Alpo Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 A question about this came up on another board, and off to google I went. I looked at 5 different sites about California gun laws, without find the answer to one simple question. Are guns registered in California? Specifically, are pistols registered, but generally, are all guns registered? Seemed like that would be in the FAQs on those sites. "Are guns registered?", or maybe, "How do you register a gun?", but nope, couldn't find anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
German Jim Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 A simple answer is yes. Guns may be registered through an FFL. There may be other ways, but I don't know about them. If you move to California, you have X amount of days to register your firearms. If the guns are not California approved, I think you have to get rid of them. Of course this only applies to law abiding citizens. Criminals need not register firearms and may do as they wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 My Dad used to own a gunshop in southern California. He opened it in the mid 50's and I worked there part time. As far back as I can remember there was a state form that was used to "register" hanggun buyers. It also listed the gun they bought if I remember correctly. There was also a 72 hour waiting period. A copy went to the state, one to the county sheriff and the seller kept one. This was way before any fed envolvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 From: CA DOJ Site I am moving into California and I own several handguns. What are the new-resident registration requirements? You are considered to be a personal handgun importer as defined by California law. You may bring all of your otherwise California-legal firearms with you, but you must report all of your handguns to the DOJ within 60 days as required utilizing the New Resident Handgun Ownership Report. PDF logo [PDF 518 kb / 2 pg] You are not required to report rifles or shotguns. You may not bring ammunition feeding devices with a capacity greater than ten rounds, machineguns, or assault weapons into California. (PC sections 12001(n), 12072(f)(2)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Just curious...what does the state DOJ do with such info? I can't imagine it being good for anything...unless they want to show up at your door with a list of what you got... Can't be of any real use in solving crimes, can it? LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Just curious...what does the state DOJ do with such info? I can't imagine it being good for anything...unless they want to show up at your door with a list of what you got... Can't be of any real use in solving crimes, can it? LL Lord knows what the CADOJ does with it. You are correct in that it hasn't helped solve any crimes. I guess, in theory, it could be used to return recovered stolen weapons to their owners. In theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bama Red Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 That's the first time I have seen that in print and it scares the hell out of me! Those four sentences alone would keep me from moving to California, under any circumstances. My sympathies to all y'all that have to live there for various reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Lord knows what the CADOJ does with it. You are correct in that it hasn't helped solve any crimes. I guess, in theory, it could be used to return recovered stolen weapons to their owners. In theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 That's the first time I have seen that in print and it scares the hell out of me! Those four sentences alone would keep me from moving to California, under any circumstances. My sympathies to all y'all that have to live there for various reasons. At the risk of politicizing this, "But it's for the children!" On the serious side, what gets me is that CA prevents US citizens from bringing in property that was legally purchased elsewhere. There have been a few cases of people being responsible honest citizens check with the CADOJ before moving here to see if they can legally bring in certain of their firearms. They got told, yes, but you will need to register them. Then, after they continue being good citizens and sending in the paperwork and the fees, get either a letter or a visit from agents of the state telling them that they must somehow dispose of those firearms. Send them out of state, or surrender them to the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 The question that got me on this was: The guy inherited a pistol from Daddy. Both the guy and Daddy lived in California. The pistol was 20 years old. He wanted to know if it was possible to register such an old gun. I presumed that Daddy had not registered it. I was just shocked to find that California required registration. I thought he might be confused - getting all his knowledge of this from TV shows, where, as we all know, it is common knowledge that every gun is the country is registered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The only way that handgun was (or is) not registered in California, is if it was brought to the state by someone who obtained it out of state. I remember my Dad having an inventory of every handgun he ever bought/sold and the disposition of it. When he closed down the business in the 80's, seems I remember all his firearms records went to the state & fed agencies, by then the feds had stuck their noses in also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'm not certain, and I could not find the answer on the doj site, but I do not recall if it was required to transfer ownership of handguns purchased in a person transaction. I remember years ago that my dad bought a handgun from a guy at work. It was an old police trade in, so it was stamped with the name of the police department on the slide (don't remember what police department, Fresno comes to mind but I got a bad case of CRS today). Anyway, he decided that he should register it just because it said "Police" on it, he didn't want any issues later. He took it to the police station, and they registered it for him there (no wait and I don't think there was even a fee). Seems like you didn't used to have to register it, but I can't find any way to search for old laws. So, if the dad had bought the gun new then it is registered in his name. If he bought it from a friend, it may not have been registered. Of course these days, handgun transfers take place at a dealer, and they keep the gun for the mandatory 10 day mourning period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The question that got me on this was: The guy inherited a pistol from Daddy. Both the guy and Daddy lived in California. The pistol was 20 years old. He wanted to know if it was possible to register such an old gun. I presumed that Daddy had not registered it. I was just shocked to find that California required registration. I thought he might be confused - getting all his knowledge of this from TV shows, where, as we all know, it is common knowledge that every gun is the country is registered. Alpo I don't own any guns, but my son know when I die. He is suppose to get his ass over here and clean out my gun safe, that I don't use to store any guns in and take possession of all the guns I don't own ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 That's the first time I have seen that in print and it scares the hell out of me! Those four sentences alone would keep me from moving to California, under any circumstances. My sympathies to all y'all that have to live there for various reasons. Thanks...Could you lite a candle for us...We have four more years before we can flush it out...Some things were voted down (six times I heard) and some voted down by the courts...But they still bring the same things back, just rewrite it and try to pass it by again...I myself am still waiting for our crime to drop...I mean with the laws they were able to pass we should be the safest state around...Murder rates should drop like a rock...I'm waiting... Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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