Proper transport of handgun thru California

[NikonRon]

Are you better off to declare a weapon? I hate to lie if I'm asked point blank if there is a firearm in the vehicle. And yes it's still hard to refer to it as a magazine as opposed to a clip. Ron

 

[Crom]

Are you better off to declare a weapon? I hate to lie if I'm asked point blank if there is a firearm in the vehicle. And yes it's still hard to refer to it as a magazine as opposed to a clip. Ron

No. Not recommended; it can't help. You legally don't have to answer any questions. Issue the citation or let me go. Thanks. Pay traffic attorney $300 to make it go away.

 

[gm13]

This is pretty handy:
http://www.amazon.com/United-States...1-spell&keywords=travellers+guide+to+firearms

 

[SunFlower]

Handguns must be UNLOADED and in a LOCKED case. "Sliding locks" or latches are NOT considered locked. Do NOT have a magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I think the better question would be, why are you worried so much about this? If you give no reason to be pulled over then you won't be pulled over. Most cops will never pull over a legal and clean vehicle, especially a Tacoma, unless they suspect something.

 

[calicamper]

I think the better question would be, why are you worried so much about this? If you give no reason to be pulled over then you won't be pulled over. Most cops will never pull over a legal and clean vehicle, especially a Tacoma, unless they suspect something.

LOL if all your windows are blacked out so you can't see the driver or passenger and your weaving all over the place with smoke wafting out of the slightly cracked windows you'll be stopped pretty quick.

If your on I5 or 99 and your driving with your seat all the way back so you can hardly see and have the back seat full of scantly clad ladies and rolling with spinners and 22's pretty sure you'll get stopped and face a full cavity search and dog sniff. Actually witnessed the 22's with spinners seat back guy get pulled off by three CHP and an unmarked car right after the CA Oregon Boarder crossing. He couldn't have been more obvious outside of shooting fireworks out the windows as he drove through the check point. HA HA

 

[OwyheeMagpie]

Unloaded, locked and mags of 10 or lower is the best advice. If you have mags over 10 rounds then disassemble them and call them parts, yeah it's a gray area but hey, if it's your only choice then why not. I'm just saying this for the sake of conversation so please don't crusify me but most big city departments and CHP are pretty cool and a lot of them are under budget and staffing issues. I drive 5 mph over all the time next to CHP and they don't care, local cops are the same. Just don't be an *** hole speeding like crazy or have any of the other suggestions like headlamp out, registration expired or any other lame offense. Most cops don't care for honest mistakes but expired tags, headlamps and rolling stop signs is just being lazy or careless.

 

[SunFlower]

I think the better question would be, why are you worried so much about this?

Getting arrested. Losing your job. Spending a year of your life for a trial. Spending $50,000 in legal fee's. Losing your future constitutional rights.

 

[Coby65]

Ok I spoke to a couple of LEO/CHP friends about this issue. These guys are 10+ years officers.
My question centered around my JK which does not have a whole lot of secure storage area so I am looking at getting the lockable drawers that go under the driver and passenger seat.
If I have a weapon unloaded locked under the drivers seat in the drawer and the magazines and ammo locked under the passenger seat drawer I am legal in the state of California.
Now interesting thing is we are in between truck and truck campers and shopping for both. Lock anything up in the truck camper camper you want. They have to get a warrant just like your house to go in that part because it is considered a domicile. So your camper is treated like your house in that case.

 

[SunFlower]

You'd be legal if the magazines and the ammunition were in the same locked container as the weapon.

It's not that hard, unloaded, locked container other than the glove box or center console. The only issues with magazines is they must be currently legal to possess in CA. 10 rounds or fewer for long guns as well as handguns. They can be stored with the weapon so long as they're not in the weapon. Leave any high capacity magazines at home and keep the weapon unloaded and locked up. Simple.

Slight correction....all magazines are legal to possess in California. If you are traveling to California then its illegal to enter California with anything over 10 rounds but once you are IN California then all magazines are legal to possess.

 

[SunFlower]

Given that the OP was about traveling into CA, it would be interesting to figure out how that would work exactly. It is currently illegal to bring or have hi-capacity magazines shipped into CA.

I suppose a person could borrow a few from someone that legally possesses them here but that seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to and would be inviting closer scrutiny if the person were to be stopped or searched and they were discovered.

The main point is that the laws regarding traveling in CA with a weapon really aren't that difficult to follow. Why people insist on making it difficult is beyond me.

One reason why California laws are hard to follow is because people, including law enforcement, keep misstating the law.

You can NOT borrow or lend high capacity magazines in California :

32310 :
Except as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section
32400) of this chapter and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section
17700) of Division 2 of Title 2, commencing January 1, 2000, any
person in this state who manufactures or causes to be manufactured,
imports into the state,
keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or
who gives, or lends, buys, or receives any large-capacity magazine is
punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or
in the state prison.

 

[Crom]

Given that the OP was about traveling into CA, it would be interesting to figure out how that would work exactly. It is currently illegal to bring or have hi-capacity magazines shipped into CA.

I suppose a person could borrow a few from someone that legally possesses them here but that seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to and would be inviting closer scrutiny if the person were to be stopped or searched and they were discovered.

The main point is that the laws regarding traveling in CA with a weapon really aren't that difficult to follow. Why people insist on making it difficult is beyond me.

lol I know this thread is played out, but it was very amusing to me that Sunflower just showed you where you were wrong, because you made an assumption. Assumptions and common sense do not apply to our gun laws here, and good people frequently get caught up with the law. The burden is on the gun owner to be vigilant and keep up with ever changing legislation.

The fact of the matter is, California gun laws are complex, so much so, entire flow charts have been designed to keep citizens out of trouble, voluminous books have been written with such titles as "How to Own a Gun & Stay Out of Jail: California edition", California gun laws, etc.

 

[SunFlower]

Assumptions and common sense do not apply to our gun laws here, and good people frequently get caught up with the law. The burden is on the gun owner to be vigilant and keep up with ever changing legislation.

You are exactly correct.

I live in California for 3 years before I discovered I was breaking CA law by driving to the gun range with my handgun in a hard plastic case that didn't have a separate lock on it. Since I had moved from a free state I assumed that slide locks on my case would be legal.......but this is California

 

[2025 deleted member]

Driving to the gun range my pistol is loaded and tucked between the seats or in my holster. The rifle is laying in the back seat next to a 1000 rounds with a blanket over it.

You are exactly correct.

I live in California for 3 years before I discovered I was breaking CA law by driving to the gun range with my handgun in a hard plastic case that didn't have a separate lock on it. Since I had moved from a free state I assumed that slide locks on my case would be legal.......but this is California

 

[CSG]

I am so glad I left that horrible state 21 years ago. The only time I go back now is to visit my mom. I guess I'm always breaking the law when I do. California used to be such a nice place. Not anymore.