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I was thinking of a trip to the Russian River area of northern California, and of course want to take some handguns. From a little research it seems like these are the basic rules:

1. You can take a handgun into the state, and travel through it, as long as it is in a locked box and unloaded.

2. It must not be a gun that is banned from the original 1994 federal assault weapons ban, so for pistols this basically means no magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

3. The CA legal BS doesn't apply (approved for CA sales etc..)

Anyone hear anything different? I have heard the Gestapo.. err. CHP can demand to inspect, and may seize for no real reason, forcing you to go to court to get it back. Is that real or imagined?

What about shooting in the woods around Russian River? Any problems there?
 
2. It must not be a gun that is banned from the original 1994 federal assault weapons ban, so for pistols this basically means no magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Technically if you visited California with the 11+ round magazine prior to 2000, you may return with it.
See CA Penal Code 12020(b)23.

Good reason to take that 100 round C-mag on any road trip, in case other states copy the CA law. :)

(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following:
(23) The importation of a large-capacity magazine by a person who lawfully possessed the large-capacity magazine in the state prior to January 1, 2000, lawfully took it out of the state, and is returning to the state with the large-capacity magazine previously lawfully possessed in the state.
 
I was thinking of a trip to the Russian River area of northern California, and of course want to take some handguns. From a little research it seems like these are the basic rules:

1. You can take a handgun into the state, and travel through it, as long as it is in a locked box and unloaded.

2. It must not be a gun that is banned from the original 1994 federal assault weapons ban, so for pistols this basically means no magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

3. The CA legal BS doesn't apply (approved for CA sales etc..)

Anyone hear anything different? I have heard the Gestapo.. err. CHP can demand to inspect, and may seize for no real reason, forcing you to go to court to get it back. Is that real or imagined?

What about shooting in the woods around Russian River? Any problems there?
Why not forgo the Russian river, and just visit the American river down there?
 
Jefferson is a beautiful state.... unfortunately it's occupied by some a-holes from sacramento.

Anyways, while hunting or fishing (with valid in-state licenses) you can open carry loaded handguns:

25640. Section 25400 does not apply to, or affect, licensed hunters
or fishermen carrying pistols, revolvers, or other firearms capable
of being concealed upon the person while engaged in hunting or
fishing, or transporting those firearms unloaded when going to or
returning from the hunting or fishing expedition.

Further, when transporting firearms otherwise, they must be unloaded and in a locked case (ammunition must be in a separate case, but does not need to be locked up)

As for pistols: it must not be on the assault weapons ban list (no threaded barrel, no "barrel shroud", no magazine outside the pistol grip)

The pistol may be capable of accepting a high cap magazine, but you may not bring them into the state with you. However, if you had the magazines in the state prior to the 2001 ban, you may still possess and use them (for me, I have a few ammo cans full of standard cap AR mags at my parents house that I use when I visit, I bought them back in the early 1990s)
 
Anyways, while hunting or fishing (with valid in-state licenses) you can open carry loaded handguns:

25640. Section 25400 does not apply to, or affect, licensed hunters
or fishermen carrying pistols, revolvers, or other firearms capable
of being concealed upon the person while engaged in hunting or
fishing, or transporting those firearms unloaded when going to or
returning from the hunting or fishing expedition.

Good to know. Remember Cali gun laws are intricate and have unclear interactions. For example, don't pass through any "sterile areas" with the unloaded, locked gun. A sterile area includes any area under the control of the public Transit Authority.

Oh, and when hunting, make sure you don't exhibit your gun in an "angry manner". Apparently that is a crime even if no victim is there to witness it (PC 417).

And in certain areas the possession of these are also prohibited:
  • taser or stun gun,
  • a BB or pellet gun,
  • an imitation firearm,
  • the frame or receiver of a firearm
  • paint gun, or
  • any ammunition
Here's a good roll up:
http://www.shouselaw.com/firearm-offenses.html
 

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