microstamping and Roster - Explanation and FAQ ALSO "legal /= on-Roster"

[Mark49]

I'm getting all these email notifications that ruger .22, S&W semis etc will no longer be sold in California. Are all the rest of the semis like glock be microstamped, what's the last day until this law goes in to effect.

Thanks

[Librarian]

'Microstamping' is a (mis)feature required for all semi-automatic handguns to be placed on the Roster. The law was passed in 2007, but did not take effect until May 17, 2013.

Guns on the Roster already do NOT need to be changed. So Glocks and others will not need 'microstamping'.

Guns with significant upgrades are considered to be 'new' by CADOJ; that's the issue with both Ruger and S&W. Those manufacturers have updated their guns, and choose not to keep selling the old, on-Roster versions. The changes put the guns back at the beginning, and must meet today's requirements - Loaded Chamber Indicator, Magazine Disconnect, and 'microstamping' - as well as pass the testing procedures to be placed on the Roster.

Since there is no practical implementation of 'microstamping' (and no rational manufacturer would add a 'feature' none of its customers want), S&W and Ruger are not able to meet the requirements of CA law.

See also the wiki -- http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/The_Safe_Handgun_List

Microstamping FAQ

Also, since there are no implementations to test, several other frequently asked questions are unanswerable due to lack of data:

* What parts of the gun will actually do the microstamping?
The law says

(7) Commencing January 1, 2010, for all semiautomatic pistols that
are not already listed on the roster pursuant to Section 12131, it
is not designed and equipped with a microscopic array of characters
that identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol,
etched or otherwise imprinted in two or more places on the interior
surface or internal working parts of the pistol, ...

With no actual guns designed to comply, which parts will do the marking is not yet known, and is not specified in the law.

* Would it be legal to alter the parts that do the marking, or replace them?
With the law as it is in 2014, yes.

* What happens if a 'microstamped' case is reloaded?
Unknown, has not happened yet.

* What happens if a microstamped case is picked up in some place and dropped at the scene of a crime?
Unknown, has not happened yet; seems likely to have bad/distracting effects on the investigation of the incident.

* What about imprintability of steel case ammo vs brass? Or increased wear on internal, etched parts by steel case ammo?
Unknown, has not happened yet.

* Does 'microstamping' apply to rimfire handguns?
Yes; no exclusion in the law.

Roster FAQ

* What if a gun falls off the Roster while in my 10-day wait?
If the gun is on the DROS software 'pick list' when you purchase, and the gun is not removed 'for cause', the sale will continue.

* What about a CA PPT? (2 CA residents using a CA FFL to mediate the sale, because CA law requires it)
PPT is not, under current law, subject to the Roster.

[Librarian]

bump - the law has not changed into September 2019, nor are there laws going into effect in 2020 that change the Roster.

[Librarian]

Another item:

"Legal" and "On-Roster" are different concepts.

In 2020 and earlier, (laws change, so if you read this in 2030, recheck)

it is legal to move to CA with off-Roster handguns

it is legal for some CA resident who owns an off-Roster handgun to sell that gun in a Private Party Transfer (PPT)

It is legal for a CA resident to own, possess and use an off-Roster handgun

The Roster affects what a CA FFL may sell to people who are not exempt from the Roster.