California gun laws

[James_J]

I (18) am moving to California from Colorado for college. Due to Californias gun laws I did not buy an ar 15 because I would have to modify it so much it would cease to be one. Instead I bought a Benelli M2 for skeet shooting and home defense and planning on buying a bolt action rifle for range. Now in 2020 California changed the law so that I have to be 21 to buy a gun. As an 18 year old who bought a gun in Colorado and planning on bringing it, will it be illegal to own it? Or does it just restrict to the purchase of it? Thanks.

 

[danez71]

Welcome to THR.

It restricts the sale lto those under 21. You can own it.

https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/pubfaqs#3


Make sure you understand the transportation laws.

CA has some gun storage laws those can/will vary depending on the city/county.

What city are you gouging to?

 

[RickD427]

Be careful not to configure the Benelli as a California-defined "Assault Weapon." That makes possession a felony. You'll do that if it has a folding or telescoping stock and a pistol grip.

You gotta register all firearms that you import within 60 days.

Be aware that unlicensed CCW and Carrying of a Loaded Handgun are both felonies if the handgun is not registered to you.

Keep in mind that California has two different definitions of when a firearm is "Loaded":

Under the general definition, a firearm is loaded whenever there is a round in the chamber, or in a magazine that is in the weapon. Ammunition attached the weapon in a way that it cannot be fired (like a shotgun butt-sleeve), or carried in the same container as the firearm do not make it "Loaded."

Under the special definition, which only applies in specific locations, or under specific conditions, a firearm is "Loaded" whenever the firearm and ammunition are under the control of the same person.
​

California also has a statute that allows a LEO to inspect any firearm, in an area where shooting is prohibited, in order to determine if it is loaded. There is also California case law that allows a LEO to search vehicles for any such firearms based on probable cause.

 

[James_J]

Welcome to THR.

It restricts the sale lto those under 21. You can own it.

https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/pubfaqs#3


Make sure you understand the transportation laws.

CA has some gun storage laws those can/will vary depending on the city/county.

What city are you gouging to?

Thanks for the clarification. I'm going to Rancho Cordova, a city near Sacramento.

Be careful not to configure the Benelli as a California-defined "Assault Weapon." That makes possession a felony. You'll do that if it has a folding or telescoping stock and a pistol grip.

You gotta register all firearms that you import within 60 days.

Be aware that unlicensed CCW and Carrying of a Loaded Handgun are both felonies if the handgun is not registered to you.

Keep in mind that California has two different definitions of when a firearm is "Loaded":

Under the general definition, a firearm is loaded whenever there is a round in the chamber, or in a magazine that is in the weapon. Ammunition attached the weapon in a way that it cannot be fired (like a shotgun butt-sleeve), or carried in the same container as the firearm do make it "Loaded."

Under the special definition, which only applies in specific locations, or under specific conditions, a firearm is "Loaded" whenever the firearm and ammunition are under the control of the same person.
​

California also has a statute that allows a LEO to inspect any firearm, in an area where shooting is prohibited, in order to determine if it is loaded. There is also California case law that allows a LEO to search vehicles for any such firearms based on probable cause.

Thank you. I won't have to worry about handgun laws as I am 18. My shotgun is the field variety so it is not an assault weapon. Thanks for the info about "loaded" guns.

I appreciate all the help.

 

[Kawamax]

There is a very good book you should get - “How to Own a Gun and Not Go to Jail in California”. Most gun stores in CA will have a copy. It’s been awhile since I bought one - maybe $10? It’s updated every year, which you need as it seems every year CA is making gun laws more restrictive. If you are moving to CA, you should look into the laws a bit more before you move. As an example, it may or may not make sense to load up with ammo before you move rather than trying to buy it later. CA also has some caveats when transporting firearms that you need to be aware of. For example, you need to understand the legal definition of a locked container, and as RickD427 noted the definition of “loaded” varies and is not always intuitive.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'm going to Rancho Cordova, a city near Sacramento.

So you'll be attending Sac State?

Give me a shout when you move and we'll see about showing you the local ranges

 

[Mk-211]

That whole loaded issue is really bad the way they lay it out. You can have a loaded mag in the case with the pistol and be legal. If you make a mistake and put the loaded mag in the pistol, even though it's in a locked case, that's illegal!

As for the shotgun and AW's, the shotgun is considered an AW if it has 2 or more "features" installed on it. So you can have a pistol grip on the shotgun. You just can't have a pistol grip and a folding stock on the shotgun.

You can also build a featureless AR that actually looks like an AR. The last AR I built had a detachable mag, muzzle brake (not flash hider) and a pistol grip (with a mud flap). The only way you could tell it was different was the PG.