Possibly Moving - Questions

[koppertop]

Hi everyone,
There is a possibility that i will be moving to california in the short term future. I've been reading all of the laws and regs. It is alot to take in.....

I have searched and read the FAQs and as much of the laws and regs, on this as well as other sites, as i can handle and still have some questions. Maybe i'm just looking for reassurance but please bear with me, i have honestly searched and read....

As far as i understand I can not bring any mags with a capacity greater than 10 rounds with me to CA? Are there any exemptions for mags manufactured before the whole mess came into law? (i have some sig mags from the early 1990's, not sure how i could prove that). If i understand it correctly I also can't purchase any high capacity (i hate that term) mags once i move to CA? In reading the laws it sounds like i would have had to be living in CA back in 2000 with my mags then....and now i'm SOL for bringing them in or obtaining them there?

Also, i have several guns (hand and long) at my folks house in PA. I currently live in NV. Is it essential that i get the guns before i move so that i can "import" them with me (which it sounds like i can do even if they aren't on the list). Or is it possible to transfer them to myself once i'm "in". Would the fees be less if i brought them with me vs. transfering them in? Also....say down the road my dad wants to transfer a handgun to me that isn't on the list....from what i understand that is possible (although i'm beginning to doubt anything).

Also, this microstamping thing is bothering the hell out of me. I'm still relatively young and poor, i've by no means purchased all of the guns i'd ever like to own. Come 2010 will i be limited to guns that have this absurd technology? Or are guns already on the list exempt from the microstamp? I'd love a nice sp101 in 357 for camping and a side arm while bowhunting but can't afford it at the moment.....if i can afford it in 2012 is it going to stamp casings and monitor my F'in whereabouts?

I'm sorry for all the questions. I love the state of CA (not the politics) the sierras, the ocean, the high deserts, great rock climbing, hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, etc. But i must say the gun laws really worry me. Am i F'd?

Thanks so much
KT

[ke6guj]

Hi everyone,
There is a possibility that i will be moving to california in the short term future. I've been reading all of the laws and regs. It is alot to take in.....

I have searched and read the FAQs and as much of the laws and regs, on this as well as other sites, as i can handle and still have some questions. Maybe i'm just looking for reassurance but please bear with me, i have honestly searched and read....

As far as i understand I can not bring any mags with a capacity greater than 10 rounds with me to CA? Are there any exemptions for mags manufactured before the whole mess came into law? (i have some sig mags from the early 1990's, not sure how i could prove that). If i understand it correctly I also can't purchase any high capacity (i hate that term) mags once i move to CA? In reading the laws it sounds like i would have had to be living in CA back in 2000 with my mags then....and now i'm SOL for bringing them in or obtaining them there?

Correct, unless you personally had them in CA before 2000, you can't import them assembled.

Also, i have several guns (hand and long) at my folks house in PA. I currently live in NV. Is it essential that i get the guns before i move so that i can "import" them with me (which it sounds like i can do even if they aren't on the list). Or is it possible to transfer them to myself once i'm "in". Would the fees be less if i brought them with me vs. transfering them in? Also....say down the road my dad wants to transfer a handgun to me that isn't on the list....from what i understand that is possible (although i'm beginning to doubt anything).

If they belong to you, you can bring them in whenever your want. They are yours, just stored at your parents how. For rifles, there is no fee at all. They must be in a CA-legal configuration to be able to be brought in. For handguns, you need to register them iwth a form you fill out and send to CADOJ within 60? days of when you actually import them. Cost $19 per handgun.

Yes, your dad can transfer you non-rostered handguns, that are otherwise CA-legal (no pistol AWs or Taurus Judges), using the intra-family exemption, but it must go through a CA FFL. Will probably cost you $50-100 to get it transfered to you, but you do have an advantage over most CA residents in that you can actually have non-rostered handguns transfered in to you.

Also, this microstamping thing is bothering the hell out of me. I'm still relatively young and poor, i've by no means purchased all of the guns i'd ever like to own. Come 2010 will i be limited to guns that have this absurd technology? Or are guns already on the list exempt from the microstamp? I'd love a nice sp101 in 357 for camping and a side arm while bowhunting but can't afford it at the moment.....if i can afford it in 2012 is it going to stamp casings and monitor my F'in whereabouts?

Guns already on the list are exempt as long as they stay on the roster. But, there is language in the law that will prevent the microstamping requirement from going into effect for years, if at all.

[Librarian]

As far as i understand I can not bring any mags with a capacity greater than 10 rounds with me to CA? Are there any exemptions for mags manufactured before the whole mess came into law? (i have some sig mags from the early 1990's, not sure how i could prove that). If i understand it correctly I also can't purchase any high capacity (i hate that term) mags once i move to CA? In reading the laws it sounds like i would have had to be living in CA back in 2000 with my mags then....and now i'm SOL for bringing them in or obtaining them there?

Also, i have several guns (hand and long) at my folks house in PA. I currently live in NV. Is it essential that i get the guns before i move so that i can "import" them with me (which it sounds like i can do even if they aren't on the list). Or is it possible to transfer them to myself once i'm "in". Would the fees be less if i brought them with me vs. transfering them in? Also....say down the road my dad wants to transfer a handgun to me that isn't on the list....from what i understand that is possible (although i'm beginning to doubt anything).

Also, this microstamping thing is bothering the hell out of me. I'm still relatively young and poor, i've by no means purchased all of the guns i'd ever like to own. Come 2010 will i be limited to guns that have this absurd technology? Or are guns already on the list exempt from the microstamp? I'd love a nice sp101 in 357 for camping and a side arm while bowhunting but can't afford it at the moment.....if i can afford it in 2012 is it going to stamp casings and monitor my F'in whereabouts?

I'm sorry for all the questions. I love the state of CA (not the politics) the sierras, the ocean, the high deserts, great rock climbing, hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, etc. But i must say the gun laws really worry me. Am i F'd?

Thanks so much
KT

In the simplest approach, NO, you cannot bring any 10+ mags in; you had to own them, in CA, before the 2000 law effective date.

So long as you already own the guns, you can bring them in and register them within 6 months 60 days of bringing them to CA.

Your father can give you off-roster handguns; you don't say where he is, but if it's interstate, it has to go through a CA FFL.

No, the Roster requirements apply only to getting a handgun on the Roster, and thereafter being eligible for CA FFLs to sell to the general public. Handguns you own now, and handguns already on the Roster do not have to meet any other requirements.

And microstamping, if it ever applies anywhere, will not apply to revolvers.

[rdmax]

I just moved to CA and can provide some answers. You have 60 days to register all the hand guns you own, once they arrive in CA. I just read a post that allowed someone who had been a CA resident for two years. Left his firearms with his parents before he moved to CA. One day he, decided to bring his fire arms back from his previous home state. He was allowed to register them. It can be hi caps like STI and non approved pistols for CA. When registering the pistol, it does ask date acquired and how you acquired it, like guns shop/another person. It costs $19 per pistol. Rifles and shot guns are exempt from registration. I cannot answer your question on high caps. It is too confusing for me. Same with assault weapons.

[koppertop]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It is bad but i guess it could be much worse.

I guess that brings up a couple (shorter) follow up questions.

Someone mentioned "assembled" in reference to the high capacity magazines. Could i have the mags in state if they were in pieces disassembled? If i ever moved i would still have the mags and could reassemble. Or is my best bet to sell them or stick them in a safe deposit box out of state? I hate the thought of sticking a 10 round mag in a beautiful sig.

So everyone thinks the microstamping won't happen for awhile? I realize it wouldn't have much affect on a revolver but was just using that as an example.

Thanks
KT

[ke6guj]

you could import them unassembled as parts, but can never assemble them as 11+ round mags while in CA.

The wording of the microstamping law requires the technology used to be unencumbered by any patents. The technology use has many patents on it. So, the feeling is that the law can't go into effect until the patents expire, many years from now.