Modifying "drop-tested" handgun in CA?

[MDub]

Hi all,
I was in a local store yesterday picking up a new rifle, and out of curiosity I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any Sig armorers in the region. When he asked what I was interested in doing, I explained I was looking to have the action cleaned up and maybe having the SRT installed on my 226. He responded that any modifications to the action of "drop tested" handguns in California was illegal, including sending the gun back to Sig and having their smiths do it. True or FUD?

[sigfan91]

Hi all,
I was in a local store yesterday picking up a new rifle, and out of curiosity I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any Sig armorers in the region. When he asked what I was interested in doing, I explained I was looking to have the action cleaned up and maybe having the SRT installed on my 226. He responded that any modifications to the action of "drop tested" handguns in California was illegal, including sending the gun back to Sig and having their smiths do it. True or FUD?

He's full of CRAP.

[Librarian]

Hi all,
I was in a local store yesterday picking up a new rifle, and out of curiosity I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any Sig armorers in the region. When he asked what I was interested in doing, I explained I was looking to have the action cleaned up and maybe having the SRT installed on my 226. He responded that any modifications to the action of "drop tested" handguns in California was illegal, including sending the gun back to Sig and having their smiths do it. True or FUD?

Untrue.

You can have a handgun worked on as you like, and so long as you don't manufacture a California 'assault weapon' or 'short barreled rifle' or other bad thing, it's legal.

If ever you sell it, either it will have to go through a PPT only, or it would have to be re-converted to its original Rostered state so a dealer might sell it to a non-exempt person.

[sigfan91]

Untrue.

You can have a handgun worked on as you like, and so long as you don't manufacture a California 'assault weapon' or 'short barreled rifle' or other bad thing, it's legal.

If ever you sell it, either it will have to go through a PPT only, or it would have to be re-converted to its original Rostered state so a dealer might sell it to a non-exempt person.

Are you sure? Modifying the action should not concern the roster at all. The roster only mentions make, model, importer, finish, caliber, and barrel length. It doesn't say anything about a plain P226 is ok but one with a shorter trigger reset is not ok.

[for2nato]

yea thats fud. you can modify the action of your guns as you see fit. so long as you dont manufacture an automatic weapon. and also keep in mind that in the even your gun does malfunction and goes full auto, you could find yourself explaining the situation to a judge. my advice is find a quality gunsmith and explain exactly what you want done. then pay him to do it. in most cases there are springs and linkages available to lighten the trigger on most guns. shortening the action isnt always an option, depending on the gun.

[NorCal Einstein]

MDub, where did you go so I know not to set foot there since I'm in your area. (Unless you tell me it's Reeds, and then I'm SOL)

[wu_dot_com]

Hi all,
I was in a local store yesterday picking up a new rifle, and out of curiosity I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any Sig armorers in the region. When he asked what I was interested in doing, I explained I was looking to have the action cleaned up and maybe having the SRT installed on my 226. He responded that any modifications to the action of "drop tested" handguns in California was illegal, including sending the gun back to Sig and having their smiths do it. True or FUD?

the clerk is a dumbass.. which store is it?

if you are going to mod it, just try not to use it for a SD situation.

[Robidouxs]

I think Reed's is no longer in business. The most probable shops he went to are Bay Area Gun Vault in Mountain View or U.S. Firearms CO in Sunnyvale.

[NorCal Einstein]

I think Reed's is no longer in business. The most probable shops he went to are Bay Area Gun Vault in Mountain View or U.S. Firearms CO in Sunnyvale.

Reeds is still in business as a shooting range and store. They moved locations awhile back to Duane Ave (near 101).

[Librarian]

Are you sure? Modifying the action should not concern the roster at all. The roster only mentions make, model, importer, finish, caliber, and barrel length. It doesn't say anything about a plain P226 is ok but one with a shorter trigger reset is not ok.

What the on-line Roster displays is not what is used to fully describe a handgun as added to the Roster. PC 12131.5 lists the things that are 'OK' to change and allow a handgun to be added as 'differing' slightly, if a manufacturer chooses, without testing, but also says

(4) Any other purely cosmetic feature that does not in any way alter
the dimensions, material, linkage, or functioning of the magazine
well, the barrel, the chamber, or any of the components of the
firing mechanism of the firearm.

The SRT seems to me to qualify as "any of the components of the firing mechanism of the firearm".

Which, of course, leads to the question "Why doesn't the Roster fully specify the features?"

Laziness; incompetence; recognition the whole idea is futile - take your pick.

[sigfan91]

What the on-line Roster displays is not what is used to fully describe a handgun as added to the Roster. PC 12131.5 lists the things that are 'OK' to change and allow a handgun to be added as 'differing' slightly, if a manufacturer chooses, without testing, but also says The SRT seems to me to qualify as "any of the components of the firing mechanism of the firearm".

Which, of course, leads to the question "Why doesn't the Roster fully specify the features?"

Laziness; incompetence; recognition the whole idea is futile - take your pick.

The roster never made any sense. These rules are written by people who don't know anything about guns other than they are evil. I think the words are just tossed in because they sound cool. People install lighter trigger for Glocks and SRT for Sigs all the time. This is the first time that I've heard it could be "illegal."

Does this mean technically a 1911 modified for competition is not legal to sell through a dealer?

[MDub]

MDub, where did you go so I know not to set foot there since I'm in your area. (Unless you tell me it's Reeds, and then I'm SOL)

It was at Sportsmen's Supply. Normally, I'm a patron of Reeds, but I did a PPT and that was the FFL closest to the seller.

[Librarian]

The roster never made any sense. These rules are written by people who don't know anything about guns other than they are evil. I think the words are just tossed in because they sound cool. People install lighter trigger for Glocks and SRT for Sigs all the time. This is the first time that I've heard it could be "illegal."

Does this mean technically a 1911 modified for competition is not legal to sell through a dealer?

Lighter triggers are not 'illegal', just likely not the way the handgun was submitted for testing.

And yes, a competition-tuned 1911 might no longer be 'as-Rostered', but since I own no 1911s (yet) and I don't compete, I don't know whether that would be readily observable. OTOH, I would expect such a handgun to move to a different competitor by PPT, when you decide to upgrade, so the Roster shouldn't be an issue.

[bwiese]

Hi all,
I was in a local store yesterday picking up a new rifle, and out of curiosity I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any Sig armorers in the region. When he asked what I was interested in doing, I explained I was looking to have the action cleaned up and maybe having the SRT installed on my 226. He responded that any modifications to the action of "drop tested" handguns in California was illegal, including sending the gun back to Sig and having their smiths do it. True or FUD?

He's full of FUD or something worse. He's either under 26 or over 58.

1. You are indeed allowed to modify your handgun to any other legal configuration (i.e., don't convert
it into an assault weapon, SBR, SBS, "unconventional pistol" or any prohibited gun/device, etc.).


2. We even have letters from the former Deputy AG of DOJ BoF, in the CGF's Pena v. Cid "Roster" case,
stating in essence that a (one-armed) man who wants a left-handed Glock can't buy that Glock from a
CA FFL -- but he is free to buy the regular Glock and send it to/receive it from the factory or a gunsmith
to be modified into left-handed configuration.

3. If you modify a Rostered handgun it loses its Rostered status during the time it is modified.

If you sell this modified handgun it can certainly be PPT'd/consigned at a CA FFL, but the FFL won't buy it
back for his "resale inventory". [Most CA FFLs don't buy non-Rostered handguns because they can only
sell 'em to LEOs or outside CA - unless they do specialty stuff like single shot conversions]

If you want a CA FFL to be able to purchase your modified handgun [and it has not fallen off the Roster],
restore the gun to its original configuration using the original parts. Even 'exact equivalent' parts from
another quality vendor (say, Ed Brown hammer on your Springfield 1911) are not suitable, because the
people who wrote the Unsafe Handgun laws chose to create multiple monopoly enterprises in the firearm
replacement parts market space.

[TinyCrumb]

I'm pretty sure I know *exactly* what guy told you that. There's a total douche at Sportman's Supply who likes to pretend he's the boss even though he has no managerial power at the store whatsoever.

He's also a total "know-it-all" and I've heard him dishing out misinformation on a few occasions.