Assault weapon out of state... Possible to convert and import?

[alpinm3]

This is a question that I have never gotten a solid answer on. My father lives in Connecticut and has an extensive list of extremely nice rifles and pistols that he was forced to register (in CT) as assault weapons sometime after the Sandy Hook shooting. Les Baer AR's, M1a's... the works. Not something you just want to get rid of and buy again.

He is getting tired of the cold weather and is thinking of making the move across country however he is not sure if he will be allowed to take his guns!

I know there is a DOJ form for registering already owned weapons once you move in state but from what I can tell it excludes "assault weapons"

Do weapons registered as assault weapons in Connecticut count as assault weapons in CA? Or does the CA DOJ strictly classify them based on features?

Basically what I am asking is if he converts all his guns to fixed mag/featureless will he legally be able to own/register them if he moves here?

Also if he wanted to transfer one to me (through an FFL) would that be allowed?

Any input on the subject is greatly appreciated!

[9Cal_OC]

DOJ classifies based on features or by name.

Find out those excluded by name as he’d need to sell or keep out of state.

[DudeFromTheWest]

Nope, CT has its own AW system, totally separate from CA. Your dad would not be able to bring anything in that is in its original AW configuration, does not matter if it was reg'd in the Connecticut system. All states that have AW laws are like this, does not matter if its CT, NY, NJ, or MA. Now, that part that is different than CT, is he can convert his rifles to featureless or mag-locked, and bring them in ,as long as they are not on the original Roberti-Roos AW list- 1989, (i.e. original AR-15, AK-47, Polytechnologies AK's, AR-180's, BM59 versions of the M1A, etc, which are all banned by name) the window for registering those closed in the 90s. The window for the second AWB (the feature ban), closed in the early 2000s. That was the last time you could reg a "free state" AR, and keep it in that configuration.

If any of the rifles are also chambered in .50 BMG (does not matter if they are bolt action), they cannot come at all in unless they were registered here prior to 2005, or have been converted to a different caliber permanently. .50 BMG chambering = AW in CA's eyes.

So, if he wants to move in, he needs to make sure his rifles are all either featureless, mag-locked, and have 10 rd mags only or mags blocked to 10 rounds only i.e. 10/30 mags. He will also need to register his weapons with the DOJ at least 60 days after officially getting his drivers license, by filling out a New Resident Report of Firearm Ownership (BOF 4010A) to California's Department of Justice, and. do so with a payment of $19.00, thats total, not per-gun.

Also, he has to really want to do this if he wants to come to CA. Tell him to look into Nevada or Arizona maybe, its warm and there are basically no state level gun laws there. He can shoot his rifles all he wants without worry of the CADOJ, and CT State Police ;P

Perhaps someone else here can chime in on the family transfer stuff?

[alpinm3]

Nope, CT has its own AW system, totally separate from CA. Your dad would not be able to bring anything in that is in its original AW configuration, does not matter if it was reg'd in the Connecticut system. All states that have AW laws are like this, does not matter if its CT, NY, NJ, or MA. Now, that part that is different than CT, is he can convert his rifles to featureless or mag-locked, and bring them in ,as long as they are not on the original Roberti-Roos AW list- 1989, (i.e. original AR-15, AK-47, Polytechnologies AK's, AR-180's, BM59 versions of the M1A, etc, which are all banned by name) the window for registering those closed in the 90s. The window for the second AWB (the feature ban), closed in the early 2000s. That was the last time you could reg a "free state" AR, and keep it in that configuration.

If any of the rifles are also chambered in .50 BMG (does not matter if they are bolt action), they cannot come at all in unless they were registered here prior to 2005, or have been converted to a different caliber permanently. .50 BMG chambering = AW in CA's eyes.

So, if he wants to move in, he needs to make sure his rifles are all either featureless, mag-locked, and have 10 rd mags only or mags blocked to 10 rounds only i.e. 10/30 mags. He will also need to register his weapons with the DOJ at least 60 days after officially getting his drivers license, by filling out a New Resident Report of Firearm Ownership (BOF 4010A) to California's Department of Justice, and. do so with a payment of $19.00, thats total, not per-gun.

Also, he has to really want to do this if he wants to come to CA. Tell him to look into Nevada or Arizona maybe, its warm and there are basically no state level gun laws there. He can shoot his rifles all he wants without worry of the CADOJ, and CT State Police ;P

Perhaps someone else here can chime in on the family transfer stuff?

Thank you, this is very helpful. I think he has a Colt HBAR so that may be problematic. I'm not sure if the Les Baer ones are marked AR-15 though... Does the Roberti Roos list apply to any rifle marked AR-15 or only Colts?

He was considering Nevada, near Tahoe which would be awesome! My sister and I live in Socal though so I think he wants to be near us.

Anything is better than there... The CT state police are on another level. People think California is restrictive, it's nothing compared to how it is back East

[DudeFromTheWest]

From what I read, its only the Colt AR-15's, so yes that HBAR would be an issue. The Les Baer AR-15s are not restricted (except by feature). Its likely that the Les Baer is not called an "AR-15", and they have a different factory name, but I would double check on that one. Im pretty sure the Rober Roos list, only applies to the Colt ones.

Update: I just read the CADOJ guide book, and here is what it says.
"With the exception of the Colt AR-15, all of the listed AR-15 series weapons were subsequently identified by the Department of Justice as Category 2 assault weapons as a result of the Kasler v. Lockyer California Supreme Court ruling effective August 16, 2000. Category 2 (Kasler v. Lockyer) weapons were required to be purchased on or before August 16, 2000 and registered as assault weapons on or before January 23, 2001."

So no, Les Baer would not fall under it because it is not a "Colt AR-15".

Update: Apparently according to another user, it is. Looks like the Les Baer is a no-go too.

[Quiet]

Do weapons registered as assault weapons in Connecticut count as assault weapons in CA?

No.

Or does the CA DOJ strictly classify them based on features?

CA assault weapons laws prohibits firearms that are make/model banned and firearms that have restricted features.

Basically what I am asking is if he converts all his guns to fixed mag/featureless will he legally be able to own/register them if he moves here?

Yes, as long as the firearms are not make/model banned.

Nothing can really be done to modify a make/model banned firearm into a functional CA legal firearm.
^Removing the parts and using them to make a CA legal firearm on a non-make/model banned receiver, is the only option.

Also if he wanted to transfer one to me (through an FFL) would that be allowed?

The firearms need to be CA legal before entering CA.

If your father is still a CT resident, then the firearms must be transferred to you through a CA FFL dealer.

If your father is a CA resident, then the firearms can be transferred to you without utilizing a CA FFL dealer. Within 30 days of acquiring the firearms, you must report the transfer to CA DOJ BOF.

[Quiet]

From what I read, its only the Colt AR-15's, so yes that HBAR would be an issue. The Les Baer AR-15s are not restricted (except by feature). Its likely that the Les Baer is not called an "AR-15", and they have a different factory name, but I would double check on that one. Im pretty sure the Rober Roos list, only applies to the Colt ones.

Update: I just read the CADOJ guide book, and here is what it says.
"With the exception of the Colt AR-15, all of the listed AR-15 series weapons were subsequently identified by the Department of Justice as Category 2 assault weapons as a result of the Kasler v. Lockyer California Supreme Court ruling effective August 16, 2000. Category 2 (Kasler v. Lockyer) weapons were required to be purchased on or before August 16, 2000 and registered as assault weapons on or before January 23, 2001."

So no, Les Baer would not fall under it because it is not a "Colt AR-15".

Make/Model banned: [11 CCR 5495 and 5499]
Colt AR-15 (all)
Colt Law Enforcement (6920)
Colt Match Target (all)
Colt Sporter (all)
Les Baer Ultimate AR (all)

[M1NM]

Here is the easy answer: https://www.calguns.net/caawid/flowchart.pdf If something is banned by name strip it down and bring the parts - They won't need to be registered and you can buy a "legal" lower to put it back together as a fixed mag or featureless. Sell the offending lower to a free state.

If he's leaving CT for the weather Tahoe is not the spot for him. Even Minden/Gardnerville or Reno gets cold and snowy for us oldsters. I have a friend who decided 2 houses were the answer since he found the N Nev winters no longer tolerable. He bought a second house in AZ near the CO river.

[DudeFromTheWest]

Here is the easy answer: https://www.calguns.net/caawid/flowchart.pdf If something is banned by name strip it down and bring the parts - They won't need to be registered and you can buy a "legal" lower to put it back together as a fixed mag or featureless. Sell the offending lower to a free state.

If he's leaving CT for the weather Tahoe is not the spot for him. Even Minden/Gardnerville or Reno gets cold and snowy for us oldsters. I have a friend who decided 2 houses were the answer since he found the N Nev winters no longer tolerable. He bought a second house in AZ near the CO river.

Ya, +1 on the AZ idea, or maybe Southern Nevada. I have friends that live in the Reno/Tahoe area, and I use to vacation on the CA side. It gets frigid in the winter for those of us not use to snow.

[bridgeway]

I would go to AZ instead...the desert is beautiful and the politics are purple, not dark blue. Not sure what CT state taxes are like, but CA has some of the highest in the country (property, gasoline excise, sales, and income). The cost of living is getting crazy, homeless people and shantytowns are everywhere, the drug-addled roam the streets with impunity (drug crimes are just a ticket now), and the jails are being emptied in the name of "social justice."