19 y/o, working on getting my first gun but can't get straight answers.

[RadarPing]

I know the law decently well. I have a hunting license and I know I can legally buy a rimfire or shotgun, but when it comes to actually getting one nobody can give me a straight answer. My dad's got no idea, he got his decades ago when he was law enforcement. I asked employees at two gun shops in the Sacramento area (where I live), one said that it's illegal to sell to me and the other said we can only do firearm transfers from my dad to me. Everyone else I know just has the gun in their parents' name. Wanted to get one back when I turned 18, but financial trouble and all this red tape postponed things. Who should I talk to, and do y'all have any advice on how to go about this?

[Quiet]

Under current CA laws...

A CA FFL dealer is prohibited from transferring a firearm to anyone under the age of 21. [PC 27510(a)]

An exemption to this is the transfer of a rimfire rifle or shotgun to a non-prohibited person age 18-20 with a valid CA hunting license. [PC 27510(b)(1)]

A valid CA hunting license is an exemption to needing a valid FSC and mandatory safe handling demonstration, when acquiring a long gun from a CA FFL dealer. [PC 31700(c)]

Therefore...

It is CA legal for a non-prohibited person age 18-20 with a valid CA hunting license to acquire (buy) a rimfire rifle or shotgun from a CA FFL dealer.

The non-prohibited person age 18-20 will need to provide:
1. A valid CA REAL DL/ID or a valid CA FLA DL/ID with valid additional documents (US Passport, etc).
2. A valid CA hunting license.



Penal Code 27510
(a) A person licensed under Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive, shall not sell, supply, deliver, or give possession or control of a firearm to any person who is under 21 years of age.
(b)(1) Subdivision (a) does not apply to or affect the sale, supplying, delivery, or giving possession or control of a firearm that is not a handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part to a person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid, unexpired hunting license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Penal Code 31700
(c) A person, 18 years of age or older, validly identified, who has been issued a valid hunting license that is unexpired is exempt from the firearm safety certificate requirement in subdivision (a) of Section 31615, except as to handguns.

Penal Code 26860
(a) Except as authorized by the department, commencing January 1, 2015, a firearms dealer shall not deliver a long gun unless the recipient performs a safe handling demonstration with that long gun.
(g) An individual who is exempt from the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 31615, pursuant to Section 31700, is also exempt from performing the safe handling demonstration.

[Big Chudungus]

I'd take what Quiet said, and your DOX, to an FFL and make sure you are talking to the actual FFL not some clerk, like go to a private one man shop, and get his Green Light before ordering.

Otherwise you might get tangled up in some FUD.

[The Gleam]

If you can provide a city or even county location, plenty of people here will chime in with a good gun store recommendation close by that won't be a FUD fest, while being proficient and knowledgeable and happy to sell you a rimfire rifle or shotgun.

Obviously you might want something for hunting, but if you want something for target/plinking, there are now some amazing .22LR/.22WMR options available on the market of all sorts.

---

[BAJ475]

I know the law decently well. I have a hunting license and I know I can legally buy a rimfire or shotgun, but when it comes to actually getting one nobody can give me a straight answer. My dad's got no idea, he got his decades ago when he was law enforcement. I asked employees at two gun shops in the Sacramento area (where I live), one said that it's illegal to sell to me and the other said we can only do firearm transfers from my dad to me. Everyone else I know just has the gun in their parents' name. Wanted to get one back when I turned 18, but financial trouble and all this red tape postponed things. Who should I talk to, and do y'all have any advice on how to go about this?

Yes, PM me. As a California licensed attorney, I will offer you a one-hour free consultation to discuss your rights and options. By discussing your issues with an attorney, your discussions will be protected by the attorney client privilege.

[BAJ475]

Under current CA laws...

A CA FFL dealer is prohibited from transferring a firearm to anyone under the age of 21. [PC 27510(a)]

An exemption to this is the transfer of a rimfire rifle or shotgun to a non-prohibited person age 18-20 with a valid CA hunting license. [PC 27510(b)(1)]

A valid CA hunting license is an exemption to needing a valid FSC and mandatory safe handling demonstration, when acquiring a long gun from a CA FFL dealer. [PC 31700(c)]

Therefore...

It is CA legal for a non-prohibited person age 18-20 with a valid CA hunting license to acquire (buy) a rimfire rifle or shotgun from a CA FFL dealer.

The non-prohibited person age 18-20 will need to provide:
1. A valid CA REAL DL/ID or a valid CA FLA DL/ID with valid additional documents (US Passport, etc).
2. A valid CA hunting license.



Penal Code 27510
(a) A person licensed under Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive, shall not sell, supply, deliver, or give possession or control of a firearm to any person who is under 21 years of age.
(b)(1) Subdivision (a) does not apply to or affect the sale, supplying, delivery, or giving possession or control of a firearm that is not a handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part to a person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid, unexpired hunting license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Penal Code 31700
(c) A person, 18 years of age or older, validly identified, who has been issued a valid hunting license that is unexpired is exempt from the firearm safety certificate requirement in subdivision (a) of Section 31615, except as to handguns.

Penal Code 26860
(a) Except as authorized by the department, commencing January 1, 2015, a firearms dealer shall not deliver a long gun unless the recipient performs a safe handling demonstration with that long gun.
(g) An individual who is exempt from the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 31615, pursuant to Section 31700, is also exempt from performing the safe handling demonstration.

Your insight is always appreciated. Is there a California law that prevents a parent from giving a handgun to an 18 y.o. child that is not prohibited from owning or possessing firearms?

[Cowboy T]

This is ridiculous. We send 18-20-year-olds into combat with machine guns to fight and die for this country, but--in any state in our Union--they have to go through this nonsense to purchase a firearm? That's...criminal. Not so long ago, fathers took their kids to the gun store to get 'em that first Henry Big Boy or similar, sometimes on the bus. On the ride back, other passengers would crowd around like it was a new sports car, happy for the kid.

OP, I would suggest taking up that lawyer above on his offer.

[Dvrjon]

There’s a good chance the OP is 21 by now.