How far can you modify

[mindwip]

First off i live in cal.

I have an idea i want to do to my pistol but i would have to modify it to do what i want mainly the magazine. Was wondering how far you can modify your own pistol and not get a NFA mag. license.

I know i cant make it do anthing illegal like fullauto and accept more then 10rds or stuff like that, but can you "play" around with inturnal parts?

Thanks to those who answer

 

[billwiese]

Your best discussion forums for California gun matters is likely http://www.calguns.net .

Changing internal parts for better operation is fine (new trigger, hammer, etc.)
Changing barrels or calibers is fine.
Chopping or increasing barrel length, changing slide/barrel, etc. is fine.
Removing things like mag disconnect safety is legal too.

You can do many modifications to your pistol, but....
- Make sure it keeps the serial# and identification marks.
- Make sure it has a rifled barrel and does not shoot shotgun shells.
- It should not have a forward pistol grip or a buttstock (NFA territory), nor full-auto.

Do note: a CA handgun that is on the approved safe gun list but which is modified (beyond grips and sights) is no longer considered an approved safe gun and, if sold, would have to be PPT'd (face-to-face private-party tranferred) to another Californian; a gunshop cannot buy it for sale to another Californian. (You could sell it out of state to an FFL dealer, however.)

And there is no law preventing _handguns_ from holding over 10rds. Such guns are sold all the time at gunshops (Glocks, Sigs, etc.) There is a law prohibiting you from importing or manufacturing hicap magazines, but prohibition on the handguns that accept them. (Making an existing handgun accept more than 10rds, while legal, would likely be difficult.)

What do you have in mind?


Bill Wiese
San Jose, CA

 

[mindwip]

I was seeing if i could make a mag eject itself when empty i had an idea but i would have to "destory" a mag to alter it. Wanted to make sure that i wont go to jail over that.

 

[billwiese]

I don't find your idea useful but you are legally free to pursue it.

It likely would interfere with last-round hold-open anyway, and that's a far more important function. Easy enough to drop the mag with the mag release button.

Why would you think these activities are banned in CA? The laws, in general, are easy enough to read.


Bill Wiese
San Jose CA

 

[mindwip]

From what i have read i thought it might be legal but i dont know every law, sometimes its nice to ask and get a second opion.

Of course i want to keep the, slide stays back after last round. I am trying to make a M1Grand pistol in a way