San Francisco Handgun Laws

[natasha69]

I know SF passed a law prohibiting handgun possession and ownership a while back by its citizens. But it was overturned.

This Saturday I plan on going shooting with some friends in the evening, but my wife is dropping me off early in the city.

Is it legal for me to have a pistol in my backpack, locked in a bag and unloaded, walking around SF? Usually I just go from my house to the range and back in my car. Or is this just asking for trouble?

[CSACANNONEER]

Perfectly legal and you are asking for trouble. Just because it's legal doesn't mean you can't be detained/arrested for it.

[natasha69]

Perfectly legal and you are asking for trouble. Just because it's legal doesn't mean you can't be detained/arrested for it.


Thanks, your answer confirms my gut feeling.

[burl broderick]

.

Oh... Living life is "asking for trouble".

But be really careful, SFPD officers have X-Ray Vision !!!

This isn't legal advice but don't worry about it.
Don't cause a ruckus or leave your backpack somewhere and you'll be fine.
Shooting at Jackson Arms ?

[tba02]

Perfectly legal and you are asking for trouble. Just because it's legal doesn't mean you can't be detained/arrested for it.

A tad overblown I'd say. I've never had any issues when legally, safely, and inconspicuosly going 'to' or 'from' the range.

[MP301]

A tad overblown I'd say. I've never had any issues when legally, safely, and inconspicuosly going 'to' or 'from' the range.

Then your luckier then a lot of folks apparently. SFPD, if they find a gun, will proceed to teach you a lesson in rights violations and arrest and will likely get away with it.... Pretty Draconian folks they are!

[tba02]

Then your luckier then a lot of folks apparently. SFPD, if they find a gun, will proceed to teach you a lesson in rights violations and arrest and will likely get away with it.... Pretty Draconian folks they are!

I *do not* discount the fact the SFPD are skewed w/ regard to RKBA. More to the point was the fact that 60% of those casually walking the streets of SF have a back pack or similar. As long as you don't bring undue attention to yourself, are using a backpack (as stated), are diligent about not printing and are otherwise legal, you stand a pretty fair chance of carrying on about your day. That doesn't mean that something out of your control may not happen (ask the guy who had a drunk driver plow through his house recently and expose his pot growing operation). So yes, one may say there is a risk and that something unpleasant may take place, but then I could equate that same principal to my daily motorcycle commute. So yes (again), if a handgun was found on a person in SF, it may be more problematic than say Rocklin, but it's not as though they search every pedestrian on the streets.

[cousinkix1953]

Proposition H never applied to visitors who were passing through town with their handguns. If you live there; you were screwed. The only laws that apply to you are those state and federal gun laws. Even a CCW permit issued by another county is legal in Frisco...

[JDay]

Even a CCW permit issued by another county is legal in Frisco...

And the SFPD doesn't care if you have a CCW.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Then your luckier then a lot of folks apparently. SFPD, if they find a gun, will proceed to teach you a lesson in rights violations and arrest and will likely get away with it.... Pretty Draconian folks they are!Anecdotal evidence is... anecdotal. I have a CCW issued by a different county and I work and carry every day in the city. No worries at all. Once the line officers know who you are, they *know* who you are.

And the SFPD doesn't care if you have a CCW. See previous answer.

I've been hearing this BS about SFPD and CCWs for years, and I'll repeat my standing question - show me the facts. No one has ever be able to point me to any factual evidence that SFPD has policy of harrasment to lawful CCW holders. Not a single FACT in over 15 years of hearing this nonsense and asking the same question. Don't give me stories that your CCW instructor told you or some absurd story your brother in law who's a cop from some other municipality told you I want to see facts.

I've yet to be impressed.

Hey man, if you hate the city, that's fine, every body has their private, secret predjudices and fears. But don't make stuff up.
Be a man about your prejudices and own up to them.

[oops]

:rant:

[trashman]

Hey man, if you hate the city, that's fine, every body has their private, secret predjudices and fears. But don't make stuff up.
Be a man about your prejudices and own up to them.

Well said, Chris.

The reason we (as gunnies) are "in the right" on issues relating to RKBA is that empiricism, and repeatable, defendable intellectual arguments are our tools --- and the anti-gunnies are the ones running around propogating emotionally-stimulating non-truths.

So it really does a disservice to us all to repeat some of this stuff without facts to back it up.

--Neill

[2nd Amender]

I read that the CA supreme court overturned prop H due to a lawsuit by the NRA. I've been assuming it's OK now.

My friend invited me to the range to shoot his guns, but he said I need to get my own ammo. I went to the gun shop & they were sold out of ALL 9mm & 45 cal rounds. No surprise there.

I got frustrated & decided to buy on line. I filled out my order & credit card info, then I got a message "Can't ship to San Francisco". I looked it up on the web & the law is still there:

http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=14140&sid=5

WTF?

[Whiskey_Sauer]

And the SFPD doesn't care if you have a CCW.

What makes you say that?

[Whiskey_Sauer]

I've been hearing this BS about SFPD and CCWs for years, and I'll repeat my standing question - show me the facts. No one has ever be able to point me to any factual evidence that SFPD has policy of harrasment to lawful CCW holders. Not a single FACT in over 15 years of hearing this nonsense and asking the same question. Don't give me stories that your CCW instructor told you or some absurd story your brother in law who's a cop from some other municipality told you I want to see facts.

I've yet to be impressed.

Hey man, if you hate the city, that's fine, every body has their private, secret predjudices and fears. But don't make stuff up.
Be a man about your prejudices and own up to them.

Just saw your response to the above, and I agree.

From my experience, SFPD will honor CCWs. I've never heard of a case to the contrary.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I read that the CA supreme court overturned prop H due to a lawsuit by the NRA. I've been assuming it's OK now.

My friend invited me to the range to shoot his guns, but he said I need to get my own ammo. I went to the gun shop & they were sold out of ALL 9mm & 45 cal rounds. No surprise there.

I got frustrated & decided to buy on line. I filled out my order & credit card info, then I got a message "Can't ship to San Francisco". I looked it up on the web & the law is still there:

http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=14140&sid=5

WTF?

The law that stops many ammo vendors from shipping ammo to San Francisco is separate from Prop H and predates it by many years. We talked about it in this thread...

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=57156

The actual text of the offending municipal code is in post #14. Many out of town vendors feel that law applies to them, while a few believe it only applies to vendors that are actually located in San Francisco.

[bluthandwerk]

The law that stops many ammo vendors from shipping ammo to San Francisco is separate from Prop H and predates it by many years. We talked about it in this thread...

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=57156

The actual text of the offending municipal code is in post #14. Many out of town vendors feel that law applies to them, while a few believe it only applies to vendors that are actually located in San Francisco.

It would make for an interesting legal case, for sure. Where is the actual transaction taking place? I'd argue it takes place on the server the CC processor is located on, which is very unlikely to be in SF.

In any case, there are a number of vendors who sell here, Cabelas, Wideners, Graf & Sons, and many others. It does suck that Midway won't sell here (though I'm much more irritated about the fact that they won't sell components than ammo), but you can still order ammo online from plenty of other places.

[2nd Amender]

The law that stops many ammo vendors from shipping ammo to San Francisco is separate from Prop H and predates it by many years. We talked about it in this thread...

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=57156

The actual text of the offending municipal code is in post #14. Many out of town vendors feel that law applies to them, while a few believe it only applies to vendors that are actually located in San Francisco.

Thanks, I found that after I posted too. What I can't figure out is why the handgun/ammo law doesn't show up as repealed or rescinded. If someone from out of state were to look it up, or a cop, or nosy neighbor they'd be more confused than me. It's probably just a web update problem.

It would be nice if the NRA lawyer would call & ask about it though.

[homerm14]

Then your luckier then a lot of folks apparently. SFPD, if they find a gun, will proceed to teach you a lesson in rights violations and arrest and will likely get away with it.... Pretty Draconian folks they are!

Ahh, Ok, and this has happened to you? I am interested to hear the situation.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I'd *love* to hear verifiable details as well.

[rivviepop]

In any case, there are a number of vendors who sell here, Cabelas, Wideners, Graf & Sons, and many others.

+1, I just received some from Cabelas and get it from Ammoman and AmmunitionToGo and none of them have batted an eyelash at shipping to me in SF. The UPS guys delivering likewise, they know it's ammo and don't care - it's legal. Find vendors who are SF friendly and spend your return dollars at their (web)store as a repeat customer.

[dfletcher]

I ordered from Weidners (or however it's spelled) with no problem. Grafs has always been good, Midway is terrible on ammo & components to SF.

[burl broderick]

I know SF passed a law prohibiting handgun possession and ownership a while back by its citizens. But it was overturned.

This Saturday I plan on going shooting with some friends in the evening, but my wife is dropping me off early in the city.

Is it legal for me to have a pistol in my backpack, locked in a bag and unloaded, walking around SF? Usually I just go from my house to the range and back in my car. Or is this just asking for trouble?


So... Natasha69, did you visit SF ? Did you bring your gun ?

Did SFPD hogtie you & drag you to the station for interrogations ?

Inquiring minds want to know. :)


.

[natasha69]

Visited SF. Transported handgun in a locked case in my backpack. Used discretion and common sense. No incident.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Did SFPD hogtie you & drag you to the station for interrogations ?

Ah, I remember my first Folsom Street Fair...*sigh*. Good times.

[paul0660]

The only way a cop should know you CCW is if you tell him, or if you have used it.

[burl broderick]

Ah, I remember my first Folsom Street Fair...*sigh*. Good times.

HA ! When I wrote that, it didn't even occur to me just how enticing
that might sound to some folks.

[natasha69]

HA ! When I wrote that, it didn't even occur to me just how enticing
that might sound to some folks.

dude, its san francisco. people pay $$$ to get hog tied. LOL

[chuckles48]

Then your luckier then a lot of folks apparently. SFPD, if they find a gun, will proceed to teach you a lesson in rights violations and arrest and will likely get away with it.... Pretty Draconian folks they are!

Not always. And I say that from experience.

[Whiskey_Sauer]

Not always. And I say that from experience.

Yes, if you review this thread, we've been asking for specific instances of SFPD refusing to honor valid CCWs. So far, nobody's been able to come up with a specific, verifiable example, so I think it qualifies as FUD.

[Lancear15]

Be a man about your prejudices and own up to them.

The ironic thing about tolerance is that you have to be tolerant of other people's intolerance. :thumbsup:

[tba02]

Visited SF. Transported handgun in a locked case in my backpack. Used discretion and common sense. No incident.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[chuckles48]

Yes, if you review this thread, we've been asking for specific instances of SFPD refusing to honor valid CCWs. So far, nobody's been able to come up with a specific, verifiable example, so I think it qualifies as FUD.

Actually, I was walking down IIRC 2nd St. by AT&T park with an open carry rifle and revolver.

Mind you, it was a Colt Navy .36 revolver, and a Springfield trapdoor, and I was 2 doors down from the posted antique weapons event I was headed to.;>

The SFPD sgt. who stopped me hadn't even seen the sign until I pointed it out to him. Was otherwise ok about things, and promised to call it in, so the other patrol cars had some idea of what was going on.

[rivviepop]

Actually, I was walking down IIRC 2nd St. by AT&T park with an open carry rifle and revolver.

Mind you, it was a Colt Navy .36 revolver, and a Springfield trapdoor, and I was 2 doors down from the posted antique weapons event I was headed to.;>


Huh, what event was this? I'm sitting not 2 blocks from the park with 2nd St. out my window, I don't recall there being an event around.... 'cause I sure would've played hookey to go to it!

[gcvt]

Huh, what event was this? I'm sitting not 2 blocks from the park with 2nd St. out my window, I don't recall there being an event around.... 'cause I sure would've played hookey to go to it!

Might have been a Greg Martin auction. Those take place on 3rd Street.

[chuckles48]

Might have been a Greg Martin auction. Those take place on 3rd Street.
Sounds about right. More of an eval event, kinda "Antiques Roadshow for guns" ish. And I might be wrong about it being on 2nd.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I *heart* the Greg Martin Auctions... they're like burlesque for gun collectors.

[gcvt]

I *heart* the Greg Martin Auctions... they're like burlesque for gun collectors.

No kidding! I've spent many many hours just looking at the website - they have some truly incredible gun porn :drool5: