Transporting firearms in California

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Ubiety

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Did a little research this morning and would appreciate "local" feedback on the rules for an out-of-stater who plans on transporting firearms through CA.

1. Over 18 and legally able to posses firearms.
2. No concealed carry permit reciprocity with my home state.
3. No large magazines; 10 rounds or less. Assume 6 round revolver is ok anyway you slice it.
4. Unloaded during transport
5. Handguns locked in a container during transport while in vehicle or to/from where you are going to "use" it.

Do these sum it up? Am I missing anything above? What about ammo? Any ammo expressly out of bounds?

From a CA website:
Pursuant to California Penal Code section 16850, the term "locked container" means a secure container that is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, key lock, combination lock, or similar locking device. This includes the trunk of a motor vehicle, but does not include the utility or glove compartment.

My main question is around legal "secure containers". I don't have a "trunk" but I do have a locking canopy and locking storage under the back seat. Are these good enough or would handguns need to be in a separate locking container?

Furthermore, the handgun must be carried directly to or from any motor vehicle for any lawful purpose and, while being carried must be contained within a locked container.

Any wisdom around the requirement around transporting in a locked container outside of a vehicle? My question is whether or not a handgun would need to be in a locked container inside of a tent while I was present (at night, etc.)

Thanks!
 
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I use a phone app called Legal Heat. They do a pretty good job of summarizing what you can and can't do as well as tell you which states have reciprocity.
 
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MMc

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It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on things. When I transport in my car and to a range, my firearms are apart. I pull the bolt, or separate the upper and lower, pull the cylinder. In CA they are gun parts not guns, this doesn't work well for personal protection, but CA doesn't much care about you and your safety.
Ammo is in its own locked container like trunk is fine.

I live in CA a member of CRPA and know and follow the laws.
 
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bgenlvtex

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Not an attorney, Certainly not one in California.

Your "canopy" is the equivalent of a locked trunk.

I personally would store the gun(s) and ammunition in separate lockable containers in separate compartments when going behind enemy lines. For instance gun(s) in a locked container inside the cab, ammo in a locked container in the back.

Once I stop concealed means concealed and they can poke their legislation into an appropriately sized bodily orifice with or without lube, their choice.
 
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MMc

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Shipping firearms as a citizen in CA has problems, UPS and Fed want to go through a FFL. They can be sent to yourself C/O a friend. It’s easier to breakdown a firearm than removing a firing pin, IMO
 
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Correus

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MMc said:
Shipping firearms as a citizen in CA has problems, UPS and Fed want to go through a FFL. They can be sent to yourself C/O a friend. It’s easier to breakdown a firearm than removing a firing pin, IMO
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Shipping a firearm from CA - yes, shipping a firing pin - no. Firing pins are typically easy to remove without disassembling the whole firearm.

It also depends on the type of firearm. C&R firearms can be shipped from person to person - with the blessings of the ATF - without needing to go through a FFL. I have done this several times, even from CA. Modern firearms have to be shipped to a FFL person.

The OP is not from CA and said they were passing through it.
 
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smritte

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An assembled gun without a firing pin is going to be questioned and most likely taken if it was illegally stored. The person giving you grief is not going to pull the bolt or rack the slide to look no matter how much you whine.
On my handguns, the slides are removed for transportation and the rifles either the bolt or the upper is pulled. These are put in a separate box.

The question is, why are you being searched to begin with? Its not like a border crossing in and out of a third world country here. Lock the weapons and call it good.
 
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Ubiety

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Correus said:
If just traveling through the People's Republic of California, have you thought about removing the firing pins and shipping them to your destination? Same with mags if you use them?
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Nope, destination is in CA - should have been more clear. Not going to go through the hassle of shipping if I can legally transport though. I may pull the cylinder if that is an easy task to do and then reassemble. From my understanding locking guns/ammo up separately should do the trick. Thanks!
 
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ptgarcia

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Your first post lays out exactly what you need to do. There is no need to break the gun down, no need to separate magazines from the gun, no need to lock ammo in a container. All you need to do is keep the unloaded gun (and I suggest with the magazine) in a locked container. Even that is not 100% accurate; there are exclusions and exceptions based on vehicle configuration. But best practice is to lock the gun in a gun case of some kind and keep it in an area in the vehicle other than on the seat next to you (such as the trunk of your car or under/behind the rear seat in a truck). I prefer to keep my firearms inside the cab while transporting, but sometimes there is no room so they end up in the bed of the truck. Either way, they are stored in a locked container. I keep my ammo in cans that are never locked.

When camping on public lands, you're campsite is considered your "home" and you are allowed to carry, license or not, or store your weapon the same way you would at your house.
 
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ptgarcia said:
Your first post lays out exactly what you need to do. There is no need to break the gun down, no need to separate magazines from the gun, no need to lock ammo in a container. All you need to do is keep the unloaded gun (and I suggest with the magazine) in a locked container. Even that is not 100% accurate; there are exclusions and exceptions based on vehicle configuration. But best practice is to lock the gun in a gun case of some kind and keep it in an area in the vehicle other than on the seat next to you (such as the trunk of your car or under/behind the rear seat in a truck). I prefer to keep my firearms inside the cab while transporting, but sometimes there is no room so they end up in the bed of the truck. Either way, they are stored in a locked container. I keep my ammo in cans that are never locked.

When camping on public lands, you're campsite is considered your "home" and you are allowed to carry, license or not, or store your weapon the same way you would at your house.
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None of my semi-auto pistols have "small" (<= 10 rounds) magazines so I'll take a revolver; problem solved. Long guns are a different story re: CA law and I'm not sure that I will even bring one; maybe a shotgun. Thanks!
 
MMc

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With the modern sporting rifles I would check with CRPA as to what is legal. CA Pistol Rifle Assoc. is the best source for what is legal or not in CA. I have found them very helpful in the past.
 
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DIYTaco15

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I will be driving through cal in 2 weeks to a firearms class in nevada. The guns I am bring are illegal by cal laws. Last time I drove through had no issues and didn’t pull the pins or removed the bolts from anything. They were all in the back seat of my truck locked.
 
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