Considerations on a Move to Marin from Texas

[wmtell]

I am planning to move from Texas to Marin County in the next few months. I have posted questions on both the S&W and Sig Forums, but to get more local specific information (other than by seeking regulatory and/or legal assistnce) I would like to pose a few questions here.

I am an active gun collector and tarrget shooter. I have a variety of pistols and revolvers. The following seem to raise a flag relative to CA DOJ Regs and State Law.

1. Sig P210-5 Target Model has an extended barrel which is threaded to provide a screw on front siight and longer sight radius. I love this gun. I am given to understand that because of the threaded barrel, it is not CA legal. Is this correct? I would appreciate an answer from those familiar with or who own P210's.

2. Sigarms P226R Tactical 9mm has a threaded barrel with a thread protector. This is apparently not CA legal. However, in this case, I can swap out the barrel for a standard length Sig barrel or a Bar-Sto Match barrel and be in compliance. Yes?

3. Is possession of the separate threaded barrel within the rules, even if not installed in the gun?

4. All my high-cap Sig and Sig Sauer mags are out. These include 9mm 15 round, 17 round and 19 round (X-Five) magazines. These will need to be replaced with 10 round magazines only.

5. Can I retain possession of the high-cap magazines for use out-of-state, or is possession itself outside the regulations? I suppose I could store them with friends in Oregon or Nevada for shooting there.

6. I have a number of handguns not on the CA DOJ List that appear to be otherwise legal in CA. Is their any restriction on bringing these guns to CA? I am aware of the paperwork and filing requirements. These include Colts (Blue Pythons), S&W revolvers and several current Sigarms 9mm and .40S&W models not listed. I would like to keep these in my collection and shoot them in CA. I would not like to have to sell them before I come to CA as they are part of a carefully assembled collection (which means little to those not collectors).

7. Is their any limitation to bringing ammunition I own (mostly standard 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, .357MAG and .38 Special into the state by common carrier when I move. Most of my ammo is either Black Hills, Fiocchi or Federal American Eagle.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to many disparaging remarks about a beautiful place to live (Marin and CA), I have received many friendly and helpful comments on the Sig and, especially, the S&W Forums. I look forward to my move (closer to family and friends and almost within my budget) and to continuing to enjoy my handgun collection (recognizing the limitations on adding to it once I have moved).

Thanks in advance.

[gose]

I didnt answer you on Sigforum, so I'll give it a try here instead.

1. The SIG 210s are perfectly legal and so are threaded barrels However, a handgun with a threaded barrel is an assault weapon, so you can never assemble the gun using your threaded barrel. There is no constructive possession, but I bought a couple of extra 5" barrels so all my 210s can be assembled without any threaded barrels.

2. Yes, or permanently fix the thread protector. (Which also would work for 210s)

3. Yes. Only handguns with threaded barrels are bad.

4. Correct

5. Possession is ok, importing them is not. In your case, since you didn't live in CA before 1/1/00, you'd have a hard time explaining how you got hold of those mags. Leave them out of state.

6. As long as the handguns aren't considered assault weapons they are ok. Either a handgun is a named AW like UZI, TEC-9, or it is an AW because of evil features (threaded barrel, forward pistol grip, mag outside pistolgrip etc).

7. All "normal" ammo should be ok, Tracers are not. If you don't have hard to find ammo, why not just sell it and get new ammo here?

I moved to CA in 2006, so I'm fairly updated on the move stuff... Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

[paradox]

1. Sig P210-5 Target Model has an extended barrel which is threaded to provide a screw on front siight and longer sight radius. I love this gun. I am given to understand that because of the threaded barrel, it is not CA legal. Is this correct? I would appreciate an answer from those familiar with or who own P210's.

Threaded barrel is a big no-no. You can keep the barrel separated from the gun and be OK though.

2. Sigarms P226R Tactical 9mm has a threaded barrel with a thread protector. This is apparently not CA legal. However, in this case, I can swap out the barrel for a standard length Sig barrel or a Bar-Sto Match barrel and be in compliance. Yes?

A barrel swap would make them legal. Like the p210, you can keep the threaded barrel for future use (ie move out of Cali or we succeed in deep sixing the assault weapons law)

3. Is possession of the separate threaded barrel within the rules, even if not installed in the gun?

There is no constructive possession for assault weapons in California.

4. All my high-cap Sig and Sig Sauer mags are out. These include 9mm 15 round, 17 round and 19 round (X-Five) magazines. These will need to be replaced with 10 round magazines only.

Correct.

5. Can I retain possession of the high-cap magazines for use out-of-state, or is possession itself outside the regulations? I suppose I could store them with friends in Oregon or Nevada for shooting there.

Correct.

6. I have a number of handguns not on the CA DOJ List that appear to be otherwise legal in CA. Is their any restriction on bringing these guns to CA? I am aware of the paperwork and filing requirements. These include Colts (Blue Pythons), S&W revolvers and several current Sigarms 9mm and .40S&W models not listed. I would like to keep these in my collection and shoot them in CA. I would not like to have to sell them before I come to CA as they are part of a carefully assembled collection (which means little to those not collectors).

7. Is their any limitation to bringing ammunition I own (mostly standard 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, .357MAG and .38 Special into the state by common carrier when I move. Most of my ammo is either Black Hills, Fiocchi or Federal American Eagle.

[Fate]

I'm trying to move BACK to Texas (family also a consideration). Been here since I came out for college in '84. A lot's changed. More power to you though for making the sacrifice!

[FatKatMatt]

Don't Move Here! Please, You'll Hate It!

[dwtt]

Hey, how much do those Dan Wesson Razorback 10mm pistols cost in Texas? You might want to buy one or two before moving here, because you won't have any chance to buy them once you get here. Also, consider the new Taurus 1911 pistol. You can't have too many of those.
As for Marin, I only like the mountain biking there since I used to live in San Francisco and would ride across the bridge every weekend.

[Alanski56]

Moving from Texas to Marin County, huh? You have my sincerest condolences.

[bwiese]

Hi Wmtell,

I thought we went over this on the S&W forum already

[DSA_FAL]

Remember to register those handguns.

[Fate]

Remember to register those handguns.

At $19 EACH.

[zinfull]

I hope your move is temp. I am very liberal and I moved from Marin Co. because of all the NIMBY people. They have theirs and don't want anything to change. You will never know until you get there what the differnce will be.

best of luck
Jerry