Transporting Handgun as a state visitor

[IowaJack]

My wife and I will be visiting Northern CA next week to see the Redwoods. We are driving and my Iowa / UT / AZ Permit to Carry will be valid in most of the states we are going through but obviously not CA. Can I legally transport my handgun in CA as a visitor and how?

I have a biometric locking single gun metal case in the rear cab of my pickup

Does the mag need to be unloaded ?

Can the mag and ammo be in the case as long as the mag isn't inserted and no round is chambered ?

Can the mag be over ten rounds?

Can I have the gun loaded at my campsite?

Do the USDA inspection stations coming into the state ask about firearms or do I have to disclose?

Anything else I need to beware of ?

I understand these are a lot of questions, but the more I read and search the more it seems kinda ambiguous especially concerning CA citizens vs. visitors. Thank you for the help

Steve -Founder of the Iowa Firearms Coalition.

[Click Boom]

It needs to be locked (not in a glovebox). Trunk counts, though. Nearly anything that locks is ok. No chambered rounds, no loaded mag in gun, but they do not need to be seperate. You do not need to declare at agricultural inspection stations near the border, they'll likely just ask if you're bringing in ag stuff if your plates are further away. Campsite regs depend a little, generally you can but there are exceptions and there are some threads around covering that.

[tanks]

My wife and I will be visiting Northern CA next week to see the Redwoods. We are driving and my Iowa / UT / AZ Permit to Carry will be valid in most of the states we are going through but obviously not CA. Can I legally transport my handgun in CA as a visitor and how?

I have a biometric locking single gun metal case in the rear cab of my pickup
That will work
Does the mag need to be unloaded ?
No.
Can the mag and ammo be in the case as long as the mag isn't inserted and no round is chambered ?
Yes, they can.
Can the mag be over ten rounds?
No.
Can I have the gun loaded at my campsite?
Depends on the camp site location.
Do the USDA inspection stations coming into the state ask about firearms or do I have to disclose?
No, and no
Anything else I need to beware of ?
Not really
I understand these are a lot of questions, but the more I read and search the more it seems kinda ambiguous especially concerning CA citizens vs. visitors. Thank you for the help
No difference in restrictions between CA citizens vs. visitors except maybe in regards to grandfathered standard magazines.
Steve -Founder of the Iowa Firearms Coalition.

Have a nice trip.

[IowaJack]

Great and thank you for the answers and info. Having to unload and lock it up at the Oregon border is going to be painful. I believe I can still carry a folding knife in CA though.

[anothergunnut]

What kind of pistol? A threaded barrel would not be legal. Could be other traps in CA as well.

[IowaJack]

Either a G19 or G43, neither have a threaded barrel. I have a ten round mag for the 19, but may just bring the 43 since it is smaller and lighter.

[Librarian]

See also the wiki articles on
Transportation -- https://web.archive.org/web/20151028...g/Transporting
and moving here/visiting -- https://web.archive.org/web/20151026..._with_firearms (the rules are the same, except visitors need not register anything)

[aghauler]

Either a G19 or G43, neither have a threaded barrel. I have a ten round mag for the 19, but may just bring the 43 since it is smaller and lighter.

Enjoy your trip and it seems you already know about the HiCap mag ban
Used to visit the Redwoods back in the 50's, 60's and 70's been needing a trip back there again. Back in those day all the little towns had sawmills, take a tour of the Redwood Mill at Scotia if they still offer it. First time we went a millworker guided through the mill right at ground level, a few years later it became self guided on a catwalk above where all the work is happening. Also first time we went you had to go to the mill office for a "tour ticket" which actually was a flat piece of redwood that had some mill history printed on it!