CA HANDGUN REGISTRATION???

[LDBennett]

This is from the CA DOJ webpage under FAQ. I am dunbfounded. I have been under the impression that all handguns were required to be registered. What gives?

"How do I know if my firearms need to be registered?

There is no firearm registration requirement in California except for assault weapon owners and personal handgun importers. However, you may submit a Firearm Ownership Record to the DOJ for any firearm you own. Having a Firearm Ownership Record on file with the DOJ may help in the return of your firearm if it is lost or stolen. With very few and specific exceptions, all firearm transactions must be conducted through a firearms dealer."

Registration is voluntary?????

LDBennett

[zfields]

for rifles, yes.

[morrcarr67]

I am dunbfounded. I have been under the impression that all handguns were required to be registered. What gives?

LDBennett

Yes and no.

All handguns are now being required to be registered. When you buy a handgun from a dealer or do a PPT on a handgun that handgun is registered to you.

If you owned a handgun prior to the handgun registration law; I don't remember when it became law but I'm sure someone will come along with that info, you don't not have to register them. You may if you want to and that is what that form is for.

[99sparks]

So, I moved out of CA and took my registered hand guns with me. If I sell them to some one else and they move to CA… Will they be able to register them? There is no registration in this state and no requirements on person to person sales. Other then they are not a felon.

[morrcarr67]

Yes. People moving to CA need to register their handguns using this form: http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/ab991frm.pdf

[ap3572001]

I touched that subject before.
Its another area ( just like high capacity magazine law) that is not very clear.
When You go to a CA Gun Store or do a ppt on a handgun, that handgun is in Your name. However , if someone will go and sell it to a Ca Gun Store or PPT to another person , they can do it. As long as a gun is not reported stolen.

So for example, if I bought a Glock in 2005 in LA, came to visit You in SF , left the gun there. Called You in few weeks and asked You to sell it to a local store. You can. (From what I understand).

Also, there are TONS of handguns that are not in any ones name.
They were sold at Gun Shops in different states . Some before 1968. Some before WWII. ETC. They changed ownership many times. Without a PPT. The stores where they were sold are long gone. So are many of the owners.

A Smith and Wesson model 10 that was last sold at a local hardware store in Kentucky in the 50's and chnaged hand 15-20 times is not registered to any one.
Those guns are perfectly legal to own and use, since there is not law that says that every handgun must be registered to the person that has it.

PS. This is how I see it. I would like opinions of others.

[Librarian]

I have been under the impression that all handguns were required to be registered.

Yes, lots of people have that impression; it seems especially prevalent among newspaper reporters.

See the wiki article -- http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/in...s_registration

[morrcarr67]

Yes, lots of people have that impression; it seems especially prevalent among newspaper reporters.

See the wiki article -- http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/in...s_registration

Good link. I have it bookmarked.

Thanks

[ap3572001]

Yes, lots of people have that impression; it seems especially prevalent among newspaper reporters.

See the wiki article -- http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/in...s_registration

Very good article. THANK YOU !

[billybob_jcv]

The way I read the law, it doesn't matter how an existing firearm in your possession came into your possession (excepting specific controlled/banned firearms). What matters is the process you must follow to purchase, sell or transfer any firearm from the date the law went into effect. Can a firearm come into your possession without it being purchased or transferred within the State of California after the law went into effect? Yes - and possessing a firearm acquired in one of those ways is legal.

My father's 30" Winchester Model 12 shotgun he received in a trade in 1948 has never seen (and never will as long as I'm alive) any State paperwork.

[ap3572001]

[QUOTE=billybob_jcv;7407283]The way I read the law, it doesn't matter how an existing firearm in your possession came into your possession (excepting specific controlled/banned firearms). What matters is the process you must follow to purchase, sell or transfer any firearm from the date the law went into effect. Can a firearm come into your possession without it being purchased or transferred within the State of California after the law went into effect? Yes - and possessing a firearm acquired in one of those ways is legal.

My father's 30" Winchester Model 12 shotgun he received in a trade in 1948 has never seen (and never will as long as I'm alive) any State paperwork.[/QUOTEI

The way I understand it that if a firarm is not stolen and legal for You to own, how You got is Your business.

[notme92069]

You may also self build from an 80% lower and registration is not required