CA legal status of Ruger Charger?

[mzimmers]

Hi -

Can someone tell me what the specific legal status of this gun is?

Ruger Charger

Thanks.

[Falstaff]

Unobtainium... Not sure if it's because CA considers it an AW, an SBR, or just because it doesnt meet the requirements for the DOJ's illegal "safety" test.
Someone here will know for sure though...

[cindynles]

It's considered an AW, handgun with a magazine outside of the grip.

http://www.ag.ca.gov/firearms/regs/genchar2.php

4.A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:

A.A threaded barrel, capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer.

B.(B) A second handgrip.

C.A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel that allows the bearer to fire the weapon without burning his or her hand, except a slide that encloses the barrel.

D.The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.

[383green]

I hadn't heard of that one before. It looks neat.

I think it should be possible to get it out of the AW category with some sort of bullet-button-like modification, but there would still be the off-roster issue.

[bwiese]

The Ruger Charger can't be sold as-is in CA because

1.) it's an SB23 assault weapon: semiauto rimfire pistol with
a detachable magazine outside the pistol grip. [There is no
"rimfire exemption" in SB23 for semiauto pistols - unlike for
semiauto rifles.]

2.) it's not a Rostered handgun. (Even if not an AW, it'd still
need to have a mag disconnect safety and LCI to be Rostered
today.)


A cooperative FFL outside CA (should have mfg FFL), before shipping it into CA, could render this gun into saleable configuration if the gun has at least a 6" barrel and 10.5" min. overall length measured parallel to bore:

- some sort of BulletButton-style maglock is installed;
- a zero-round dummy magazine (i.e., a 10 blocked to 0 with a filler) is locked in

The gun now is not an assault weapon (because it doesn't have a detachable magazine), and is exempt from Roster because it's a dimensionally-compliant single-shot pistol per 12133PC Roster exemption.

These above procedures work for off-list AR and AK pistols that are imported and offered for legal sale in CA. The Ruger Charger is topologically identical to these other guns.

[thayne]

Did you guys look at it??? Its a 22 rimfire pistol. Looks legal too me, aside of the roster anyway

[CHS]

Did you guys look at it??? Its a 22 rimfire pistol. Looks legal too me, aside of the roster anyway

It's a semi-automatic pistol that can accept a magazine outside of the pistol grip. That makes it an assault weapon. It also arguably has a "barrel shroud", which would be one more AW feature.

Rimfire doesn't matter when you're talking about AW pistols in CA.

It MUST be exempted from the roster and MUST have a maglock installed for it to be CA-legal.

[thayne]

[There is
no "rimfire exemption" in SB23 for semiauto pistols - unlike
for semiauto rifles.]

Aw, I didnt know that.

[383green]

1.) it's an SB23 assault weapon: semiauto centerfire pistol
with detachable magazine outside the pistol grip. [There is
no "rimfire exemption" in SB23 for semiauto pistols - unlike
for semiauto rifles.]

Not centerfire (though it doesn't matter).

Did you guys look at it??? Its a 22 rimfire pistol. Looks legal too me, aside of the roster anyway

Yes, we did. See the post above your by bwiese. It's classified as an assault weapon in CA in its normal configuration. For more details:

http://www.calguns.net/caawid/hgflowchart.pdf

[Bruce]

Did you guys look at it??? Its a 22 rimfire pistol. Looks legal too me, aside of the roster anyway

The magazine is NOT in the pistol grip. Makes it an AW just like the Walther P-22. The P-22 has a threaded barrel and cannot be sold in California. Why do you think there's a P-22CA version?

[Shotgun Man]

The Ruger Charger can't be sold as-is in CA because

1.) it's an SB23 assault weapon: semiauto rimfire pistol with
a detachable magazine outside the pistol grip. [There is no
"rimfire exemption" in SB23 for semiauto pistols - unlike for
semiauto rifles.]

2.) it's not a Rostered handgun. (Even if not an AW, it'd still
need to have a mag disconnect safety and LCI to be Rostered
today.)


A cooperative FFL outside CA (should have mfg FFL), before shipping it into CA, could render this gun into saleable configuration if the gun has at least a 6" barrel and 10.5" min. overall length measured parallel to bore:

- some sort of BulletButton-style maglock is installed;
- a zero-round dummy magazine (i.e., a 10 blocked to 0 with a filler) is locked in

The gun now is not an assault weapon (because it doesn't have a detachable magazine), and is exempt from Roster because it's a dimensionally-compliant single-shot pistol per 12133PC Roster exemption.

These above procedures work for off-list AR and AK pistols that are imported and offered for legal sale in CA. The Ruger Charger is topologically identical to these other guns.

So on any handgun to take advantage the single-shot exemption from the Roster, all you have to do is install a zero-round mag? How do you lock it in on an M1911?

[ke6guj]

So on any handgun to take advantage the single-shot exemption from the Roster, all you have to do is install a zero-round mag? How do you lock it in on an M1911?

in order to use the single-shot exemption to the roster, a handgun must be single-shot and meet the dimensionial requirements.

So, for tht 1911, you have to fixed the zero-round mag, which some people do by altering the existing mag release, and extend the barrel long enough that it meets the dimensional requirements.

12133(b) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to a single-shot pistol with a barrel length of not less than six inches and that has an overall length of at least 10 1/2 inches when the handle, frame or receiver, and barrel are assembled.

[383green]

How do you lock it in on an M1911?

I don't have one of my M1911s within arm's reach to take a close look at the magazine catch, but from memory I think it would be possible to modify a magazine catch assembly so that the button can't be depressed far enough to release the magazine. Off the top of my head, one approach may be to machine and thread the button portion so that a nut can be screwed on that keeps the button from being depressed. Or, maybe the slot that the spring plunger rides in could be partially closed up so that the button cannot be depressed, and you would need to disengage the plunger by rotating it with a tool (like when removing the magazine catch) in order to get the magazine out. I think the former approach would be easier.

[gunn]

For a 1911, I also remember someone discussing replacing the grip screws with something that can go all the way THROUGH a mag.
That locks it in.
-g

[383green]

For a 1911, I also remember someone discussing replacing the grip screws with something that can go all the way THROUGH a mag.
That locks it in.
-g

That sounds like a good way to do it.