California, what rules do I need to know?

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Blarelli

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I may be moving to california to attend dental school, and I want to know the rules before I apply. I know the differences between Utah and California are huge, after all I carry a gun to school every day right now, but I really have no idea what the restrictions are.

I currently have the following:
-Polish Tantal AK
-Ruger P95dc w/ several 15 round mags
-Kahr CW40
-KT P3AT
-Ruger 22/45
-Remington 870 Express

So, what is going to have to stay with my folks in Utah? And what is going on as far as registration, carry, and mag capacity is concerned?
 
Any mag over 10rd is a big problem. The AK may or may not be an issue. Go over to Calguns.com and check out the bullet button. It may make yours legal. The rest just register them once in state. Simple form available online and a few bucks clears you if you have an ownership issue later such as stolen or found on your person. Good luck.:)
 
Dental School

California has way too many rules...

I grew up there and live in Texas now, been here 34 years, ain't going back. Do yourself a favor and apply to a Texas dental school. We have a great one here in San Antonio. Get a Texas CHL and carry almost anywhere you feel the need.
 
Although your AK should be an "Off List" rifle, it would not be very nice or easy to convert it over to a legal configuration. It's likely in what California would consider an "Assault Weapon by Feature" because of a detachable magazine and having a "pistol grip". I would suggest leaving that one behind. Everything else is OK, just leave any magazines with >10 round capacity behind. In other words, 10 rounds or less = OK. 11 rounds or more = not ok.

You will have to register your handguns with the DOJ within 60 days of your move into California. Forms are available at the DMV and online at the DoJ's website. Long guns do not have to be registered to you. Also, depending upon which county you will move to, you may or may not be able to get a CCW License. Some counties are near "shall-issue" and others are essentially a "No-Issue".

For further info about CCW, I'd suggest contacting www. calccw. com and for long gun info, www. calguns. net.
 
It's a long list, including some importing and registration restrictions.

Personally, if you are not going to be there forever, I'd take the shotgun and leave everything else at home.
I don't think you have to register shotguns.

You're not going to be able to carry a handgun anyway so why bother unless you are going to like Bakersfield or Fresno as I understand it. :(
 
I grew up there and live in Texas now, been here 34 years, ain't going back. Do yourself a favor and apply to a Texas dental school. We have a great one here in San Antonio. Get a Texas CHL and carry almost anywhere you feel the need.
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I wish!! None of the Dental Schools I know of in Texas take out of state applicants. I would love to stay in Utah, but sadly there is no Dental School here.
 
TexasRifleman said:
It's a long list, including some importing and registration restrictions.

Personally, if you are not going to be there forever, I'd take the shotgun and leave everything else at home.
I don't think you have to register shotguns.

You're not going to be able to carry a handgun anyway so why bother unless you are going to like Bakersfield or Fresno as I understand it.
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Actually, I am a California Resident, and I am active on another forum that deals specifically with California CCW issues. There are a LOT of counties that do issue CCW's with little difficulty. LA, SD, and SF Bay Area Counties are the most difficult to get a CCW license in. Most others, it is possible without too much work.

Long guns do not need to be registered. "Assault Weapons" must either be named by specific make/model (series listings is not legal) or by feature.
 
Actually, I am a California Resident, and I am active on another forum that deals specifically with California CCW issues. There are a LOT of counties that do issue CCW's with little difficulty. LA, SD, and SF Bay Area Counties are the most difficult to get a CCW license in. Most others, it is possible without too much work.
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I am thinking of going to U of P in Stockton California. What is the carry situation there? I suppose it it WAY too much to hope that I could carry at the school itself.
 
Add sac county as one that will not issue.

I wanted to go to UOP.. but could not aford it. =( CSUS and UCD were much cheaper.
 
I really don't like the idea of registering my guns. Maybe I should leave the ones I won't ever get rid of behind (which is everything but the Kahr and KT), and buy new stuff when I get there, and sell it when I leave the state.
I know I've seen a list of California Approved firearms before, does anybody have that?
 
Blarelli said:
I am thinking of going to U of P in Stockton California. What is the carry situation there? I suppose it it WAY too much to hope that I could carry at the school itself.
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If you do not mind about a 30 min drive to and from home, I would suggest moving to Ione or Jackson. They're in Amador County, and they're pretty much Shall Issue. As long as they don't put any additional restrictions on your license, you could legally carry on the UoP campus. You might be carrying against school policy (read as: you could be expelled) but you would not be carrying illegally. The only major concern for you is that you need to become a California Resident. Once that is established, you're good to go. Do not move to Sacramento County. The city of Stockton and San Joaquin County (where Stockton is) is not as easy to get a CCW in. They have a tougher Good Cause requirement than Amador County does.
 
Blarelli: the only "list" you need to be concerned with is the one that deals with Assault Weapons. If your firearms are not on that list or can be considered an assault weapon by feature, everything you bring in will be fine and legal.
 
Yeah, the AK is on the assault weapons list. I'm surprised it didn't list 'features' that made a gun an assault rifle. You don't think the Remington will be a problem? It has a folding stock and pistol grip, which we all know are way super evil features useful only to street thugs.
 
As long as the Shotgun has a Barrel >18" and the overall length with the stock collapsed is >26", you can hang whatever you want on it. Pump Action Shotguns are not an assault weapon. Use the flowchart I posted for the AK identification.
 
Blarelli: your AK is NOT on the AW list. It MUST be listed by Make AND Model. Nothing by "Tantal" is on the list. Your AK would have to configured by "Feature" to be considered an Assault Weapon.

"AK Series" is not legal. There have been a couple of California Supreme Court cases that specify this.

Look up "Harrot v. County of Kings" and you will see exactly what I mean. Kasler v. Lockyer was a controlling case but a good part of it was overturned by the Harrott decision.

That being said, it would probably be easier to leave it at home than to configure it for California. I also forgot to tell you that if you move to Jackson or Ione, there is an excellent shooting range close by. It's the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center, www.sacvalley.org.
 
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Just about everything has been covered - and you're right, it's VERY unlikely that UOP will allow you to carry at school. It's extra-special illegal to bring a firearm on campus without either CCW or written permission from the president of the U.

The 'approved' list is online here, but it's just easier to visit your local gun shop and see what they carry. Don't try to make sense of what's on or not on the Roster (it'll make your ears bleed), but if you have an irresistible need to know more, read this.
 
Keep that Polish Tantal out of California. The CA AWB covers pretty much any version of AK devices, even if it is not specifically named by maker. If you did not own and live in CA at the time of the Ban, you can't have it, import it, buy it, sell it, give it away unless it is to someone outside of CA. Also the same with the magazines. There's no way you can configure an 'illegal' gun to make it legal in CA.

Here's the relevant CA statute defining what is banned:
12276. As used in this chapter, "assault weapon" shall mean the following designated semiautomatic firearms:
(a) All of the following specified rifles:
(1) All AK series including, but not limited to, the models identified as follows:
(A) Made in China AK, AKM, AKS, AK47, AK47S, 56, 56S, 84S, and 86S.
(B) Norinco 56, 56S, 84S, and 86S.
(C) Poly Technologies AKS and AK47.
(D) MAADI AK47 and ARM.
etc...

http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/dwcl/12275.php

As for your pistols, they should be OK to bring in as personal property as long as you aren't ever caught with magazines over 10 rounds capacity. The references people are giving disallowing pistols are for retailers/distributors importing NIB guns for resale.

If you feel the need to own a 'legal' assault rifle, there are many M16/M4 receivers for sale in CA that can be legally purchased within CA for legal assembly into rifles. (note that they must be configured in a manner that complies with CA laws.)
 
Cali has some of the strictest gun-laws in the country. Other than that, it is a great place to live. Surfing, Skiing, Biking, Snowboarding, etc. Cali has it all!
 
CWL: Although what you have posted is in the Penal Code, Case Law has modified that greatly. Case Law specifies that Assault Weapons must be listed by Make and Model. If it is not specifically named, it is just another ordinary rifle that must not have certain features.
 
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