AR pistols do you carry DROS paperwork with you

[verdigris]

[Quiet]

When I moved to California coming on two years ago I had to leave my NFA items behind with my son along with some AR pistols. When having NFA items I kept a copy of my tax stamp to prove it was a legal SBR or silencer. Sometimes you would asked to prove legal ownership at the range. Those that have AR pistols here do you keep paperwork with you in case you’re question on it’s legality?

I thought about having my son intrafamily my pistol lower to me. Does a complete lower need to have mag lock already installed or would it be best to trust a stripped lower? California AR laws are complex and totally don’t understand pistols. I know I couldn’t bring my threaded .22 rimfire pistols with me because you can’t have a threaded pistol but AR Pistols you can? I see folding or adjustable stocks on MP5 and MPX’s for sale which seems illegal as well. Am I missing something when it comes to legal AR pistols?

When the firearm is DROS'd, it's info is entered into AFS.
If a CA LEO runs your firearm in AFS, it will come up with how it was DROS'd.
So, there is no need to keep your DROS paperwork with your firearm.


To make things clean, the AR pistol should be fully functional with a fixed 10 round magazine.

If it gets shipped as a receiver, there is an issue with CA unsafe handgun laws that will restrict how the receiver can be legally made.
~If it gets DROS'd as "pistol, single-shot, receiver", then it can only be used to legally make a dimensionally compliant bolt-action or break-open single-shot pistol and it must be kept that way to remain CA legal.
~If it gets DROS'd as "pistol, bolt-action, receiver", then it can be used to make a bolt-action repeating pistol.
~If it gets DROS'd as "pistol, semi-auto, receiver", then it can be used to make a semi-auto pistol with a fixed 10 round magazine.

So, having it imported/transferred as a complete semi-auto pistol with a fixed 10 round magazine will avoid the complications on how it can be legally built in CA.


Under CA laws...

A shoulder stock attached on to a firearm with a less than 16" rifled barrel is a SBR.

Modifying a firearm, with a rifled barrel, so that your intent is to shoot it from your shoulder, will cause the firearm to be a "rifle". If that firearm has a less than 16" rifled barrel, then it will be considered a SBR.
^If you utilize an arm stablizing brace in this manner, than it can cause the firearm to be considered a SBR/SBS. If you utilize the arm stablizing brace as intended (strapped/braced along your forearm), then it would avoid this issue.

[verdigris]

Thank you very much for detailed explatation...I met to say adjustable braces for my explanations on the MP5 for example.

Since it's considered a pistol how does one get around having a theaded barrel on a psitol? is this because of it being maglocked? I don't know if it's even worth it having a AR pistol in Cali but thank you for taking the time to explain.

[Quiet]

Since it's considered a pistol how does one get around having a theaded barrel on a psitol? is this because of it being maglocked?

Threaded barrels are only restricted on:
1. semi-auto pistols that do not have a fixed magazine.
2. semi-auto firearms, that are not a pistol or a rifle, that do not have a fixed magazine.

If the semi-auto pistol has a fixed magazine, then it can legally have a threaded barrel.


Summary for threaded barrels in CA:
Threaded barrel not installed on a firearm = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a RAW = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a shotgun = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a rifle = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a revolver = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a break-open pistol = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a bolt-action pistol = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a lever-action pistol = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a pump-action pistol = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a semi-auto pistol that has a fixed magazine with a capacity of 10 or less rounds = CA legal
Threaded barrel installed on a semi-auto pistol that does not have a fixed magazine = CA illegal assault weapon. [PC 30515(a)(4)(A)]
Threaded barrel installed on a semi-auto firearm, that is not a pistol or rifle, that has a fixed magazine with a capacity of 10 or less rounds = CA legal.
Threaded barrel installed on a semi-auto firearm, that is not a pistol or rifle, that does not have a fixed magazine = CA illegal assault weapon. [PC 30515(a)(9)(G)]

In addition, various CA firearms lawyers have advised that it is prudent to not store or transport a threaded barrel with a semi-auto pistol that does not have a fixed magazine. This is due to past cases involving arrests & convictions for possessing a "broken" assault weapon and for "intent to make/possess" an assault weapon.

[edgerly779]

I have a couple I registered prior to deadline.