80% lower ar-15

[Gonzalez4]

Question. Do i need to get a serial number on my 80% lower build if i am making it featureless?

[instaramen]

yes. CA passed a law recently that made all firearms to have a serial, essentially making 80% illegal. You will have to apply for a serial number from DOJ, once approved, you will have to engrave your 80% lower with that serial number.

[Gonzalez4]

Thank you instaramen. I guess buildig 80% lowers is useless bow then

[edgerly779]

yes serial number first.

[IsaacMc]

yes BEFORE you mill it your supposed to serialize it

[Maulerrr]

I believe if you milled and engraved all necessary info (manufacturer, location, model name, serial) on your 80% lower BEFORE July of 2018, you'd be in the clear not having to have received a serial registered from the state.

Perhaps you have some lowers you already completed legally before July 2018 that you forgot you had?

[gobler]

So let me see if I have this correct. If one had an 80% lower and finished milling in 2016, then no DOJ added info is necessary?

[edgerly779]

No fud from Isaac. You had to engrave and apply prior to 6/31/2018 Waste of time in this state. Still bad enough out there on 80% ers.

[Jimi Jah]

Buy a $29 lower and be done with it. 80% is a legal trap.

[new1911]

Buy a $29 lower and be done with it. 80% is a legal trap.

could you elaborate how an 80% is a legal trap?

[Maulerrr]

So let me see if I have this correct. If one had an 80% lower and finished milling in 2016, then no DOJ added info is necessary?

I'm fairly certain that in addition to milling, you also needed it engraved with all necessary information before July 2018. After July 2018, you must get a serial number from DOJ and then have that engraved before you mill it.

The benefit from 80%s are long gone though. The draw was having a lower you acquired legally that the state legally did not know about. But today any lower you mill out will have to be recorded by the state with a serial they assign to you

[Maulerrr]

could you elaborate how an 80% is a legal trap?

I think what he means is... 80% lowers are available still today at various shops around the state. People might feel inclined to buy a couple and then mill them out while thinking what they're doing is totally legal. This is incorrect. You can buy 80% lowers all day long, but before you do any milling, you need to apply for a serial number from CA DOJ. After it's assigned to you, you must have it engraved onto your 80% lower with the manufacturer name (your name), the model (what you decide to name the gun), and location of manufacturer. But most folks today who don't make the effort to intimately familiarize themselves with that law would likely overlook this part and just buy the lower, mill it out, and be done with it.

[gobler]

I'm fairly certain that in addition to milling, you also needed it engraved with all necessary information before July 2018. After July 2018, you must get a serial number from DOJ and then have that engraved before you mill it.

Right. So say in 2016 someone milled out a lower; had all ATF markings engraved. Built it to Cal legal rifle. They then need not request a serial number from DOJ?

[17+1]

I think what he means is... 80% lowers are available still today at various shops around the state. People might feel inclined to buy a couple and then mill them out while thinking what they're doing is totally legal. This is incorrect. You can buy 80% lowers all day long, but before you do any milling, you need to apply for a serial number from CA DOJ. After it's assigned to you, you must have it engraved onto your 80% lower with the manufacturer name (your name), the model (what you decide to name the gun), and location of manufacturer. But most folks today who don't make the effort to intimately familiarize themselves with that law would likely overlook this part and just buy the lower, mill it out, and be done with it.

Who is going around checking your lower for markings and then pursuing it?

If you go to private ranges, how would you ever get hassled? Has anyone ever had a rifle inspected? Does anyone even give a F at the range as long you're being safe? I have never had anyone ever inspect any of my firearms in all my years of shooting.

Not trying to advocate illegal activity, just saying I’ve never been hassled except one time years and years ago by Santa Clara Sheriffs deputy while leaving a range. We were let go without any inspection or tickets.

Not that it mattered I have a clean record and all my guns were correct per the law at the time.

[vintagedude88]

The two sides about 80% is: 1) "Catch me if you can" and 2) Why bother when lowers are so cheap? The question is: "What's your reason to avoid DROS, form 4473 and the BG check to get a lower?"