Governor signs ammo restriction bill in California

[DCWilson]

Somehow I saw this coming, though I hoped I would be wrong. Our governor signed into law a bill that makes it more difficult to buy handgun ammunition in California.

I and just about everybody I know who is interested in shooting and collecting sent letters to Governor Schwarzenegger and recommended that he veto AB 962, but he declined to kill the bill. He had previously vetoed similar legislation, but let it go through this time. It didn't help the cause of shooting sports advocates that leading state law enforcement officials, including LA County Sheriff Lee Baca and Police Chief William Bratton, were supporters of the legislation.

So now there will be no open handgun ammunition stocks in gun stores, not even .22 LR; a counter guy needs to give you what you ask for; you will need to show a valid ID, sign for your ammunition and leave a thumbprint when you buy ammo; you may not make direct ammo purchases over the internet, though it seems to be the case you can have ammo shipped to a gun store and pick it up there with a thumbprint and ID; as an individual you may not transfer more than 50 rounds per month to another party, even a family member; and some other stuff.

The only good news here is that the bad news isn't worse. I can still buy the ammo I want, providing my store has it in stock. I just have to put up with the inconvenience and jump through more hoops before I get to walk out of the store with it. Millions of shooters have just been inconvenienced in order to block easy access to ammo for a few thousand hard cases who will find some other way to get the ammunition they want that doesn't involve playing this game. Legitimate shooting sports enthusiasts and businesses will get additional burdens and the bad guys who were the presumed targets of such legislation will just yawn and sidestep it. What a surprise.

Goes into effect July 1 of next year.

 

[153]

I don't think there is any "good news" in this bill.

I am sure this will be followed by more and more restrictive legislation, which will get signed and passed.

CA is just a test case for the anti-gunners, if it passes here they are going to try and push it on the other 49 states. Unless we can elect some real pro-gun folks to office and turn this around it's only going to get worse.

 

[Spotteddog]

Well,
Since everything California does, we (Washington state) seem to do 1 to 3 years later, I'll expect to be seeing this as early as the 2010' legislative session here?
Yippy, Skippy, (you know the last).

 

[smith17]

Wow! No direct shipping to CA residents?

 

[oldRoger]

What possible use is this law? By that I mean how was it justified, what crime solving purpose is it alleged to have?
The only purpose I can see is to shift more business out of state.
Chicago passed or was trying to pass an outright ban on ammunition sales in the city, it was alleged that a ban would go far toward eliminating gang violence (??!!). Marijuana comes in by the ton, but an ammunition ban would keep out a few pounds of ammunition, it seems.


Political logic baffles the ordinary mind.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Does it contain anything about components?
Just buy it out of state while on vacation.

How are "dealers" going to sell it at gun shows?
It'll be like some stores that have empty cans of powder on the shelf to represent what they have inventoried in the back.
Just "empty" boxes of ammunition.

I hope Montana, Texas or Georgia one day enacts a law stating that all precedents set in California cannot be cited in a court of law. We had some movement on this here a while back- we just need to push it.

 

[Spotteddog]

I love it!
They can't keep illegals out, or business owners in, but this is somehow going to be effective at keeping ammo off of the streets?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over,
and expecting a different outcome?
If they're not careful, the black market for small arms stuff and tobacco products (both in theory anyway legal?), may exceed in gross dollar terms the illegal drug trade, which they gain NO tax revenue from. On the bright side, that may the re-birth of capitalism in California. Because it'll be outside the scope and ability of government to control. Yet again assuring that zero tax revenue accrues to the state from the commerce? Translation: Due to it being beyond the reach of government's thumb to be placed on the scale, it'll be a complete success. And the states activities to regulate and tax once again will be an abject dismal failure.

 

[smith17]

Arnold's statement

I just read the governator's statement giving the reasons why he signed the bill. Assinine. "It has been shown that it will improve public safety". Assinine.

Ed

 

[mkk41]

And in other California news , "Schwarzenegger signs bill honoring gay-rights activist"!

Seems like Californians care more about gay rights than gun rights.

 

[robertrwalsh]

One more slice of the salami by the liberals, communists and other jerkoffs intent on making the world safe for criminals.

 

[vytoland]

you folks in california need to terminate the "terminator" at the ballot box.

 

[foureyes]

He won't be back

The terminator is term limited.

 

[Spotteddog]

Has anybody actually witnessed Maria inserting her hand through his back to move his lips?

 

[MTOBRIEN]

Gun rights was the biggest reason my wife and I did not move to California a couple of years ago. I refuse to give up my WWII M1 and high capacity mags because a state tells me/bans them.

 

[44forever]

Well, for the next nine months the ammo shortage

can be expected to continue as the state of California's shooters try to amass a lifetime supply. Come to think of it, a lifetime supply IS a pretty good idea.

 

[Hoptob]

Folks in Nevada and Arizona still have 9 month to open up ammo stores on CA border.

BTW is it legal to reload in CA or does one need an "ammo manufacturer license"?

 

[Spotteddog]

It's kinda funny, ain't it?
The only two areas of the economy doing land office business are both in the "commodities" area.
The commodities of Gold and Lead.

 

[dd698]

Abandon California. Give it to Mexico and mine the borders with claymores and put gun towners in 200 yds apart. I really like visiting the place [in particular San Diego] and I would not mind using my passport like I do in other foreign countrys. Goofy Arnold sounds like a foreigner anyway

 

[Amici]

Gun rights was the biggest reason my wife and I did not move to California a couple of years ago. I refuse to give up my WWII M1 and high capacity mags because a state tells me/bans them.

I'm guessing you mean an M1 CARBINE and not the true M1, the Garand.

At any rate, while CA usually leads the nation in liberal drivel, in this instance it is a late-comer to such cretinism. YEARS ago the MA Attorney General, by fiat, forbade out-of-state mail order of ammo and a firearms license has been required for the lawful purchase OR possession of same - INCLUDING sprays and components - since 1998.

Remember - it's to Save Our Children......

 

[dano1200r]

With CA's massive debt and heavy tax burden, I shake my head at the stupidity of this. Not 1 less crime will occur because of this law; yet the price of ammo will go up and without ammunition, 2A is hollow. I'm waiting for the legal argument from some anti that the right to ban arms doesn't apply to ammo, mags, scopes, and whatever else they throw into the "ban" list. Don't people in CA. want to be able to defend themselves? Are there that many sheep in CA?