Volume 44- No. 4
January 24, 2013
by lyle e davis
Many of us can recall a time when we’d go to the hardware store or the gun shop, see a rifle or shotgun we liked, purchased it, went home, then went target shooting or hunting. Indeed, I remember when I was a young married, going to the hardware store, seeing single shot, .22 caliber rifles, buying two, and taking my then-wife out for an afternoon of target shooting. I think I paid $22 for each rifle. No filling out of forms, no formalities, just paid the bill, collected the weapons, and was on my way. Later on, it was fairly common to admire someone’s .410, 12 guage or 20 guage shotgun . . . or his hunting rifle, make an offer, buy it, and go about your business. No more.
Whether it’s a rifle, shotgun or a handgun you’re thinking of, there are a few things you need to know in today’s world. California gun laws allow almost anyone to buy a firearm without a license. The only people generally prohibited from acquiring or possessing a gun are: •felons (that is, anyone convicted of any felony offense in any jurisdiction), •persons convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses, •persons who are addicted to narcotics, •persons who suffer from mental illness, and •minors (that is, anyone under 18)
As long as you don't fall into one of these categories, there are several ways that you can legally exercise your Second Amendment right to bear The Paper - 760.747.7119
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arms.
In the case of a long gun, such as a rifle or shotgun, it’s a bit easier than with handguns. You have to supply appropriate ID and you have a 10 day waiting period while a background check is done on you. If you clear the background check you can come pick up your rifle or shotgun from the dealer, after the 10 days has expired and presuming you pass the background check.
Assault Weapons
This question appears to be uppermost in most people’s area of interest. The problem appears to be one of both definition and over-reaction. In fact, California has prohibited assault weapons for years; but that generally refers to automatic weapons. To even own one, let alone buy and sell them, you need a class 3 firearms license (this covers machine guns, etc., the true
assault weapons. Class 3 licenses are difficult and expensive to obtain). On a true automatic weapon, you pull the trigger and the weapon continues to fire until the trigger is released. That hasn’t been legal for years. Yet the exact same weapon, once you disable the automatic feature and make it a semi-automatic (where you pull the trigger, one bullet fires, and you have to pull the trigger each successive time you wish to fire, is, and has been for some time, legal.)
“So You Want to Buy a Gun?” Continued on Page 2