Reacting to the shocking news that gunmakers actually read the laws that California churns out and design guns around them, all State Senator Leland Yee could manage to sputter was, “When I saw the news I was absolutely horrified.” The gaping loophole that has the poor Senator all aflutter means rifles with bullet buttons – which actually allow a shooter to change out a magazine – are legal in the Golden State. Yes, that sounds pretty basic and magazine releases are legal just about everywhere else in these fifty-seven states. But what works so well for the rest of us doesn’t cut it on the left coast . . .

As the good Senator recently told sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com:

“It is extremely important that individuals in the state of California do not own assault weapons. I mean that is just so crystal clear, there is no debate, no discussion,” said Yee.

That’s why the Senator is introducing a bill to ban the bullet button.

Whistling past another potential setback for Cali gunnies, Gene Hoffman’s putting on a brave face.

“I am not sure the Legislature has an appetite to bite off something so large,” said Calguns President Gene Hoffman, the creator of the bullet button. “The real reason I designed it was because the original kind of ways to create AR-15s that were California legal were actually quite dangerous on the range.”

We hate to ruin Gene’s day, but his state hasn’t exhibited any limit to its appetite for all the restrictions on gun ownership and use it can get. No, when it comes to restricting Second Amendment rights, California makes Takeru Kobayashi look like Lady Bracknell daintily nibbling a cucumber sandwich with her tea.

As always, we wish Calguns well in its fight opposing this latest intrusion into how Californians choose to use operate the few firearms the state still deigns to allow them to own. It seems their neighbors keep electing people who always seem to know exactly how everyone else should live their lives. So the next time you’re at the range sighting in that new rifle you just brought home, think of the gun owners out west each time you casually press that mag release switch. They don’t have it quite so easy.

65 COMMENTS

  1. Just so you know, out here on the “left coast” sanity abruptly returns in the middle of the Siskiyou mountains and continues all the way up through the 49th parallel.

    • Fair enough, but I’m afraid I still refuse to enter the PRK unless and until the entire state gets its collective sh!t together.

    • Tis true – I used to live in the glorious state of Oregon where sanity did reign. Now I’m firmly – though – perhaps not eternally rooted in CA.

      UGH

  2. “I mean that is just so crystal clear, there is no debate, no discussion,” said Yee.

    KKKalifornicators: the land of intolerant fascists and mob democracy.

  3. Q for Yee: Has a bullet button ever been sited as a major factor in the commission of a crime? I’m guessing no.

      • Sssshhhhhhh! If they hear you, panty-wetters will be wanting to ban any gun that fires a bullet from its clip, by way of the shoulder thing that goes up.

  4. Oh, California, how I am tired of you so. Living here for eighteen years has taken its toll. Up north, we actually like guns, if you haven’t heard. Our southern brothers and sisters don’t take as kindly to them, and sadly they outnumber us. Where I live, guns aren’t even the problem. At least once a month, somebody gets stabbed. Last I checked, people don’t get stabbed by bullets. It’s only a matter of time before there’s background checks and permits for kitchen knives, I’m sure.

  5. Cue Rob Pincus to blame bullet button buyers for provoking the gun banners in 3… 2… 1…

    How dare Californians have the temerity to exercise what few rights they have left? Don’t they know where that can lead? The proper response to a threat to your rights is to forego your rights voluntarily, restrict yourself so the politicians don’t have to go to the trouble to pass a law to restrict you.

      • No, not this time. Instead it was a local news “expose” about how the bullet button “circumvented” California law. BBB (before bullet button) ARs were restricted to internal magazines, holding 8 rounds. Had to pop the upper to reload. The BB made the magazine “fixed” within the meaning of the law, so external mags could be used–but limited to 10 round capacity as all other mags in this state. From all this, I think that the intent of the Dems was to reduce capacity and eliminate the ability to quickly reload, so Yee is consistent. I’m just waiting for him to decide that all semi-auto pistols should be baned as well.

  6. I wonder when this guy will realize automakers have been bypassing the intent of California’s air pollution regulations with special catalytic converters.

  7. “‘It is extremely important that individuals in the state of California do not own assault weapons. I mean that is just so crystal clear, there is no debate, no discussion,’ said Yee.”

    Assault weapons in California???? Impossibru!!!

    How are we gonna attack the Continental U.S. with all those assault weapons still in California???? That’s the easiest way in!!! Those assault weapons must go!!!

    Those damn hippie’s won’t know what hit them [queue evil Chinese laughter].

  8. Why the pernickety references to “fifty seven states” or “left coast”. The article can stand on its own two feet without stooping to this.

  9. Due to personal budget constraint buying an AR was going to be long term goal.
    Guess it just moved up the list and hopefully before the prices go even higher.
    Yee ha !
    Still alot of conservative minded pro gun voters in SoCal but we are out numbered.
    Majority of CA legislature is liberal so they can pass just about any law.
    Get out and vote !

  10. Please note Gene Hoffman did not invent the bullet button. He did first mention a “Range Safe Maglock”. Darin Prince should be given credit for the bullet button.

  11. It is extremely important that individuals in the state of California know that their rulers are a bunch of royal, flaming a$$holes. I mean that is just so crystal clear, there is no debate, no discussion.

  12. This item has been found to cause lead poisoning in the state of California. Therefore, it is the government’s responsibility to hold my hand through life.
    Just curious, is it possibru to vote California off the island, so to speak? “California certified clean idle,” “this product has been found to be a fire hazard in the state of California,” “smoking is known in the state of California to cause birth defects.” Is there nothing California won’t try to touch, even in Georgia? Oh, yeah, my money. I won’t go there, and I’ll never buy from a California based company if I can help it.

  13. Wonder Internet.
    So…if Kalifornication outlaws the bullet button tool, will guns with fixed magazines such as the M1 Garand be in vogue?
    I always thought the assault rifle ban was ridiculous as guns with fixed magazines and striper clips could be reloaded possibly faster than the detachable magazine with a bullet button.
    Then we get to fast loading shotguns like the Ithaca 37 or Browning BPS.

    • Actually detachable magazines are perfectly legal in CA as long as the rifle does not have any evil features. A Mini 14 is perfectly legal and you can even use your high capacity magazines as long as you had the mags prior to the ban in 2000. But take the same rifle and add a scary pistol grip, collapsible stock, thumb hole stock or flash suppressor and now you have just created an assault weapon and committed a felony. Whoops. However if your gun has a fixed magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds or less you can have all of the scary features you want. The law defines “fixed” as requiring a tool to remove the magazine. Hence the bullet button which prevents you from releasing the mag with your finger. Poke it with a bullet and the mag drops free. But don’t use your your legally possesed pre-ban high capacity mags in a bullet button equipped fixed mag rifle because that would be a felony. Double whoops. Got all that. Pretty simple right?

    • +100. Can’t find a more gun friendly state. Even with the current improving housing market a modest house in Cali will buy you a nice spread here.

  14. I’m not sure I understand what the problem is. I mean, why the need for a bullet button in the first place? If you have a rifle that holds four or five bullets in its internal magazine, isn’t that enough? Why do you need more, unless you are in the military or law enforcement? Is there some kind of game animal that requires more than four or five well placed .30-06 rounds? If you are not planning to start a war or something, why do you need to be able to replace a magazine? Really, if you look at it logically, I don’t see any problem with it.

    I don’t know, but it makes perfect sense to me, and something that could help keep us all safer in the long run. We don’t need assault rifles at all, and when you really get down to it, large capacity magazines don’t make much sense for civilians anyway. Another sensible gun law that I would support.

    • Wow, so if you personally dont want to own something, you support a ban of it?
      Besides, there are MANY sporting (3 gun, carbine competitions) that need standard capacity (cali hicap) mags but despite that, what are you scared of?
      Why the heck would any civilian NEED a muscle/sports car when u can break every speed limit in the country with a prius!
      Im sure there are hobbies things that u enjoy that i or other peoplemay not understand or agree with, should we support banning them because of that?
      I fully support your right as well as anyone elses right to do as they please as long as they arent hurting anyone else and guess what, no one has ever heard of a 100 round beta mag or rifle hurting anyone!
      The “assault weapon” is simply a semi auto with a grip underneath the rifle. Its only a cosmetic factor, does that make it soooo much more deadly?
      The deadliest mass shooting spree i can thing of in norway was commited using OMG, a CA legal non-assault weapon! (mini14)
      Were his victims thinking “at least his gun doesnt LOOK evil”…

    • I call troll here. (ignore) Only reason I would visit California is flying over it to Hawaii…if I could stand it there.

    • “If you have a rifle that holds four or five bullets in its internal magazine, isn’t that enough?”

      Absolutely, unless you have 6 people trying to break into your house at once (or if you miss) to rape and kill your wife and daughters.

      Mmmmm… I love the smell of gang rape in the morning.

    • So by that same logic why is there any vehicle sold that can go more than 75mph? The highest speed limit is 75mph and any properly geared vehicle can achieve that with as little as a 50hp so I think every vehicle sold from now on should have a 50hp engine and be governed to 75mph. Surely nobody has any need to enjoy the feel of a strong motor – it’s simply not needed. It only makes sense. All those 300, 400, 500hp engines are irresponsible and nobody needs them because they’re simply not utilitarian and don’t fit my view of how vehicles should be for everyone. Plus if we give up any and all performance in our vehicles we’ll make all the law makers happy too. Sounds sensible to me.

      My point? Maybe you don’t enjoy or see the point of ripping off four or five 30 round mags as fast as you can but don’t let your (being nice here) stodgy attitude rain on everyone else’s parade. Logic and fun factor are usually mutually exclusive. High cap mags are a lot like cars with power – they are tons of fun and responsible folks don’t hurt a soul enjoying them.

      This question could certainly bite me in the ass but what are the engine specs for your vehicle(s)? If they’re more than 50hp and ungoverned to 75mph would you be happy to trade them in? Personally it doesn’t affect me. I drive a Jeep Wrangler with no top or doors and anything over 65mph is a total waste of gas so theoretically I shouldn’t give a rat’s ass about the folks that enjoy their big horsepower vehicles yet I do. People love high performance in all things and to sell them out just because you personally don’t see the value of high performance in their chosen hobby is short-sighted and selfish.

  15. Post incorporation, of an individual Second Amendment right, how do you ban a whole class of firearms? Especially those in common use? The Senator obviously doesn’t see what lies ahead.

  16. I still wonder how it is our politicians get away with all the things they do. Let’s see, the only legal gun in CA is pretty much now anything that is old enough to be a curio or relic. Bolt action that has a removable magazine? Pretty much illegal.
    The question is if one should fight for gun rights for CA citizens, or if those of us who like to shoot would just be better off moving.

    • How do politicians get away with the things they do? Simple. Citizens don’t stop them by any means necessary. Complacency and social conditioning have undermined what the founding fathers intended for citizens to do.

  17. “…there is no debate, no discussion,” said Yee.

    Is that who you want as a politician? I certainly don’t.

  18. Why don’t we just move the border crossings to the CA border and kick them out of the union? At least southern CA anyway. They don’t seem to think like most Americans, more like Europeans.

    • Don’t kid yourself…..Northern California will support this trash legislation as much as or more than Southern California.

      • Not in my neck of northern california. I’m so far north we consider San Francisco a different state. San Franciscans want to split the state in two just below San Jose. Up here, we want to split the state just north of Sacramento and join southern Orego to create the Great State of Jefferson.

        • I live in the Imperial County (Southeast corner of the state) I wish we could just be annexed over to Arizona, we have far more in common with our fellow citizens in Yuma Az, than we do with the idiots up north.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here