Cheaper Than Dirt won't ship legal "assault weapon gear" to CA

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I was browsing Cheaper than Dirt and looked at the items they would not ship to California. These items are legal to import, in-and-of themselves, except for the >10 fixed mag. They are legal to mount on registered assault weapons, off-list semi-autos that don't meet the assault weapon features test, or to only attach while out-of-state, and on all rimfires or non-autoloaders. Something like 30,000 off-list AR lowers have been imported to the state lately, and since they will have a 10-round fixed mag, they don't meet the features test, and people can mount all this. CTD says its policy is

The following products cannot be SHIPPED to ADDRESSES in the states, counties or cities indicated. Many products are legal to own, but some state laws make it illegal to buy them via the internet or mail order.

But that's just not the case here. California has state preemption of firearms laws, so local restrictions aren't an issue (though we are still waiting on the SF ban, the enforcement of which keeps getting pushed back in the meantime).

I emailed CTD about this, but got no response. I won't be doing business with them any longer, and I hope others avoid them as well. I've also compared prices, and noticed they are almost always a little bit more expensive than MidwayUSA.

A partial list of items they won't ship here is:

Assault weapon gear:
California

Rifles:
Folding stocks
Thumbhole stocks
Telescoping stocks
Protruding pistol grip
Flash supressor
Forward pistol grip

Pistols:
Second handgrip
Shroud (except for a slide)
Detachable mag outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel that accommodates a flash suppressor, forward handgrip or silencer
Fixed high-cap mag

Shotguns:
Folding stocks
Thumbhole stocks
Telescoping stocks
Protruding pistol grip
Detachable mag
Revolving cylinder

This is from http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/restrict.asp.

 

[c_yeager]

Are you upset that CTD wont ship firearms accessories to a city that has outlawed firearms?

 

[Sergeant Bob]

Can't say as I blame them. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Kamicosmos]

Don't be upset with the company. Be upset at California.

 

[gunsmith]

They

have to watch their six, when I moved out of SF I sent the republican party my card (with the picture of Arnie on it) back telling they lost my support with the new fifty ban.

Move to Reno & when you miss the smell of stale urine you can visit SF.

 

[Hawk]

CALDOJ Gone Wild

My condolences, but no way would I hold any retailer responsible for CA's out of control lawmakers.

 

[molonlabe]

Move to Reno & when you miss the smell of stale urine you can visit SF.

Funny, sounds like Baltimore, where every corner is a toilet.

 

[22-rimfire]

No adding much, but I don't blame Cheaper Than DIrt in the least. I wouldn't either. Move or ship to a friend.

 

[Spot77]

In the past few months, Sportsmans' Guide decided that they wouldn't ship ammo to Annapolis because, "You are too close to Wahington DC."

Because I'm too close to DC? I'm 40 miles away.....and they used to ship ammo to me gleefully whaen I had a Baltimore address.


So I obviously don't buy ANYTHING from them now.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I don't live in San Francisco.

I can blame Cheaper Than Dirt, because they are going beyond the law to further restict the RKBA of Californians, and they should be on our side. Everyone else I've tried (I know enough to avoid Sportsman's Guide) will ship this stuff to California. And the assault weapon law is not complicated regarding these products. If they know what to list, then they have already read the part where it says these products are only illegal when attached to a centerfire, detachable-mag, auto-loader that isn't registered as an AW. This is not complicated!

 

[LAR-15]

Sorry but in todays society its a good idea to CYA

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

The following products cannot be SHIPPED to ADDRESSES in the states, counties or cities indicated. Many products are legal to own, but some state laws make it illegal to buy them via the internet or mail order.

There are several local jurisdictions in the Bay Area that have laws against mail order purchases of some types of items. I wouldn't expect CTD to figure out whether your zip code is Berkeley versus El Cerrito, or San Francisco versus Brisbane.

Furthermore, I can just see CA DOJ arguing that CTD is encouraging or facilitating people constructing illegal weapons. Why incur the legal expense, from CTD's perspective?

I've also compared prices, and noticed they are almost always a little bit more expensive than MidwayUSA.

That's a better reason to avoid CTD.

 

[El Barto]

I live just outside of LA so I can feel your pain about not getting items that are in fact, legal. That being said, I believe that most companies would rather be overly cautious when it comes to shipping. I can understand that they wouldn't want to risk their business to send me a $20 item.

This is especially true in regards to ammo. There are some companies that will not ship to Los Angeles, but have no problem shipping to me in Bell, which is about 2 miles from the city limits of Los Angeles. I guess that since the address label doesn't say "Los Angeles", ammo is kept out of the hands of those bad guys.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

There are several local jurisdictions in the Bay Area that have laws against mail order purchases of some types of items. I wouldn't expect CTD to figure out whether your zip code is Berkeley versus El Cerrito, or San Francisco versus Brisbane.

There are laws all over the nation like that, but only in California does CTD cast such a wide net. And I would expect CTD to just add a city address to their restricted list if it comes up, which it probably won't ever. Expanding and fragmenting ammo has been illegal a long time in San Francisco, but CTD never had ammo sale restrictions to S.F. This really isn't a case of CTD covering thier butt, its a case of them being too lazy to read the law for themselves, and being extra "hard" on CA. Anyway, state firearms law pre-empts all local laws--this has been upheld many times--so they are all null and void anyway. And they wouldn't even notice to begin with.

Furthermore, I can just see CA DOJ arguing that CTD is encouraging or facilitating people constructing illegal weapons. Why incur the legal expense, from CTD's perspective?

There is no way you could convict on "encouraging" (whatever that means, please find that term in the legal code) people to construct illegal weapons by selling them legal accessories that are legal to mount on many firearms. The only thing the DOJ here has been extra-legal about is receivers, and CTD doesn't sell receivers.

The antis in CA don't have to pass laws ending our RKBA if the gun industry is too cowardly to sell us anything when there is basically 0 chance of them being busted for anything.

 

[cropcirclewalker]

Move the heck outa California.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

It's sad, but I can't blame those businesses. If you don't think that some pinko lawyer wouldn't sue them into the ground then.......

 

[Jay Kominek]

I can blame Cheaper Than Dirt, because they are going beyond the law to further restict the RKBA of Californians...

Some place not selling you a folding stock doesn't restrict your RKBA any more than a publisher not printing your book restricts your freedom of speech.
Perhaps you're trying to restrict Cheaper Than Dirt's freedom of association!

 

[gunsmith]

the good thing about this whole CTD situation

is now I know abour MidwayUSA....I've never heard of them before!

 

[LoadAmmo]

Long time California Exile

Why would somebody live in California?

Nevada and Arizona are just a few hours drive away!

 

[The_Antibubba]

At least I can still order ammo from them; SG refuses to ship to Sacramento-for no reason I can discern.

 

[joab]

There is no way you could convict on "encouraging" (whatever that means, please find that term in the legal code)

How about "Enticing" then.

too many expensive frivolous lawsuits to take a chance. Even if they win the case they lose the money.

Californians have decided their fate by electing the people they have put in charge.

 

[Beachmaster]

Stop being mad at CTD, and start either packing, or booting out the bad politicians who are turning CA and parts of our great country into a joke!

Remember, the Second Ammendment is not about hunting! Its about allowing the citizens to be armed so they can keep the gov in check! By limiting or taking away your right to own a weapon, the gov is taking the POWER of Government FROM THE PEOPLE and placing ito the hands of a privledged few.


When it comes to California, we need more companies like Barrett. Their policy is that they will not sell or repair guns to California state agencies or police departments because the state bans the citizens from owning them. They have even introduced a new California legal big bore in 416, but will not sell that to the state either.

All weapon manufacturers should do the same, and soon no LE in California will be able to buy guns wholesale, get them repaired at the factory, or get factory training. Then, if gunshops posted signs stating "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, and we excercise that right to refuse to sell weapons or ammunition to state employees" posted on their doors, you would see changes made quick!

Regular citizens should boycott those areas that are anti gun (like California in general, or San Fransisco in particular). I am proud to have steered a convention worth a few hundred thousand bucks away from SF, and will do so again if I can, until they elect some people with brains there.

Americans have the ability to vote two ways. We get to vote every so often and elect people into positions of power. We also get to vote more often with our wallets! Stop spending money in CA, and other anti gun places.



"NO Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms"
Thomas Jefferson

 

[ArmedBear]

First thing: don't buy a thing from CtD or SG. They have nothing you need that can't be bought from other places, often for less money.

 

[748]

Time to move to another state.

 

[bigun15]

Why would somebody live in California?

Can't get out.