Evergreen
Member
My grandmother is very sick in the hospital now and likely will pass away anytime. I'm going to have to travel down from Seattle area to come to her funeral and will be visiting other family members. I was hoping some people here can answer some questions about gun laws in California for a Washington state resident, like myself. I will be travelling to California, probably by plane which will cause a few other headaches, I am sure.
I'm going to be staying there maybe for a few days. I would like to bring one of my pistols. Please be aware I am from a place where we are still pretty free in regards to 2A. I had a little practice about travelling to less freer places on my trip to Canada a few weeks ago. There , it was fairly simple. No, Canadian gun license no guns.. However, California, being that it is still somewhat part of USA, I guess the gun laws wil be a bit trickier. I know that I am still an American citizen there, but not a Californian resident. Meaning, I am kind of allowed to possess guns, but can get horribly busted by California law for having the wrong gun , wrong magazines, etc.
So, I would like to ask what type of pistol I can carry down there which I currently own. I am only going to list the pistols I believe may be allowed according to that very confusing DOJ list , which makes little sense to me.
I was considering bringing one or two of the following:
* S&W M&P 45 w/Crimson Trace Laser Grips
* Ruger LCR w/ Crimson Trace Laser Grips
Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag 4" barrel, would load with 44 spl.
I am mostly planning on bringing my S&W M&P 45 loaded with 10 round magazines and my Ruger LCR, which has a 5 round cylinder. I'd only carry down the Redhawk, which is a tank, if for some reason my M&P is banned for whatever reason. I'd load it with 44spl rounds. My normal daily carry is a S&W M&P 9mm w/17 round mags, but I assume that carrying a 17rd magazine in California could get me locked up in Pelican Bay. I figure I'd carry the 45 since the mags only go up to 10rds, which is the legal CA limit?
I also would like to know how I can transport the guns around and if I can legally keep them loaded in a motel room or staying at a family member's house? When I am transporting them, can I keep loaded magazines in my glove box and the guns in the cargo area, backseat or trunk in a locked case? How does this work exactly in Cailfornia when travelling with guns? If I get pulled over, what am I suppose to say to an officer, especially since I have a concealed weapons permit in Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Idaho and my license plate may or may not notify him that I have a CHL in my state? I've read a few scary threads about dealing with California police with weapons. In WA, telling a cop you have a weapon license is a requirement (or a very very good idea, esp if you are carrying), but since I don't have a California weapon license, does this still apply? I will be carrying an unloaded and boxed pistol. Once again, are the loaded magazines legal in California? Also, are my Crimson Trace laser grips legal in California?
Pardon, my confusion, I haven't been to California in over 15 years and forgot what it is was like to be in these parts of the USA. I've spent most my life living in the Pacific Northwest and I am licensed to carry a gun concealed in 35+ states.
I also may go down by plane and wonder how I would go about transporting the guns and ammunition in my check-in luggage? With all the TSA crap going on , will I be putting myself at risk of losing my guns or going to prison? Will I be stuck explaining myself to federal officers at the LAX airport as to why I have a gun? Does California have its own version of Border Agents (like at Canadian border) that may examine your guns when flying into the state from another state like Washington?
As of now, I don't want to go down to California at all, but I need to pay my last respects to my grandmother and see these relatives I have not seen in almost two decades now.
I appreciate everyone's help and advice here.
I'm going to be staying there maybe for a few days. I would like to bring one of my pistols. Please be aware I am from a place where we are still pretty free in regards to 2A. I had a little practice about travelling to less freer places on my trip to Canada a few weeks ago. There , it was fairly simple. No, Canadian gun license no guns.. However, California, being that it is still somewhat part of USA, I guess the gun laws wil be a bit trickier. I know that I am still an American citizen there, but not a Californian resident. Meaning, I am kind of allowed to possess guns, but can get horribly busted by California law for having the wrong gun , wrong magazines, etc.
So, I would like to ask what type of pistol I can carry down there which I currently own. I am only going to list the pistols I believe may be allowed according to that very confusing DOJ list , which makes little sense to me.
I was considering bringing one or two of the following:
* S&W M&P 45 w/Crimson Trace Laser Grips
* Ruger LCR w/ Crimson Trace Laser Grips
Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag 4" barrel, would load with 44 spl.
I am mostly planning on bringing my S&W M&P 45 loaded with 10 round magazines and my Ruger LCR, which has a 5 round cylinder. I'd only carry down the Redhawk, which is a tank, if for some reason my M&P is banned for whatever reason. I'd load it with 44spl rounds. My normal daily carry is a S&W M&P 9mm w/17 round mags, but I assume that carrying a 17rd magazine in California could get me locked up in Pelican Bay. I figure I'd carry the 45 since the mags only go up to 10rds, which is the legal CA limit?
I also would like to know how I can transport the guns around and if I can legally keep them loaded in a motel room or staying at a family member's house? When I am transporting them, can I keep loaded magazines in my glove box and the guns in the cargo area, backseat or trunk in a locked case? How does this work exactly in Cailfornia when travelling with guns? If I get pulled over, what am I suppose to say to an officer, especially since I have a concealed weapons permit in Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Idaho and my license plate may or may not notify him that I have a CHL in my state? I've read a few scary threads about dealing with California police with weapons. In WA, telling a cop you have a weapon license is a requirement (or a very very good idea, esp if you are carrying), but since I don't have a California weapon license, does this still apply? I will be carrying an unloaded and boxed pistol. Once again, are the loaded magazines legal in California? Also, are my Crimson Trace laser grips legal in California?
Pardon, my confusion, I haven't been to California in over 15 years and forgot what it is was like to be in these parts of the USA. I've spent most my life living in the Pacific Northwest and I am licensed to carry a gun concealed in 35+ states.
I also may go down by plane and wonder how I would go about transporting the guns and ammunition in my check-in luggage? With all the TSA crap going on , will I be putting myself at risk of losing my guns or going to prison? Will I be stuck explaining myself to federal officers at the LAX airport as to why I have a gun? Does California have its own version of Border Agents (like at Canadian border) that may examine your guns when flying into the state from another state like Washington?
As of now, I don't want to go down to California at all, but I need to pay my last respects to my grandmother and see these relatives I have not seen in almost two decades now.
I appreciate everyone's help and advice here.
