CA does enact numerous laws, granted. The population demographics appear to have changed over the decades, too.
CA doesn't exactly always 'lead the way' when it comes to firearms laws, though. A couple of other states have made their contribution in that respect, you know.
What CA does have, however, is a handgun sales market share that was upwards of 40% of the total handgun sales in the country last I heard ... according to what I've been told, anyway. Sounds like a lot. Someone at S&W told me that the company has to spend upwards of $500,000/yr to keep their handguns on the CA list.
That's significant folks. Don't think the major manufacturers are going to easily walk away from that portion of the market, even if it means introducing features to handguns which the majority of the rest of the country might not want to see introduced. If 4 out of 10 of the handguns you manufacture are going to have to conform to a specific state's requirements, is it surprising to consider that eventually it might be easier to simply make all of your production models conform to those requirements?
Don't be surprised if a few other states start picking up on such things, too.
Also, just for trivia's sake ...
When I recently went to a LE supply store I saw some ammunition I decided to pick up. They made me fill out my PERSONAL information in their store log book for ammunition sales and sign it. Reminded me of when I used to buy handgun ammunition at Gemco (except they didn't ask why I was buying it).
FWIW, I'm still planning to move from this state and take my retirement income with me. I'm very, very grateful that the law was changed a number of years ago, and CA can no longer collect personal income tax from the retirement money of retired CA employees who move to another state.
