California semi auto for hunting laws...

[wickedsprint]

I am likely going to get stationed back in California, I am curious about hunting the feral hogs on base there as they allow this, but what I am having mixed results on is whether or not I can use a semi auto in California for hunting. I found a reference that simply states an ammo limit for shotguns, and the requirement to use center fire on rifles, but no other caliber restrictions or gun restrictions. This sounds a bit "off" for what I was expecting for California. I'm thinking a Mini-14 or a Mini 30 or the 6.8SPC for the hogs. Am I kosher to bring in 30rd mags I bought here in Wyoming? Am I good to go with a semi auto, and if so, is there actually a magazine limit?

 

[ArmedBear]

It is not legal to bring in a magazine larger than 10 rounds. It is, however, legal to possess them and use them if you had them here before the state ban on higher capacity magazines in 2000.

A Mini 14 for hogs? A bit undergunned, I think. .223 is legal for all big game here, but not necessarily ideal.

There is no magazine limit for rifle hunting, and semiautos are treated the same as any other rifle.
As long as they meet other requirements (e.g. centerfire soft/expanding point bullets for big game), no problem.

Regardless of magazine size limits and if you can legally get your hands on hi-caps, I'd use 10 rounders in the field. With a Mini, they are a lot more low-profile, and don't extend past the trigger guard. That makes for a quick little gun that doesn't hang up on the brush we have here, and most places, that's your worst annoyance: everything gets hung up in the thick, stiff brush.

Some states have a 5 or 7 round limit for hunting with a semiauto, but there is no such limit here.

Shotguns, including slug guns, however, have to be plugged to 3 rounds, whether pump or semiauto. Not that slug guns are commonly used here; we don't have those silly laws, either. I think that one mostly-urban county requires buckshot for deer hunting for safety reasons (Los Angeles County), but it's not exactly world-class deer hunting anyway.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

A Mini 14 for hogs? A bit undergunned, I think. .223 is legal for all big game here, but not necessarily ideal.

.223 definitely not ideal.

I've seen a few guys with semi-autos, usually Remingtons. One guy I saw with a Springfield SOCOM.

The 6.8SPC should be good to go, too. At least, I've taken quite a few with 6.5x55 and .264WinMag.

 

[spectr17]

Wicked, what base are you going to hunt? Vandenburg? Fort Hunter Liggett?

 

[wickedsprint]

It will be Vandenberg. I actually found a 6.8SPC Ruger Mini locally and picked it up. It's been 3 years since I was stationed at Vandy, so I hope you can still do this stuff on base. Thanks for the replies guys.