Librarian
Member
You'll generally get better California information at Calguns, but since some of us lead dual lives...Didn't mean to open a hornet's nest about the issues of gun ownership in California. Just needed to get some idea as to what to do with my collection. I wouldn't be concerned if I only had a couple or so. But bringing a few pistols, specially if they're off the list, may potentially raise some eyebrows when registering.
You already have most of the right info. (Glock River, you're about two years out of date - this bill, combined with the court case Harrot vs County of Kings, created the OLL (Off List Lower) phenomenon.)
You can bring in any handgun that California does not think is an 'assault weapon', which mostly includes threaded barrels and magazines outside the hand grip.
Yes, you must register (.PDF) each of them as a 'personal handgun importer'; the fee is $19 per handgun.
No, DOJ doesn't care about how many or whether they are on the silly Roster - it's CA FFL's who are restricted from transferring them to non-LEO.
Yes, the magazines are limited to 10 rounds - please don't bring in larger capacity mags (leave them with a friend or relative is the usual best suggestion, I think).
CA also has mode-of transport laws for handguns; generally, that's unloaded, completely enclosed in a locked container. Unloaded open carry is also legal, but many LEO don't know that, and most residents don't know that, so there's a decent likelihood that a citizen will make a 'man with a gun' call.
You have already been pointed to the California 'aw' flowchart; that was developed by Calgunners and is beginning to be used by LEOs. Generally, the better advice seems to be leave all the lowers out of state and buy new ones to add bullet buttons to; why cripple a perfectly good gun (though the BBs are removable without much work)? You can bring uppers and stock sets and things and build up a CA-legal AR-type rifle with the new lower. But just now there has been a run on anything EBR, so that might be more expensive than you might like.
If it is interesting to you, be aware that CCW in the area of Los Angeles can be very difficult to get; other, less urban areas of the state are more reasonable, but the law is "may issue".