Moving back to CA - What to do with all my "evil" firearms?

[TechPrepper]

I'm doing everything I can think of to avoid having to move back to California. It feels like I only left yesterday when in fact its been almost 2 years now. In that time I've fully enjoyed the benefits on gun ownership in this great State. My personal collection is now replete with "evil" weapons ... what are my options if I move (and no I won't give them to the community )?

I would likely need to live somewhere in driving distance to the Bay Area. Here are my options as I see them:

1. Seal up and store my weapons at a storage facility here in Florida
2. Dismantle my weapons fully, seal, and store in a storage facility in California (would this be legal?)

None of these options hold much interest to me. Are there other options that would get me around the gun laws in CA? Perhaps if I got an FFL? What if the firearms were all transfered to a Trust or Corporate entity?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[cbrgator]

If it was that easy to circumvent CA's gun laws, everybody would do it. You are probably going to have to suck it up, unfortunately.

 

[TechPrepper]

If it was that easy to circumvent CA's gun laws, everybody would do it. You are probably going to have to suck it up, unfortunately.

That is what I figured as well .. but if there was a way I figure this crew would know what it is.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Exactly what evil firearms are we talking about? You can disassemble >10 round magazines and keep the parts. Most items on "assault rifles" that somehow make them "assault rifles" can be replaced or modified.

You bring handguns in as a personal firearms importer and do the $19 each registration, whether or not they are on CA "safe" list.

 

[CWL]

If you are talking about banned guns and magazines that were not-grandfathered-in (and registered), all are illegal to bring into CA. Best keep them out of the state if you don't want to get into trouble if they ever get discovered.

I think the only way around them is if you were a Fed LEO, and then it may not apply to personal firearms.

 

[Quiet]

Depending on what firearm you have, it can be made CA legal.

It all depends on the type and make/model of the firearm.

 

[daorhgih]

"Legal, non-legal, illicit" ... you name it"

I'll pay postage, so just ship them to my FFL and I'll keep them for you.
Yes, seriously. When you want one, I'll be near Reno on maneuvers and will meet you in your designated spot, outside Nellis AFB. L1S1

 

[leadcounsel]

If you are moving onto a military installation, there may be a waiver.

Otherwise, store with a friend or relative you can trust and get it in writing.

Finally, be VERY careful about storage units. PREPAY for all months in advance. You run the risk of missing a payment and having the storage unit sold at auction.

 

[Librarian]

Drop by Calguns.net and give us the list of rifles; as NavyLCDR noted, handguns you bring in need not be on the Roster.

Only really tricky one is the Taurus Judge - CA calls that a 'short barrelled shotgun' and you can't bring it at all.

 

[TechPrepper]

Exactly what evil firearms are we talking about? You can disassemble >10 round magazines and keep the parts. Most items on "assault rifles" that somehow make them "assault rifles" can be replaced or modified.

Fair questions. I would be happy to be able to dismantle the weapons and store them as "parts" for the time I have to live in CA thereby eliminating the expense of out of state storage. Is that possible? Here are the list of weapons in questions:

• S&W Governor
• Sig 556 SBR
• AR-15 w/out Bullet Button
• Serbu "Super Shorty" (SBS)
• Glock High-Cap mags (e.g. > 10)
• AR-15 30 Round Mags
• Supressors for Glocks

You bring handguns in as a personal firearms importer and do the $19 each registration, whether or not they are on CA "safe" list.

This is not a familiar concept to me. Are you saying that if I was a registered firearms importer I could legally "import" the weapons and retain them in CA and only need to register each and pay $19 each? If so that sounds like an approach worth pursuing.

 

[Quiet]

S&W Governor
Sig 556 SBR
AR-15 w/out Bullet Button
Serbu "Super Shorty" (SBS)
Glock High-Cap mags (e.g. > 10)
AR-15 30 Round Mags
Supressors for Glocks

S&W Governor = no-go. Under CA laws, it's consider a SBS. Do not bring this to CA.

SIG 556 SBR = no-go. BATFE will not approve a Form 5320.20 to transport a SBR into CA, unless you have a CA DOJ Dangerous Weapons Permit for a SBR (which you will not get).

AR-15 w/o bullet button = without modifications it's a no-go. What is the exact make & model of your AR15 type rifle? This is important, because if it's not on the make/model ban list, then it can be modified to be CA legal.

Serbu "Super Shorty" = A factory Serbu Super Shorty is an AOW not a SBS. It would only be a SBS, if you modified it into a SBS by attaching a shoulder stock to it. As a SBS it would be a no-go (see SIG 556 SBR answer). As an AOW it would be a go. AOWs are CA legal (a few CA gun stores stock the Serbu Super Shorty AOW).

Glock high-Cap mags = They can be dissassembled and imported as magazine parts, which can then be use to make permanent 10 round magazines or kept as parts & never assembled while in CA. However, if you owned any of these large capacity magazines while you are originally in CA, you can legally bring them back to CA as large capacity magazines.

AR-15 30 round mags = See Glock mags.

Suppressors for Glocks = no-go. Suppressors are the one category of Title 2 firearms that are totally prohibited in CA.
Since you mentioned suppressors, semi-auto pistols that accept detachable magazines and have threaded barrels are considered assault weapons. You will need to remove the threaded barrels from the pistols. It's legal to own the threaded barrels in CA, but illegal to have them attached to a semi-auto pistol that accepts detachable magazines.

 

[JVaughn]

Why so worried? 4A protects you from searches, so long as you don't break any laws and get investigated. Disassemble and store or leave whole and store. Keep them out of sight and why worry? FL allows person to person transfer without background check, yes? If ever asked about any of them, say you sold them before you left FL.

good luck, sorry you have to return to CA.

 

[TechPrepper]

AR-15 w/o bullet button = without modifications it's a no-go. What is the exact make & model of your AR15 type rifle? This is important, because if it's not on the make/model ban list, then it can be modified to be CA legal.

I own a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 which was originally purchased in CA with a bullet button (ugh) which I promptly removed when I came out here. I guess that would have to got back in unless I could totally disassemble the weapon and have the "parts" legally.

Serbu "Super Shorty" = A factory Serbu Super Shorty is an AOW not a SBS. It would only be a SBS, if you modified it into a SBS by attaching a shoulder stock to it. As a SBS it would be a no-go (see SIG 556 SBR answer). As an AOW it would be a go. AOWs are CA legal (a few CA gun stores stock the Serbu Super Shorty AOW).

That's great news. I placed an order for a stock AOW so all good.

 

[TechPrepper]

Why so worried? 4A protects you from searches, so long as you don't break any laws and get investigated. Disassemble and store or leave whole and store. Keep them out of sight and why worry?

Not doing anything and keeping them stored safe and discretely is an option I am considering. I certainly don't plan to do something that would require that I be investigated ... but you know how uncle Murphy can be. I figured if I do something that would make them legal to own if disassembled it would be worth looking into.

good luck, sorry you have to return to CA.

Thanks, truly. Its not a done deal and I'm looking for creative commuting options. I'm even considering moving to Nevada and driving in for a week once a month in an RV.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Is CA a permanent or short term situation. If it's short term, your non-ideal options might be viable. Would you be living near the NV border? If so, maybe you could get storage there and go to NV from time to time to use them.

 

[Art Eatman]

Looks like the Prepper has some thinking to do...