At 19 years old I finally legally own a handgun in CA

[SocalShooterX]

How I did it?

In case it hasn't been said to death...


I did an intrafamiliar transfer from my father to myself.

I found the thread on calguns with all the information and there's a one page DOJ paper you have to fill it with all the details. It's really easy, write them a $19 check and mail it in, wait about 3ish months. and a paper will show up saying that your background check has cleared and the handgun is legally in your name!

The hardest part hands down is getting our hsc.

which there is no place on the actual form to put, but per the law you need to have an HSC to own a handgun. The hard part was finding a damn gun store to give me an hsc. Turners wouldn't do it, gun world wouldn't do it, after a lot of back and forth and sending the links over the nice young guys at guns direct (major props) let me take my test passing %100 I walked out with my HSC.
recently in the mail i received my paper alerting me that the transfer was complete.

So it's not just some theoretic loophole. I've done it and it does work.

you have to be 21 to buy handgun ammo. which puts you in another weird problem. but I'm sure ya'll bright youth can figure it out


Hope you over 18 under 21 guys like me get inspired to get your own handgun!

[ke6guj]

good for you.

pops is also a CA resident?

[G1500]

Glad to hear it works.

It is strange it was so hard for you to get a HSC. I don't recall an age limit to taking a test.

[SocalShooterX]

Yep, still live at home with the folks in Socal.

@g1500, you have to be 18 to get an HSC. but most gun shops think because you can't buy a handgun at 21 then you can't get an HSC, or there would be no point.

it's a weird system.

but play by the rules and occasionally you win one.

[FNH5-7]

Nice.

I got my first handgun at age 19 as well.

We are among the lucky ones.

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by Colt-45

Nice.

I got my first handgun at age 19 as well.

We are among the lucky ones.

very much so!

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by SocalShooterX

Yep, still live at home with the folks in Socal.

good. just making sure that the intrafamily form was being used properly, and not as a way to do an interstate transfer.

@g1500, you have to be 18 to get an HSC. but most gun shops think because you can't buy a handgun at 21 then you can't get an HSC, or there would be no point.

it's a weird system.

but play by the rules and occasionally you win one.

yup. And even CADOJ in the past has not realized that an 18-20 year-old can get an HSC. SEems that an 18-20 year-old CG'er did what you did and CADOJ called him up and told him that since he didn't have an HSC that they couldn't process the form. The CG'er had his HSC and CADOJ assumed that he didn't have one, that you had to be 21 to get one.

[pepsi2451]

Congrats, So what did you get? I also got my first handgun at 19.

Originally Posted by ke6guj

yup. And even CADOJ in the past has not realized that an 18-20 year-old can get an HSC. SEems that an 18-20 year-old CG'er did what you did and CADOJ called him up and told him that since he didn't have an HSC that they couldn't process the form. The CG'er had his HSC and CADOJ assumed that he didn't have one, that you had to be 21 to get one.

The DOJ was actually helpful when I called and asked about it. He actually reminded me that I needed a HSC. That was about 6 years ago though.

[SocalShooterX]

I got a glock 17, I've "had" it for a couple years and been shooting it for a while.

[Bigbird19]

did you have to get your HSC before you submitted the DOJ registration?

[drifter001]

Very nice. Congrats!

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by Bigbird19

did you have to get your HSC before you submitted the DOJ registration?

By law you have to, but there's no where on the paper that requires your hsc number and i've never had to use it or even get it out since I got it.

[Joe]

I did the same thing to acquire my glock 19 when I was 19.

[luckystrike]

Awesome, I remember going into the gunstore the day I graduated HS with a parent. 10 days later we picked it up and were going to send in the intrafamily paperwork when the guy at ontarget range said "no there is no way he can have a handgun at 18, you both will be committing a felony if you try that". I LOLed 3 weeks later when I got the letter in the mail from doj saying it now belongs to me...silly ontarget and their FUD

[foxtrotuniformlima]

A big thumbs up !

[PandaLuv]

dude, you just rubbed it into younger guys' faces

Congrats bro. Wish I got mine when I was 19, at the same time though, I wasn't mature enough. so kinda glad I got my first one at 21.

[Cali-Shooter]

[thefinger]

Great!

You know, technically the gun is legally yours as soon as he gives it to you. The intra-familial transfer form is just a declaration to the government of that transfer.

[caoboy]

NICE! Does this mean I can transfer a gun to my brother? Or does it have to be Father-Son?

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by caoboy

NICE! Does this mean I can transfer a gun to my brother? Or does it have to be Father-Son?

the dealerless intrafamily transfer exemption only applies up-down the family tree, not sideways or diaganal. grandparent, parent, child, grandchild only. No siblings, uncles, cousins.

[G1500]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

the dealerless intrafamily transfer exemption only applies up-down the family tree, not sideways or diaganal. grandparent, parent, child, grandchild only. No siblings, uncles, cousins.

Correct, but you can buy a firearm, give it to your dad, and your dad can give it to your brother. Or you can give it to your dad, dad gives it to grandpa, grandpa gives it to his other son (your uncle) and he gives it to his son (your cousin).

Is this not correct? It seems like a lot of work and a pain in the *** if you ask me.

[SGGear]

Congratz on your first handgun. Many more to come. Cheers!

[caoboy]

Nice. My friends didn't believe this was possible. I knew the father to son worked but didn't know you could do it at 18.

[JayTee_IsMe]

Firestar when I was 18/19, S&W Sigma when I was 19 and Glock 23 when I was 20. =] Lots of "gifts" lol from my old man. and about 5 or 6 rifles in between all that. AR15, Marlin .22, Savage .22, Mosin Nagant, .22 Ar15 ahh. all these guns before 21 lol. Now I sold or traded all of em except my Glock and two rifles. Congrats! I had one hell of an argument with this guy at the range who wouldn't let me shoot.

"I don't know what state you may have got your gun in but here in CA you have to be 21 to own, posses and shoot"

"I got my gun in Ca, I and born and raised in CA."

"Yeah, the kids right" Guy behind me chimes in

"Well, Ive never heard of that law, your gonna have to come back and talk to the owner about that one."

Lol to them... Even though they are a hell of a good range!

[AK4me]

Congrats, One day Ill transfer a pistol to my son.

[2Bear]

At 19 years old I finally legally own a handgun in CA

Nice. But just how many have you owned illegally?

[CAL.BAR]

Yep another one of those "back in the days" stories. . . but my parents gave me my first handgun at 12. (.357 magnum 8 1/3 in barrel) even had it loaded in a soft case next to my bed (at 12!) Yep... those were the days. Also before HSC and all the other stuff. But 19 is good too!@ Especially these days.

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by 2Bear

Nice. But just how many have you owned illegally?

umm...yeah...about that......umm.....

who let this guy in here?

[God Bless The Mauser]

Congrats! I got my HSC at 19 but the gunshop almost wouldn't let me take it but I finally convinced him.

[stockranger]

That is an odd loophole. Never heard of it. Luckily your average gang banger won't know about it.

The 21 years old for a handgun law makes sense to me. It is alot more responsibility then drinking or gambling.

Enjoy your weapon and set an example of safe gun handling so they don't close this loop hole for other responsible young adults!

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by stockranger

That is an odd loophole. Never heard of it. Luckily your average gang banger won't know about it.

The 21 years old for a handgun law makes sense to me. It is alot more responsibility then drinking or gambling.

Enjoy your weapon and set an example of safe gun handling so they don't close this loop hole for other responsible young adults!

Yea, but i'm sure under 21 bangers have no problems getting handguns.
I completely agree with you on the responsibility, I think people should be able to demonstrate responsibility and get it at any age. I've been shooting since I was a wee little boy with a BB gun, I wore the little shooting glasses that came with it from sport chalet, and since then moving up to .22 to 12 guage and 5.56 and 7.62, it's all about responsibility and differen't people achieve it at different points.

[mtsul]

Originally Posted by stockranger

That is an odd loophole. Never heard of it. Luckily your average gang banger won't know about it.

The 21 years old for a handgun law makes sense to me. It is alot more responsibility then drinking or gambling.

Enjoy your weapon and set an example of safe gun handling so they don't close this loop hole for other responsible young adults!

when i was 10 i had a loaded gun in a case next to my bed, still do now the whole 21 thing to own a handgun is crap I can go to war at 18 then you better believe my mom dad grandpa can give me a handgun at 18 and its not really a loop hole is it? and to the OP good job I did it too at 18

[mossy]

i got my first handgun when i was 18. it was the best birthday ever.

[t42beal13t]

Congrats! Enjoy your new weapon!

[abuckner]

Questions inbound!

1. So I CAN legally own a handgun even though I'm only 18? Or do I have to be 19?
2. My dad would have to buy it? Can it be from a friend of the family?
3. How do I get the DOJ paper?
4. I got my HSC at 16 or 17, I think, but I lost it. (Might have accidentally thrown it away with a used target) How do I go about getting replacement?

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by abuckner

Questions inbound!

1. So I CAN legally own a handgun even though I'm only 18? Or do I have to be 19?
2. My dad would have to buy it? Can it be from a friend of the family?
3. How do I get the DOJ paper?
4. I got my HSC at 16 or 17, I think, but I lost it. (Might have accidentally thrown it away with a used target) How do I go about getting replacement?

What a question attack!

Haha, but
1) you have to be 18
2) dad would have to by it. Must be your father or grandfather. Only up and down the family tree, no brothers cousins or friends.
3)just google intrafamikiar transfer, the paperwork is all over the web and on dojs website.
4) I got mine because it's the law, but I have yet to ever use it or present it or anything.

[abuckner]

Originally Posted by SocalShooterX

What a question attack!

Haha, but
1) you have to be 18
2) dad would have to by it. Must be your father or grandfather. Only up and down the family tree, no brothers cousins or friends.
3)just google intrafamikiar transfer, the paperwork is all over the web and on dojs website.
4) I got mine because it's the law, but I have yet to ever use it or present it or anything.

This also may sound stupid, but the HSC is the Handgun Safety Certificate that you get after a safety class, or is is the actual license?

[SocalShooterX]

Originally Posted by abuckner

This also may sound stupid, but the HSC is the Handgun Safety Certificate that you get after a safety class, or is is the actual license?

It's both. You take a 25 question test and you get the little card that says you passed.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by abuckner

Questions inbound!
4. I got my HSC at 16 or 17, I think, but I lost it. (Might have accidentally thrown it away with a used target) How do I go about getting replacement?

how did you get your HSC at 16 or 17?

12803. (a) No certified instructor may issue a handgun safety certificate to any person who has not complied with this article. Proof of compliance shall be forwarded to the department by certified instructors as frequently as the department may determine.
(b) No certified instructor may issue a handgun safety certificate to any person who is under 18 years of age.
(c) A violation of this section shall be grounds for the department to revoke the instructor's certification to issue handgun safety certificates.

[safewaysecurity]

I'm 19 and should be getting my own soon.