Could Be Worse

[Squib Joe]

Here are the steps for buying (an "approved" ) firearm in California:

1. Ten day waiting period.

2. $25 fee for background check.

3. Clean criminal and mental health record.

4. Valid California Driver’s License or California Identification Card.

5. Handgun safety certificate.
This means that you will need to take and pass a 30-question test, in the store, to receive this certificate. There is a $25 fee and it is good for five years. A hunting license is not acceptable. The exemptions are:

a. Active or retired peace officer.
b. Active or retired military (20 years and out).
c. Peculiar and limited authority peace officer.
d. CCW holders.
e. Certified firearm instructors.
f. FFL holders.

6. You need to be a California resident, and will need to prove your residency by providing ONE of the following items:
a. Rental or lease agreement.
b. Utility bill within the last three months.
c. Property deed.
d. Government license with expiration date.
e. Signed, dated and notarized rental agreement or contract.

Unacceptable proofs of residency are:
a. Cellular phone bill.
b. Passport.
c. Pay stub.

7. When you purchase or pick up your firearm, you will need to perform a safety demonstration with the gun you are purchasing, in the store.
This requires that you follow all firearm safety rules, checking to see that the firearm is unloaded, remove a trigger lock from the gun, load one dummy round into the gun and chamber the round, and unload and relock the firearm.

8. Before leaving the store, you must have a California approved lock box, safe, or trigger lock for your firearm.

9. You will need to have your thumbprint taken (this is done in the store).

[rukwikenuf]

and again, i'm GLAD i'm no longer in California. sure, the weather is nicer.... but that's where it ends.
oh, the trips to Tijuana for $10 cartons of Camels is a nice thing too

[justaguy]

Seems logical.

[SparkyJeff]

Is this process for a handgun, or a long gun?

I know it says.

5. Handgun safety certificate.

But, California is kinda screwy.

[crbutler]

California is bad. So are New York and Chicago.

But the work a citizen has to go through to just be able to own one gun in most countries causes them to pale by comparison.

And the good ol' USA isn't too friendly to legal gun owners from other countries, either. Ask someone who wants to hunt here who is from another nation and wants to bring his own gun...

[SparkyJeff]

And the good ol' USA isn't too friendly to legal gun owners from other countries, either. Ask someone who wants to hunt here who is from another nation and wants to bring his own gun...

Is anyone from another nation reading this? Do you want to hunt here with your own gun? Can you tell me about the difficulties you face while trying to do that? I have no idea, but, now I'm curious.

Thank you very much
Jeff

[Ironsight87]

I will never complain about buying a gun here ever again...

[ex-LT]

My how things have changed. I bought two handguns when I was stationed in CA. Granted, this was pre-Clintoon....

1. Five day waiting period
2. No background check fee
3. I don't know if the criminal/mental health background checks were done - if they were, I passed
4. MN driver's license (plus military ID)
5. No safety certificate or test (active military may have exempted that, I don't know)
6. I don't recall if I had to provide proof of residency
7. No safety demonstration required
8. No trigger lock

I still have the .357 I bought out there. Sold the 9mm before I moved back to MN.