Have answer, thanks.

[GlockGuy]

Thanks folks.

[Librarian]

A friend ask me about this, and I don't know the answer. He has a favorite handgun (6 years old) that he wants to take in his car from California to Nevada to attend a gun training class by Pahrump. This handgun is not registered to him. A cop friend told him it was "clean" after he ran the SN.

What type of problems could he possibly run into possessing/transporting an unregistered handgun? Will he get grief at the training school for any reason?

Thanks folks.

Not necessarily anything, just transporting.

California did not require handgun transfers through dealers until 1990, nor registration of guns moved here until 1998. So, if the gun were sold in CA before 1990, or moved here before 1998, there is no reason CA would have any record of it, and that's not illegal.

[kennethg]

Like Librarian said.

The only problem unlicensed handguns create at his time is: If you are arrested for carrying a concealed handgun and it is not registered to you, it can be a felony versus a only misdemeanor if it is registered to you.

Make sure your friend transports it according to CA guidelines.

[heycorey]

For California:
Don't Speed or otherwise give a cop reason to pull him over (the long empty stretches near Barstow can be tempting ...).
If he ends up discussing the presence of a gun in the car, take along a copy of the school's curriculum/schedule for the class he's attending (can't hurt).
Transport the handgun in a locked container, in the trunk of his car.
If he takes ammo with him, keep it in a separate container (all mags empty - no mag in gun).
Not having hi-caps is a good idea.
Buy the ammo at the training facility, if possible, rather than transport a bunch of it.
Shoot up all the ammo before driving back to CA.
On returning to CA, ship the gun overnight to himself.

Elsewhere:
He wouldn't likely encounter any problems, as long as he's not ccw ...
The Training School won't ask and won't care where it's from, only that it's functionally safe.

[GlockGuy]

Thanks guys, good information. I'll send the info along to him.

[hawk1]

...On returning to CA, ship the gun overnight to himself...


If you suggest that he transport it with him going to the class then why would you suggest he ship it overnight back home? He can bring it back the same way he took it. Unloaded, locked in a container, in the trunk.

[Fjold]

A six year old handgun was made in 2002.

For him to legally have it for more than 30 days he would have had to transfer it through an FFL or via a "Report of Operation of Law or intra familial handgun transaction" form through the DOJ

[Pvt. Cowboy]

Oh, and on the Nevada side of the state line, none of this is an issue.

[heycorey]

If you suggest that he transport it with him going to the class then why would you suggest he ship it overnight back home? He can bring it back the same way he took it. Unloaded, locked in a container, in the trunk.

Overnight; because handguns are supposed to be shipped that way, if declared.

Drive Out = No California stateline inspection station; no real reason to think he'll be stopped or otherwise asked, "Anything in your car I should know about, sir?".

Drive In ... OP indicated that the handgun is not registered to his friend. He's posting on Calguns to see what kind of "trouble" he might run into; which belies his friend's general fear about having the gun in his car; which an inspection agent might pick up on and cause them to ask questions.

Is he likely to run into any problems, even if he does get stopped or questioned at the inspection station? Nope. But this guy's going to drop upwards of a $1k on travel/tuition/ammunition. Why not spend another $50 and alleviate any worries (warranted or not) on the ride home and just enjoy the marvelous feeling he'll have from breathing all those spent gunpowder fumes?

[bwiese]

I am not sure how a 6yo handgun was 'legally' acquired by the guy in CA - unless he (1) moved into CA with it and forgot register it, or inherited it and forgot to register it w/Op. Law form.

Heycorey's suggestion of mailing/shipping isn't too bright since that's likely to add more drama to the situation - shipping goes awry, UPS girl panics, etc.

If he really wants to 'clear title' to it he could PPT it to someone who then PPTs it back to him - or, if still on Roster, sell it to dealer who then sells it back to him.

DOJ seems to be glad to accept voluntary registration forms without much question (don't lie/commit document fraud) - and then it's papered.

[Spelunker]

Are you talking about that agricultural station that nobody gets stopped at. What a joke. If you are stopped then they ask "Do you have any fruit or veggies from out of state?" Your answer.. No, thank you move on. End of story.