Handgun registration

[AwakeAware1016]

Forgive me I'm pretty new to handguns. When did the law that we have to register handguns come in to play?

[Malthusian]

1991

It only applies to handguns transferred after Jan 1991
Not all guns in California are registered with the state, and it is not required that they be registered

http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/index.php/Firearms_registration

[The Cable Guy]

When does this registration take place? At DROS?

[AwakeAware1016]

So all hand guns went through DROS after 1991

[AwakeAware1016]

I have a hypothetical question. If someone found a HG that the original ownser had lost and had no intention to claim. Would you be able to register it. ?

[Mssr. Eleganté]

When does this registration take place? At DROS?

For handguns transfered through a California licensed dealer, yes, the registration is part of the DROS process. For handguns transfered through the intra-familial/operation of law exemption the registration happens when you mail in the form to CalDOJ. For handguns imported by C&R FFLs the registration happens when they mail in the C&R Handgun Report form. For handguns imported by "personal handgun importers" the registration happens when they mail in the New Resident Handgun Report form.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I have a hypothetical question. If someone found a HG that the original ownser had lost and had no intention to claim. Would you be able to register it. ?

When you find any property of value (not just guns), California law requires you to turn it over to the local police. If you don't, then you can be found guilty of theft. The police are supposed to make an effort to find the rightful owner. If the rightful owner doesn't claim the property from the police within a certain amount of time then the police are supposed to turn it over to you. For a handgun I imagine this would require you to submit a LEGR form so that your background check could be run an the handgun registered to you. But I've heard that it's hard to actually reclaim a found firearm from the police because they will give you the runaround and say it is against department policy to release firearms that way. You might need to get lawyer to put pressure on the local PD to give you the gun.

If you skipped all of this and just sent in a Voluntary Registration form along with $19 to CalDOJ the handgun would most likely end up registered to you with no ill effects. But you would still have broken the law.

[Quiet]

Actually, DROS and "handgun registration" went into effect in 1924.

In 1991, all firearm sales had to go through a CA FFL dealer. Since all firearms got DROS'd, the handgun info gets "registered" to the new buyer and the seller's info gets "registered" as the previous owner.

In 1997, electronic DROS became mandatory.

AFAIK...
DROS "handgun registration" info before 1980 has never been entered into the current database/electronic system due to the cost of entering all the paper records into the database.