courtesy nbcsandiego.com and Getty
Previous Post
Next Post

If you’re a gun owner who lives in California, you may not have been popping any champagne corks last night as 2017 turned to 2018. A new law heavily regulating ammunition sales went into effect with the flip of the page of your calendar. Which is why left coast gun owners had been buying gun food as fast as their disposable income would allow leading up to December 31.

Among the additional new roadblocks to normal firearm ownership and use the law puts up are requirements that ammunition only be sold by licensed dealers, face-to-face. That means no more online deals from Midway or Brownells. Unless you want to have the ammo shipped to an FFL before you pick it up. For which you’ll pay a transfer fee of up to $25. Fun, huh?

If that’s not enough, you’ll now have to undergo a background check for that box of .22LR for your afternoon of plinking with the kids. That’s right. The state will also record your purchases, keeping track of all of the ammo you buy in a new database they’ll be creating. A database which will act as a de facto list of the state’s gun owners. Oh, and don’t think you can just take a Saturday and drive to Nevada or Arizona when you want to stock up either, because that’s now illegal, too.

So your life as a gun owner in California just got more difficult, intrusive and probably at least marginally more expensive. Maybe you’re thinking of easing the stress by taking advantage of the fact that recreational use of marijuana became legal at midnight, too. But you’ll probably want to think again if you value your (remaining) gun rights.

Remember that while it may now be OK to blaze one up in the land where gun rights go to die, the feds still take a very dim view of marijuana use.

California Laws Restricting Ammo Sales, Legalizing Weed Make Gun Owners' Lives More Difficult

As the ATF’s form 4473 makes abundantly clear, possession or use of marijuana is still a crime as far as the G-men are concerned. So any cannabis use means you won’t pass a federal background check. Unless, of course, you’re planning to lie on your 4473, which is a felony in and of itself. That’s a problem that medical marijuana users have faced in California and other states for years now.

Happy new year!

 

 

 

Previous Post
Next Post

92 COMMENTS

  1. This just in: water is wet.

    Another day another infringement, and an overwhelmed gun supporting minority.

    And before the same old echoes are heard: some of us just can’t leave the state; fleeing does nothing to stop the spread of the cancer; no we can’t go full 1776.

    • “no we can’t go full 1776.”

      I’m betting if something like this went down in Maine we would. So why not? I mean this is bigger than some ranchers being denied grazing rights and occupying a Federal building at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Where’s the statewide outrage?

      • “I’m betting if something like this went down in Maine we would. So why not?” … big words. Maybe you could pop down to New York, Connecticut, D.C., New Jersey, etc and show them how its done? New England is a hell of a lot smaller than California and only takes a fraction of the time it would take me to get to L.A. Maybe we’ll wait for this cancer to spread to Maine and let you take the lead there Mr George Washington.

        “Where’s the statewide outrage.” Present and unrepresented in the media and government.

    • As legal kalli gun owners sit on their damn fat asses and do nothing. There are 4 to 11 million of us (no one knows for sure) only a few thousand stand tall and do much. The lefty progressive control freaks know this well.
      What a shame.

      • “There are 4 to 11 million of us (no one knows for sure)”

        After a couple of years of data collection for the ammo database, I’ll bet the state will be able to give you a pretty accurate estimate.

        • That database will also give a fairly accurate estimate of not only how many calibers you own (got any un-registered guns?), but how many of each.
          Wirh license scanners, they can also get an estimate of how often you visit a range, which can also give clues to how much ammo you have stashed.
          Data that seems innocent can reveal a lot of information.
          Yes, I am paranoid. Why do you ask?

        • You’re assuming people will purchase ammo legally or not just start reloading. People will always find work arounds.

      • What the hell do you expect us to do? Vote? We do that. Sign petitions? We do that. The fact of the matter is that we are outnumbered, 10 to 1 (give or take, it’s just a guess). Besides leaving the state, there’s not much else we can do. There’s even been a movement to split Ca. into two states. But the Libtard majority wont let that happen either.

    • You COULD go all 1776…you just WON’T.
      Big difference, so have fun with those Ammo 4473s! Also, I have to agree, if this happened in Maine shit would hit the fan..
      Big time!

    • You All have nobody to blame but yourselves. And now everybody’s talking ignoramus shit about going full ballistic 1776 when the Framers gave us another far more effective method of changing things to prevent further Totalitarian creep.

      As all you ‘chairborne potato-chip Rangers’ pump up your belly fat with blog bloat just ask yourselves one question. How many of you sent out a succinct but serious email to your feckless Representatives asking them why they are violating their job contractual oath of office by allowing unconstitutional administrative Fiat mandates and illegally derived statutes like this with a polite but firm reminder that you and your family/friends ‘hired’ them and will be considering their ‘answer’ to you when their ‘contract’ term is up?

      That’s what I thought.

      I always laugh sadly when I hear people ‘reving’ up as a ‘solution’ and become reminded of a former Special Forces associate who back in the days explained to us during a rare quiet and pensive moment that we were not realty soldiers. We were a last ditch political party. Used when a Democratic Republic can no longer function as designed.

      But our Republic works quite well as the Founders outlined. Look at how well the leftist Totalitarians used the policitical system to create support and votes to further their social enslavement agenda?

      And ‘WE, The Sheeple’ actually had an amazing burst of solidarity in this venue by preventing a leftist totalitarian dynasty from continuing by squeaking in Trump. So we know we can do it. The amazing question is why aren’t we repealing ALL gun Tyranny yet after an entire year of clear sailing if we wanted?

      Are all you ‘moutholutionists’ saying that you are so fucking morbidly stupid that you can’t do anything else but ‘shoot’ things?

      The real ‘hoot’ comes those of us with a modicum of military tactical experience and knowledge see you people talking about ‘organizing’ a ‘1776 solution’
      when you can’t even organize serious PAC groups to ‘influence’ your Representatives to start Reversing/repealing/lawsuit challenging ALL gun control laws. And prohibiting all future gun control laws. While we still have a chance in this relatively gun friendly Chief administrative environment.

      Other wise STFU, bend over, and shit out your precious ammo and etc. supplies because you’ll quite certainly, as you see with the above info, get what you deserve, and deserve what you get.

      And I guarantee and promise it won’t be a Patriot Hero’s Welcome home parade.

      • Hey Stupid, write an Email to congress…shows what you know right there. Everyone knows if you actually want something read you put it to ACTUAL PAPER and snail mail it
        ..now do us all a favor and fuck off back to your D.N.C. funded trolling somewhere else…asshole.

      • 1964 Reynolds vs Sims affirmative action Supreme Court decision has created a California House and Senate that are both population controlled. Therefore all California residents not residing in Sacramento, San Francisco and La have 20% of state population and thus 20% of legislative influence in Sacramento.
        We have three state representatives for everyone living north of Sacramento. So tell me how writing a letter to them is going to make a difference?

    • They also forgot to mention that calif is now a Full Sanctuary State. You can go to jail for buying an illegal box of .22 lr but not if you’re an illegal felon that shoots & kills an American citizen.

  2. I’ve stocked up enough to hopefully last until Trump stacks the lower courts and the scotus with judges that are friendly to the constitution.

    If not. I will not buy anymore ammo or guns.

    • The solution is break up the 9th/wacko court. The move is afoot. If you think the ,arxist progtards are foaming at the mouth now…

      • Don’t be ridiculous. If the Ninth were to be broken up, the new courts would have a radically liberal circuit including the West Coast and Hawaii, and the conservative states that are currently part of the Ninth would go there own way. If that happens, all hope is lost for us in California, because the conservative members of the court, the only salvation, will be gone.

    • “I’ve stocked up enough to hopefully last until Trump stacks the lower courts and the scotus with judges”
      …..
      …oh, you meant ammo…
      Okay.
      🤠

    • If you need more, come to Arizona. We’ll sell to anyone.
      Is CA going to stop and search every car entering the state?

      • Big Bill, that’s a damn lie. I was in Phoenix not long ago and visited a gun shop and WalMart. The gun shop wouldn’t allow me to handle any of their firearms or ammo on the shelves because I had a California license plate. While I was in WalMart I asked to see a pellet rifle that was high up on a shelf. The “associate” asked where I was from and after telling him, I was told he would not and could not let me handle even a pellet gun!

  3. I will be concerned if the state sets up checkpoints at every highway and road into the state. Until then how the hell will anyone know if one drives to Nevada and stocks up there?

    • I would imagine Arizona and Nevada would follow the same protocol that Indiana does if I go across the border to buy a gun to bring back to Illinois as they enforce the 72 hour wait time to buy a handgun as they do for Illinois purchases which means I have to wait 3 days and go back to Indiana to pick up my purchase….if you are an Indiana resident and buy a gun in Indiana you don’t have any wait time except for the instant criminal back ground check and then you are good to go.

      • Arizona and Nevada, along with all the other free states, do not require ID for ammo purchase, unless one is fortunate enough to look or be underage. My 17 year old grandson has never had a problem buying rifle ammo.

        Assuming there will not be a black market for ammo in CA, is naive.

        • I have a full mountain jack beard and I still got IDed, then again I bought stocking stuffers at walmart and the chump probably wanted my ID for other reasons.

        • Wait until the NV legislature is back in session in two years.

          We are fully blue-stacked at this point, and, after the Route 91 fiasco I would posit that NV will be going full-PRC-type gun control in the next session. UBC, (at least attempted) AWB, BGC on ammo sales, etc. The only saving grace is that the session was done before the R91 shooting happened.

          Given the make up of the legislature in NV at this point there is nothing to stop them.

      • illinoisans (or anyone from a state that’s not indiana) won’t leave indiana with a handgun no matter how long you wait unless you are an ffl.
        for ammo if they spot your plates, or if using credit ask for i.d. they then are required to see your foid.
        for ammo in nevada don’t park near the window and pay with cash.

      • Nope. Arizona will sell to you if you’re from pretty much anywhere.
        Just go further than Yuma. I wouldn’t put it past CA agents staking out gun shops there.

    • Only the federal government can regulate interstate commerce, but this law is going to stand until somebody challenges it after being caught – and has a lot of money to spend.

      • Probably wouldn’t work, since the law only directly regulates California businesses by requiring face to face transactions. And although it makes it more difficult for non-state businesses to conduct business here, it doesn’t technically ban them either.

        • How does it not affect Midway, Sportsmans Guide etc?

          Also what is this wait for someone to get “caught”? Why isn’t this being outright challenged at the get go?

          In all seriousness, the lack of outrage and the passive we can’t fight this mentality is being seen by those of us elsewhere as Kalifornistan is getting the big suck because you let it happen.

        • “Also what is this wait for someone to get “caught”? Why isn’t this being outright challenged at the get go? ”

          It’s called “standing.”
          You need a reason to sue.

        • Ansell. Why haven’t the folk that stand to profit from challenging this law done anything? The ammo makers? The NRA? The SAF?

          Why does 1 American have to stand alone against tyranny?

    • My bet would be to have spotters at the nearest places where ammunition is sold. Then stop people as they enter California. No doubt the ever popular “It appears your tailight is out” excuse would work.
      Otherwise look for NRA decals and such and stop them.
      Keep in mind the gun grabbers have put some thought into this.

      • They’re going to stake out every Wal-Mart within a 20 minute drive of the California border?

        Good luck with that.

      • I know somebody that got caught bringing fireworks into ny from pa just this way. Nyc police were sitting at local places in pa and following cars w ny tags as they went through the city so would not supprise me obe bit if cali did the same thing

    • Actually, the PRC already DOES have checkpoints on every major road into the state. They were, in the past, for produce inspection.. I have had apples confiscated from the cooler in the bed of my pickup.
      I imagine these locations will be expanded to include.. what, ammo sniffing dogs?
      The new law does allow you to go to Nevada and bring back ammo.. 50 rnds I believe.

    • Yep, now they will ask if you have ammo at the Agriculture checkpoints on the state lines along with do you have any plants or vegetables.

  4. I don’t live in California nor smoke weed so this doesn’t affect me. I offer sympathy for gun owners there and advise them to leave. I’ve moved from several states over the years, it’s not impossible

    • It does not effect you, TODAY, but many state laws are modeled after other state laws, and even federal laws are fashioned from state laws. In the political climate today there is no effect outside the confines of Kalifornia, but political climates change.

      All POG should be concerned.

    • It will effect you eventually. You can keep running but they’ll eventually always find you. Domino Theory was and is still a valid theory.

      • That’s why most states have been slowly tightening their own gun laws over the last few years, right? Oh wait…

        (yeah, you can blame the occasional defeat in places like CO and WA on liberal transplants, absolutely. But those are exceptions; the general direction all over the country has been a loosening of gun restrictions)

      • Also, as a serious question, what would you propose be done about it? I’m well aware of domino theory, and in a military context, it (arguably) works. But in a situation where such extreme measures as outright offensive violence are not workable, well, what then? There is not even a snowball’s chance in hell of converting the die-hard anti gunners who make up the supermajority in places like CA and NY. If you dedicate your entire existence to that, and convince everybody you know to do the same, and appeal to the other side in every possible way, you’ll convert maybe 5%. Not enough, in other words. Sure, it sounds great to talk about “standing and fighting” or whatever, but in practical terms, what does that actual mean? Unless you’re talking about waging a shooting war against those who favor gun control. Which I wouldn’t be opposed to, but if that’s what you’re saying, you should come right out and say it.

        • I’m saying it.
          The only reason I’m not currently shooting is I don’t trust any of you the be on the hill behind me, and I’m am not well enough equipped to fight this war Rambo style.

  5. “If that’s not enough, you’ll now have to undergo a background check for that box of .22LR for your afternoon of plinking with the kids…The state will also record your purchases, keeping track of all of the ammo you buy in a new database they’ll be creating. ”

    Why does everybody keep reporting this? There’s no background checks, not until the middle of 2019. It’s been postponed twice, will possibly be thrown out later this year. I repeat: No Background Checks.

    This article is rife with inaccuracies and fud. It isn’t being ‘heavily regulated’. Only a handful of walmarts are discontinuing sales, and if you have an FFL03/COE you can have ammo ordered and delivered to your house.

    On the marijuana thing: It became legal for recreational use as of today, but you need to have a permit to sell in your city. As of this writing, zero cities have granted them. It isn’t like there’s people waiting outside around the block, lined up to buy their stash. It’s still at least another six months, maybe a year, until we see anything in this regard.

  6. The “background check” (which is not a NICS check) portion of the law doesn’t go into effect until July 1, 2019, at the same time buyers will have have state-issued ammo buyer’s cards (that cost $50, with a full blown background check and last for five years). Until then, dealers must keep paper records (because there is no system to submit them electronically) and fax them to the DOJ weekly. How the DOJ is going to process all of those paper records–other than just filing them–is unknown.
    No one knows how much it will cost to have a dealer hold interstate shipments for you and do the transfer–since the DOJ hasn’t issued the regulations necessary to effectuate that part of the law, nor the part for non-ffl ammunition vendors to sell ammo (so they are out of business for now), or how much will be charged for processing a purchase from the dealer. The regs have been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law (late), which isn’t set to rule on them for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, no one has seen them.

    Yes, I stocked up on my favorite brand in multiple calibers. I am probably good for a couple of years.

  7. Silver lining: Get your weed the old fashioned way and, given some time, your dealer will prolly have ammo too.

    A quarter oz of OG Kush and 100 rounds of 9mm. Pretty much makes your dealer a mini Wal-Mart. Well, as soon as they sell Doritos and Mt. Dew…

  8. So instead of driving to Nevada or Arizona to buy ammo, they can drive to Nevada or Arizona to buy ammo and shoot it at the range also in Nevada or Arizona near the ammo store, or perhaps even attached, and drive back to California only with their now dirty firearm in need of cleaning.

    • That’s what I do. I’m a Ca. resident, bought a condo in Mesa, put in a safe, moved all my guns (save for a a few Fudd approved types). Fuck it, it’s easier to drive 6 hours and spend a long weekend than to put up with Ca.’s bullshit. Plus, we got my wife’s aunt out of a trailer at the same time.

    • They can drive back with ammo too. It’s not illegal until you get caught.

      Since they can’t seem to stop illegal immigration, or importation of illegal drugs, I doubt they can stop ammo smuggling.

  9. How does the in state law have any relevance to an out of state retailer? Are UPS/FedEx a enforcers for the CA progtard legislature?

    • Fedex/UPS personnel in California can certainly be prosecuted for violating state law, such as those regarding the distribution of ammo.

      They won’t fall on any swords to protect your rights. Neither will out of state retailers.

  10. Just try to find ammo for your commie guns that has a bullet that isn’t attracted by a magnet in Ca, it is hard enough to find all 3 calibers(7.62 x39, 7.62 x25, and 9 x18)from the same seller online(to consolidate shipping charges).
    Crufflers who shoot other hard to get ammo will have even worse problems. Shooting WWI rifles and handguns of yesteryear will be almost be impossible without a well stocked reloading bench with plenty o tools.
    I am on a limited budget and it is hard enough to get to the range twice in a year. I can not afford a reloading habit on top of that.

    • The ranges I shoot at are smart enough to know that surplus 7.62×39 has a bi-metal cladding that will be attracted to a magnet, but the core is lead.
      They are also smart enough to know that surplus 7.62x54R is steel core without using a magnet.

    • By law, all the CA-licensed FFLs who sell guns are considered to be licensed ammo vendors. How many non-FFLs sell ammo I don’t know.

      Vendors need to restrict access to ammo to only employees, and employees who handle ammo need a CA ‘Certificate of Eligibility’ – basically you get to pay for another background check and local LEO get notified (“rap back”) if you get arrested.

      And no, reloading components are not (yet) included. It might be helpful to change the article pic to assembled ammo rather than that nice image of bins of projectiles.

      • I have read that there are over 4000 non-FFL ammunition vendors in the state, all of whom must be licensed by the state. Many applications have been approved, but no licenses have yet been issued because the regulations for such businesses have yet to be enacted. Proposed regulations are pending with another state agency and are due out in several days. Theoretically. Meanwhile, no sales at WallyWorld.

  11. Fornicate California, Fornicate Prohibition II.

    Less Fascism means more Freedom and Liberty. Why are some of you so afraid of that?

  12. Weed is not legal in California or anywhere else in the US. The Feds still can and will bust you. No fun allowed.

    • It’s been my observation that the feds will only bust you if you don’t pay someone their protection money – er, license fees and taxes.

  13. I’m gonna be honest with y’all, California and New York residents. I live in the Deep South. I work in law enforcement. If I was ever stopped or raided by any LE agency; because of what kinds of guns, or how much ammo I owned, honestly I couldn’t just sit there take that. I’d go down swinging… to hell with that shit. As Reagan said, “If we continue to accommodate, continued to back and retreat, eventually we must face the final demand, the ultimatum. And what then?”

    • Hank: You’re saying that you’re an LEO, and you’d fight other LEOs to the death rather than allow them to rob you under color of law?

      Next question: If ordered to take newly banned guns from somebody, would you do it, refuse to do it, or refuse to do it and kill the guy who ordered you to do it?

  14. Starting today, Rhode Island’s “pill mill” bill takes effect. The intent of the law is to combat the opioid epidemic. The new law allows federal law enforcement agencies to access state electronic prescription drug records without a warrant. There are concerns about whether to allow the DEA and FBI to investigate people involved in the medical marijuana industry. The Department of Health maintains the drug database and has been given significant authority to set the rules.

  15. I think this is going to get really interesting because it is setting-up a firestorms of conflicting interests and ridiculous Kommiefornia new laws. While there may be 10 million plus gun owners in K-fornia and 33 million plus guns, many of those guns are in possession but not legally owned and many by persons also in possession of marijuana (now “legal” by K-fornia Law, but still illegal by Federal Law). Many K-fornians who possess guns are woefully ignorant of K-fornia gun laws and/or don’t care about said laws and certainly have no problem possessing/using a heretofore “controlled substance”, which they can eventually buy “legally” at their local pot shop. There are powerful criminal elements who control the marijuana supply-chain and also possess significant numbers of firearms. These elements cannot be thrilled about the loss of revenue they are faced with, nor the costs of entering the “legal marijuana” trade, nor the costs of having to vend “safety tested” marijuana (when DDT and et cetera tainted weed sold just as well on the street for the last several decades). They will not react well.

    K-fornia has recently enacted a law that reduces the use of a gun in a crime to a virtual misdemeanor, is garnering the largest “homeless population” in the U.S. and, recently, declared itself a “Sanctuary State”.

    K-fornia Law Enforcement is about to see an increase in crime, and other Police-involving events, with little chance of getting many perpetrators convicted. Law-abiding K-fornians are about to be increasingly victimized by this escalating crime as criminal illegals flock to the State, and gang/drug sales related crime escalates. Some places will become the shithole of shitholes and other nice places will become shitholes.

    Kommiefornia has been regarded as the progressive paradigm, but I think it is about to become the paradigm of failure for Progressive Democratic Socialist rule. I just hope the Communists in Sacramento suffer the same loses as other California Families will suffer as the nightmare they have created unfolds.

  16. Can’t wait for criminals to start making their own “Cop Killa” AP pistol rounds. If your doing it illegally might as well do it illegally and better too!

  17. Why would anyone choose to live in that stinkhole that pretends to be a state? If their left-wing pols don’t drive you insane with their posturing and virtue-signaling nonsense, the likelihood is you’ll be burned out of your home by wildfires, sink into the Pacific thanks to injudicious building, be killed in a minor earthquake or die with all your neighbors in the Big One that is only a matter of time in coming. Oh, and if people come to their senses and deny LA the water from out-of-state rivers, that garbage dump will turn back into the desert it’s really been all along. Everything about CA is phony, pretentious, and pathetic.

  18. As a resident of the great state of NY-ISTAN I feel for my fellow gun owners in COMMIEFORNIA. Due to the knee jerk passage of the SafeACT IN 2013 we pretty much have similar problems. They tried to pass an ammo registration of sales in NY and it never happened. They were never able to format a database to do so. Not sure why but that seems to have gone away more or less. His Majesty King CUOMO GOVERNOR OF NY-ISTAN, is probably waiting for another shooting tragedy to push his full agenda through. I hope that they don’t just hold up ammo sales for you guys , using the excuse that they haven’t been able to come up with a database method. Would not hold my breath
    GOOD LUCK EVERYONE.

  19. Its a two pronged attack. California took Hillarie’s advice and is making ammo more and more difficult to get and they are also this year to confiscate semi-auto weapons as well and with the full blessing of the Supreme Court who in 2017 completely trashed the Scalia ruling as well as the Second Amendment.

    This is all nothing new in Britain the average famer is restricted to one box of .22 rim fire ammo a year and you can bet California will be doing the same eventually. Right now buying a large quantity of ammo will have the men in dark black sunglasses knocking down your door and shooting first and asking questions later. No need for false gaming reports by nut cases they have the ammo law to let them in now.

    Of course this was all the result in not having laws that vetted all gun purchases which let nut cases and criminals buy all the guns they could ever want with the resulting mass carnage and mass murders. This resulted in the panic and hysteria of the general public which now completely backs the destruction of the Second Amendment as 65 per cent of all Americans no longer own guns and cannot understand why anyone is allowed to even own a gun in the 21st century.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here