Shipping guns into CA

[Nickff62]

So I just moved into the state and would like to ship my guns(shotguns and rifles) out here so I can use them. Does anyone know what I have to do of fill out in order to ship my guns out here?

[Librarian]

Life would be a whole bunch easier if you would just go get them yourself.

To answer your specific question, no special requirements to ship your guns in law.

But, according to BATF, only you can ship your guns to yourself.

For another to ship your guns, it implies there was a transfer of possession out of state, and further implies that the person who has them now must transfer them to you. The guns must therefore be shipped to a CA FFL, where you will have to pay DROS fees and do 10-day waits and 1-in-30-days limits on handgun transfers.

To an external observer, leaving your guns out of state and coming to CA looks like 'here, have my guns, they're yours, I'm moving away'. That consideration also makes going back to get them seem limited. Remember, Federal gun laws have no 'mulligans' in the code.

In other discussions, we have come to the tentative conclusion that, if the guns were left very carefully locked - as in a safe or locked container, not with just 'gun locks' - and inaccessible to the holder, that might avoid the appearance of transfer to the holding person. So far as I am aware, that has not been tested.

[Nickff62]

I will be going back over the summer and shipping theme here, I'm just wondering if it's easier to bring them back on the plane or ship them out via ups.

[TRICKSTER]

If they are all long guns, it would probably be easier using USPS.