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California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:30 pm
by Caseknife
I am headed to northern Cal, Red Bluff area, at the end of March and was thinking about taking my 450. What are the limitations regarding the law? Do I need to use the factory 5rd mag, or is it even legal to hunt in Cal with an AR? Thanks in advance, Tom.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:07 am
by wildcatter
Caseknife wrote:I am headed to northern Cal, Red Bluff area, at the end of March and was thinking about taking my 450. What are the limitations regarding the law? Do I need to use the factory 5rd mag, or is it even legal to hunt in Cal with an AR? Thanks in advance, Tom.


Hi-Ya, CaseKnife...FYI, I've carried a knife on my belt for well more than 40 years. My First was a Case-Knife..t

But for limitations you're going to have to read the rules in the rule book you get when you buy your license. Or give your fish and game a call. Do a web search to find their number. I'd really doubt that they restrict the 450b, as they need those piggies dead!!

..t

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:27 am
by Jim in Houston
I beleive that any semi automatic firearm with detachable magazine is illegal in California. AR platform firearms sold in California are equiped with a magazine release the requires a tool to release the magazine, the so called bullet button. There are other restrictions as well, in that I also believe that there is a list of prohibitied firearms that you should consult. Any firearm with bushmaster in its name is going to draw attention.

I suggest contacting the California State Rifle and Pistol Association, http://www.crpa.org/ or perusing the California AG's website. I would give a link, but everyone I tried was spectacularly uninformative.

Here is a summary from Wikipeida that may be applicable to your firearm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_California):

. . . the following firearms are banned by characteristic (from Penal Code ยง12276.1):

(1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
(A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
(B) A thumbhole stock.
(C) A folding or telescoping stock.
(D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
(E) A flash suppressor.
(F) A forward pistol grip.
(2) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 3:05 pm
by Caseknife
Thanks, guys for the input. Just got off the line with the Cali fish and game office, she said that it had to have a detachable magazine that held a max of 10 rounds and that the bullet had to be expanding. I'll do a little more research before I head down with one gun that may be illegal in CA.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:10 pm
by bps
Check out http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/index.php and their flowcharts in the header.

It should state exactly what you need.

Lots of other good info there too.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:06 pm
by 3rdgeargrndrr
Caseknife wrote:Thanks, guys for the input. Just got off the line with the Cali fish and game office, she said that it had to have a detachable magazine that held a max of 10 rounds and that the bullet had to be expanding. I'll do a little more research before I head down with one gun that may be illegal in CA.


NONDETACHABLE magazine, unless you have a so called featureless rifle.
no pistol grip, no flash hider.
Just get a bullet button for $10 on ebay. and install it before you come into the state.
I have the Raddlocks on all my AR's, you can easily switch back to standard configuration when you leave the state

I havent read anything about legally requiring a projectile to be expanding, , but that is what we generally would use anyhow legal issues aside

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:13 pm
by 3rdgeargrndrr

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:27 am
by Caseknife
Thanks for all the input, guys. Did go to Calguns.net and registered and asked the same question. I am screwed because of the Bushmaster XM-15 lower. I could put it on my R-15 lower and install a BB mag release, but now I am a bit gun-shy about California laws and think that I will just take one of my numerous bolt rifles like I did before. BTW, WC, my name is the drainage where I have been hunting elk for the last 30 years, and I'm sure it got its name from a lost/found knife.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:30 pm
by BillytheKid
The Bushmaster brand lower receiver is specifically banned in California.
The legal work around is to use an 'off list' lower receiver with your Bushmaster upper.

Re: California Pig Hunt

PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:39 am
by Caseknife
Just ordered a BB from Midway, might swap my 450 upper to my R-15 lower, install the BB and go for it, but might not.