Thread: Travelling with pistol through CA

There was a thread here maybe 16 to 24 months back where a fellow forum member told his story of traveling through California with his pistol.

He and some family members (parents I believe) were returning home to Oregon, maybe on I-5, and pulled in to a rest stop to take a break, and some how got in an altercation with a group of 4 to 6 young adults.

He retrieved his pistol from the trunk (?) of his car and ended up firing a warning shot into the ground.

Somewhere along the way the police had been summoned, after the police arrived, they interviewed every one, and as I recall all were left to go on there merry way.

Apparently our fellow forum member was deemed to have been transporting legally and the police felt that his warning shot was justified.

I wish we could bump the thread because I am sure I got the gist of the story correct, Then again it's been a while so maybe I got it all wrong.

Originally Posted by fd15k

I visited California with guns 3 times this year. It's very easy to comply with the laws there whether it's your destination or you're just passing through.

a) magazines with capacity over 10 rounds
Unless you possessed them in California before 2001 (somebody should correct me if I got the year wrong), just remove the floor plate and disassemble the mag until you get to another state where it's legal (AZ, NV, OR).

b) evil black rifles
Unless it's listed by make/model in this list ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/awguide.pdf (most stuff on that list is from 90's, none of newer AR15's are there), just separate upper from the lower. For AK type designs remove the pistol grip. Thumbhole stock designs remove the stock, or tape up the hole

c) don't bring suppressors, machineguns, DD's. Special note - Yugo M59/66 SKS with grenade launcher attachment is a DD in CA, and is banned.

d) don't bring tracer ammunition of any kind, or AP ammunition for handguns.

Things like that. Now that's without relying on FOPA immunity. With FOPA you don't need to do that, but then you're limited to passing through the state without deviations. And FOPA is known to be not very reliable

forgot to mention : Taurus Judge is an SBR in CA, don't bring it there

I should probably start writing that none of my posts are a legal advice. But I will gladly provide the links and citations to Penal Code if anybody needs them

We're headed through CA in March on the way to Phoenix, will be stopping for a couple days in Modesto. Guess I better leave my Judge at home!! Normally I just make one overnight stop on the way to AZ, but this time we'll be visiting friends so "safe travel" laws won't apply.

I usually take A Win 1300 18½" barrel shotgun and a KT SU-16C, but I think the KT is banned because it can be fired when the stock is folded.

Go to calguns.org and check. Being from there a couple of years ago I tried to block out all the B.S. Be careful in some municipalities like San Francisco and the bay area they have put restrictions on top of the states. locked in a case unloaded sounds right about any where in CA though. I concealed carried there for years with no license, but I can't reccomend it for you. I figured "better to be judged by twelve than carried by six". At the time concealed carry was a misdeanor, of course if caught you lose your gun.

For some reason handguns chambered for shotgun ammo have been illegal for 50+ years in CA

Originally Posted by fd15k

I visited California with guns 3 times this year. It's very easy to comply with the laws there whether it's your destination or you're just passing through.

a) magazines with capacity over 10 rounds
Unless you possessed them in California before 2001 (somebody should correct me if I got the year wrong), just remove the floor plate and disassemble the mag until you get to another state where it's legal (AZ, NV, OR).

b) evil black rifles
Unless it's listed by make/model in this list ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/awguide.pdf (most stuff on that list is from 90's, none of newer AR15's are there), just separate upper from the lower. For AK type designs remove the pistol grip. Thumbhole stock designs remove the stock, or tape up the hole

c) don't bring suppressors, machineguns, DD's. Special note - Yugo M59/66 SKS with grenade launcher attachment is a DD in CA, and is banned.

d) don't bring tracer ammunition of any kind, or AP ammunition for handguns.

Things like that. Now that's without relying on FOPA immunity. With FOPA you don't need to do that, but then you're limited to passing through the state without deviations. And FOPA is known to be not very reliable

forgot to mention : Taurus Judge is an SBR in CA, don't bring it there

I should probably start writing that none of my posts are a legal advice. But I will gladly provide the links and citations to Penal Code if anybody needs them

This is close but wont cut it, the lower, being the licensed part still has the capacity to accept a detachable mag even though its separated from the upper and is illegal, it would have to have their "bullet button" or have the 10rd mag locked in place, requiring a tool to remove it.

And the high cap mag ban went into effect 1/2000

Hmm... weird laws, but it is CA!

OK, how about my 7rd Win 1300 Coastal Defense shotgun loaded with 12+1 Aguila ½ size shot or slug shells? The tube is stock and holds 7 rds of 2¾" shells or 6 3" but will take 12 of the Aguila. Where does that fit in? Also, I have a folding stock with pistol grip on it, same question I guess. I do have the original non folding, non handgrip stock. Maybe I should just bring one of my other 1300's with slug barrel, standard stock and standard shotgun shells and leave the "tricked out" one at home!!

Traveling to Kalifornia, what would you do?

Originally Posted by orygun

Traveling to Kalifornia, what would you do?

Not travel to Kommiefornia, that is for damn sure!

Exactly,travel south through NV as far south as your friends live and have them meet you in a gun friendly state (such as NV or AZ) and go have some shooting fun!

Originally Posted by deen_ad

We're headed through CA in March on the way to Phoenix, will be stopping for a couple days in Modesto. Guess I better leave my Judge at home!! Normally I just make one overnight stop on the way to AZ, but this time we'll be visiting friends so "safe travel" laws won't apply.

I usually take A Win 1300 18½" barrel shotgun and a KT SU-16C, but I think the KT is banned because it can be fired when the stock is folded.

CA has 30" overall length limit for centerfire (federal is 26"). They don't care if something can be fired with stock folded, as long as there is sufficient length.

Originally Posted by wayoutwest

This is close but wont cut it, the lower, being the licensed part still has the capacity to accept a detachable mag even though its separated from the upper and is illegal, it would have to have their "bullet button" or have the 10rd mag locked in place, requiring a tool to remove it.

And the high cap mag ban went into effect 1/2000

That is not correct. In short, since the ban is for a set of features of a centerfire rifle, such as centerfire rifle with a pistol grip and detachable magazine, and a rifle lower without upper is not a centerfire rifle, so it doesn't matter what it accepts and what it does not.

Originally Posted by bkb0000

Dunno about you guys, but if I think i'm getting a ticket, my answer to "what's in the case?" is going to be a firm, confident, "none of your muh'bubblegumin business, dawg."

But that's just me... I've been known to get myself into bubblegumty situations with cops that didn't need to be so bubblegumty. You could always use the more civil, "I'll exercise my right to decline to answer any further questions," and give a nice, bright smile.

Seen one interesting post by a former LEO once.

My guess is, had the OP been a little more cooperative in the first encounter, the second one would have never happened.

He showed them, he knows his rights. They showed him, they know the laws concerning the parks. FYI, most cities and counties have ordinances against being in parks after hours. LA County it is 10 PM to 6 AM.

This encounter is what is known as the CSLFA Theory. "Chicken S--- Laws For A--holes Theory". If someone is an A---hole, there no law too CS for him.

I've had people cop an attitude with me that I've reached into the depths of knowledge to find something to cite them for. Had they shown the smallest amount of common courtesy, they would have been on their way with a simple "have a nice day"

Calguns.net - View Single Post - Misdemeanor, Probation, and the RTKABA

Originally Posted by deen_ad

Hmm... weird laws, but it is CA!

OK, how about my 7rd Win 1300 Coastal Defense shotgun loaded with 12+1 Aguila ½ size shot or slug shells? The tube is stock and holds 7 rds of 2¾" shells or 6 3" but will take 12 of the Aguila. Where does that fit in? Also, I have a folding stock with pistol grip on it, same question I guess. I do have the original non folding, non handgrip stock. Maybe I should just bring one of my other 1300's with slug barrel, standard stock and standard shotgun shells and leave the "tricked out" one at home!!

For non-semiauto shotguns length would be the only concern. Barrel should be at least 18" and overall length at least 26".

Originally Posted by orygun

Traveling to Kalifornia, what would you do?

One interesting detail in that thread. Somebody first mentioned that it is a misdemeanor to carry in California without a license,
and then somebody else pointed out it's a felony. The thing is it's a misdemeanor if the gun is registered to the person carrying it.
For unregistered gun, which in itself is not a crime, it would be a felony.

There doesn't seem to be a way to register a firearm without a CA ID. This is the form :
http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/volreg.pdf

goto
Calguns.net - Powered by vBulletin

look for "Flowcharts & OLL Assembly Guide"

everything you need to know, there is a flow chart for each gun type

Originally Posted by Garg

LMAO bkb. Whats behind door number 3???

Me, taking a number 2.