California bans FN (Fabrique National) FALs (and LARs?) specifically by name. These were original "Roberti-Roos" banned guns and are banned down to the receiver level, regardless of configuration. If you have an FN FAL it must've been registered back in 1990? 91? since it was banned in 1989; if you have not registered it, you are in illegal possession of it if it's in California.
FAL clone receivers other than those by FN are legal to possess - which includes Imbel, Coonan, DSA, Entreprise, etc. receivers.
However if guns made from such receivers were not purchased by Dec 31, 1999 and reg'd as assault weapons by Dec 31, 2000, they cannot be configured with combinations of 'evil features' by 1999's "SB23" assault weapon law update. Thus, if the semiauto rifle has a detachable magazine, it can't have a pistol grip, folding/thumbhole/telescoping stock, a flash hider, etc.
This is why you see "CaliFALs" with 10rd fixed magazines. These rifles no longer are considered "semiauto rifles w/detachable magazines" and can have pistol grips as the magazine takes "tools + time" to remove and mag is not changeable during normal rifle operation.
We believe that the DOJ may well update the banned list of AR/AK rifles very soon (because they can do this themselves due to folks buying unlisted AR receivers), and may shortly afterwards go after FAL clones, HK clones, etc via a court 'add on' procedure outlined in PC 12276.5.
Once receivers are named AWs, there is no limit to evil features combinations. If it's named as an AW, it can have evil features including detachable magazine.
Bill Wiese
San Jose, CA
