazines. (I checked it out- poorly made, really crappy)
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Saigas are legal. They are AKs with a traditional rifle stock and 10-round mag. Great rifles.
 
Though it looks ridiculous, I believe there is a stock that makes AR's California legal. You'll have to look it up, I haven't seen it in awhile.
 
The above semi-auto's are all expensive. If your little more than a peasant like me get yourself a Mosin-Nagant. Go with an M-44 and a couple tins of 7.62x54r ammo. Carbine should run you under 100 bucks, and I've seen 440 rounds in a sealed tin for under 50 bucks. So 200 bucks and you're a pretty potent package.
PS. Store the tins in a cool dark place, purchase 20 rounds of Winchester 7.62x54r and run them through the carbine for familiarity.


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Sounds to me like you would be best suited by getting exactly what you want... as long as it is easily converted to what you really want if the hypothetical situation you suggested actually occurred or regulations changed. If what some member have said, and I don't know much about Cali regulations, and you can get an AR by adding doing a simple mod.. and for example, that is what you want.. get one.. and unmodify later to take 30 rounders... go for it. Same goes for any other gun. I would rather go this route then getting something I would not want as much in the situation you mention.

That being said, I also think the m1a might be the best choice for this scenario. I really have been considering the new rugers.. but the 30 rounders are running around 40 to 50 each... and 20-rds aren't for me.

Also, I love the 357 lever for defense and plinking... but have you considered the Taurus Thunder.. it's a pump action... which in my opinion is less "classic".. but a better mechanism.
 
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M1, M1A, M1 Carbine, Saiga, maybe a Vepr. I think someone earlier mentioned the SU-16. I've never fired one, but they look like neat little rifles and I dig how they fold up.

Move..., move to the free America.
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Agreed. I just can't see how any real Americans with an appreciation for liberty can stand to live in the People's Republic of California.
 
Just move out of that stupid State or elect a government that will uphold the constitution.
 
One of my semis is a Norinco SKS. In general, the SKS is supposed to be one of the best values.

My Mini 30 was sold to me by a guy in central California.
If you don't mind a misfeed now and then (5 out of 700 rounds), you would like the Mini 30. It has had about 8 ftfs (first strike only: hard Russian primers) out of about 1,000 rds.
My Mini 14 never misfed with its wobbly Promag 30-rounder, and never suffered a ftf. It is more reliable than some AKs I've seen in operation.

Lots of Mini owners on bulletin boards (i.e. "Perfectunion") are not clear about whether they refer to a Mini 14 with a 30-rd. mag, or a Mini 30 etc. The discussions can be very vague or misleading.

The bad aftermarket mags are the curse of both types of Minis, but my Mini 14 has never had one glitch, and my only semi-auto ammo is newer Wolf or Monarch. The complex aftermarket magazine issue and thin barrels on older models has cost Ruger some former customers.

You might prefer the SKS (or something from Kalashnikov) due to the value and ultimate reliablilty. The ergonomics of the "AK" with folding stock did not suit me. If you decide on the SKS, a cheap recoil pad is not needed but helps the stock feel longer.
Don't forget about the lesser-known bolt action: LE "Jungle Carbine" :D(not all, but the majority are .303) and its small size/lightweight and very smooth action, hard-hitting round.
 
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