Moving from MA to Ventura County

[Drpboston]

Hey all,

I'll be moving to Ventura County on Friday and bringing my Beretta 92FS with me.

I have a license to carry in Massachusetts (not a CCW). Can anyone tell me what to expect or steps to take when I get there?
Mainly:
Do I have to turn in my MA License to get a CA license?
Is CCW hard to get in Ventura?

I guess a good link or thread link within this forum regarding CA gun laws would help. My web search turning up an actual state page was even more confusing!

Thanks, Looking forward to getting there!
Phil

[bussda]

No license required, but you will have to register the pistol by sending in a form and paying $19 within 90 days. Do not bring magazines over 10 rounds. No easy path to CCW in Ventura County at this time, but the Calguns Foundation is working on it. Go to http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/Cfl2007.pdf for a basic guide to California law from the state DOJ and also the Calguns wiki.

[glbtrottr]

reply

In Mass, you talk to the chief, you apply using "for all lawful purposes" after your NRA class, and you're good to go. The Chief either issues easily, unless you live in Wellesley or Boston proper.

In California, Sheriffs have discretion over who to issue and who to not based on their whim and personal preference. Most rural counties easily issue; others like LA refuse unless you pay off the Sheriff as a political donor...hence Calguns.

Specific to Ventura, the Sheriff was sued by Calguns - read it here:

http://calgunsfoundation.org/index.php/news/152-ccw-initiative

No reason why you shouldn't apply, ensure you have a good cause statement, and go from there...

[G-forceJunkie]

The highlights have been covered. Leave all your over 10 round mags in MA. Fill out the form and pay the $19 to register your handguns. If you want to purchase a handgun here in ca later, you will need to get a handgun safety certificate. You CCW is useless here, and having one will give you no special privilages. Once your here, you can apply for a CA one.

[Clay_Bigs_WFP]

Welcome to Ventura! You will love it here

[Burbur]

Welcome to the forums and the county. Stick around (both) it will be worth your time.

[Flying Sig]

Great, just what we need in California.... more Mass-holes!




You'll love it here, especially the winters!


.

[dieselpower]

Ventura is a big area and its one of the nicest in SoCal. Gun stores = Uncle Paul's in Ventura and Fort Courage in Simi Valley. there are others...but those are the most talked about. 40ft, 15 bay, indoor Pistol and Rifle range in Oxnard called Shooter Paradise. Expensive gear since they have to support the indoor range. Thats one of the places you need to get your CCW instruction / training cert from. Cost is like $200 I think...but its a Ventura requirement IIRC.

[CHS]

I have a license to carry in Massachusetts (not a CCW). Can anyone tell me what to expect or steps to take when I get there?
Mainly:
Do I have to turn in my MA License to get a CA license?
Is CCW hard to get in Ventura?

Since you're talking about a regular license to have a gun and not a CCW, you would have to ask MA if you are required to turn in your license there.

There are no licenses required in CA to have a handgun, though you do have to fill out a form and send in a check for $19 to register the handgun.

You can only bring high-cap magazines into California if you are a LEO. You can still bring them with you, but they have to be in disassembled form. Since you're from MA, I'm guessing you probably don't have high-caps, like us

Yes, a CCW is hard to get in Ventura. The Calguns Foundation is working on that right now.

Any rifles and shotguns you currently own can be brought into California without any licenses, permits, or registration needed. Again, no high-capacity magazines. Also, if any of them are semi-automatic and centerfire (or shotgun), make sure they don't break any of the AW laws.

Also, no threaded barrel allowed on the 92FS (or any semi-automatic pistol, for that matter).