Is It True............

[GMG]

If a person bought a handgun In CA. from a dealer prior to 1990, that it isn't on the CA. DOJ register?


That's what someone told me!

[Spanky8601]

Yep it is true.

[Lead Waster]

It doesn’t matter at all either unless you want to ship it within CA to sell it (??). But face to face you can sell it and the buyer can buy it.

[BarrettM99]

Just don’t get any bright ideas...

[jrara]

Lets build a time machine and go back in time and bring some Off Roster pistols into the state!

[RickD427]

If a person bought a handgun In CA. from a dealer prior to 1990, that it isn't on the CA. DOJ register?


That's what someone told me!

Nope. It's not true.

Dealer records go back to 1924.

I've got several handguns that I purchased in the mid-70s that show up in AFS.

[Tri750]

A Ruger 10/22 I bought when i was 18 in 1976 at Big 5 with my two first paychecks is on "the record"

[BarrettM99]

A Ruger 10/22 I bought when i was 18 in 1976 at Big 5 with my two first paychecks is on "the record"

[GW]

No but before 1990, you could do a private party sale without needing an ffl. My buddy bought his .357 in the parking lot of the Cow Palace.

[Quiet]

Nope. It's not true.

Dealer records go back to 1924.

I've got several handguns that I purchased in the mid-70s that show up in AFS.

What he said.


CA handgun registration started in 1924.

Since the registration system is a historical database that tracks the life of a firearm, starting in 1996, CA DOJ has been entering old paper records into AFS with the goal of entering all records dating back to 1924.

[Librarian]

I thought that before the law changed a few years ago, long guns were only DROS’ed as long guns and then any records were removed after 30 days.

That was pre-2014.

Up until 1990, DROS was only for handguns; in 1990, DROS began to cover long guns, as you describe, and in 2014 DROS began to collect the same info as for handguns.

How a Ruger 10/22 transferred most recently (one presumes) in 1976 wound up in AFS I cannot guess.

[jeffrice6]

Nope. It's not true.

Dealer records go back to 1924.

I've got several handguns that I purchased in the mid-70s that show up in AFS.

How bout long guns and the recent recordings?

[gunsandrockets]

IIRC, back when Commiefornia first expanded the DROS from handguns to all firearms there was still an exemption for C&R firearms. But with typical incompetence the anti-gunners created an unintended loophole, since in their effort to go after all long-guns they missed that their new law exempted some C&R handguns that previously required DROS. And this boo boo overlapped with a time when a flood of C&R handguns of all types from all over the world were flooding into the market.

Oops!

[splithoof]

As Rick D. has pointed out, some records go way, way back. Some do not; some guns had no serial numbers assigned when manufactured. However, it is prudent to assume for the sake of purchasing used firearms that somewhere, in some form, that firearm likely has some piece of paper attached to it. Weather the "trail" goes cold due to a private party sale, gift, finding, taking, or whathave you, one has to be very cautious about such issues when buying or selling here in California.
I remember back in the day of the Recycler classifieds, and for many purchases it was legal to meet in the parking lot of your favorite place, inspect, pay cash, and then drive away. Sadly, those days are long gone here in Cali. Unless you personally know an individual very well, it is safe and prudent to see any buyer/seller as a government agent on a mission.

[kurac]

The dealer had to keep a record before 1990, but starting in 1990 no private party transfers without going through a dealer. I believe the federal firearms act of 1968 required dealers nationwide to keep records of handgun purchases