California tightens leash on ammo

[HOSSISFREE]

Text from an email I received from Holsterama.com

Gov. Schwarzenegger signs CA ammo-regulation bill

People buying ammunition in California will soon have to be thumbprinted and dealers will have to keep records of sales. After vetoing similar bills three times since 2004, Schwarzenegger signed AB962 into law, saying he now believes it will promote public safety.



Starting in July, the law will require dealers to keep records of handgun ammunition sales for at least five years, and store the bullets securely out of customers' reach.

Like gun transactions, all ammunition sales will have to be face-to-face, a requirement that will force online buyers to arrange delivery of ammunition to a seller in California.

As of February 2011, all ammunition buyers will have to provide a driver's license or other state identification and a thumbprint.



Opponents said the restrictions would burden gun owners and dealers without impeding criminals. "Ammunition or ammunition purchaser registration, in any form, serves only to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens," Gun Owners of California said while the bill was before the Legislature.

Source: SF Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1A4M82.DTL

[Skiprr]

Chuck Michel, an attorney and spokesman for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, said...the association is examining AB 962 and expects lawsuits will be filed against the law before it takes effect. The organization is also waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on McDonald v. Chicago, a case that centers on the application of the Second and Fourteenth amendments of the constitution on state laws regulating firearms, Michel said.

If this thing takes effect in February 2011 as scheduled, anybody want to look at a business plan to open a chain of small, store-front ammo stores along the Nevada and Arizona borders?

[HOSSISFREE]

Drive-Thru Ammo depot! Yeah Baby!

Hoss

[Zee]

Gov. Schwarzenegger (R) sure doesn't follow party lines.

[Bonc_CHL]

[/quote]
If this thing takes effect in February 2011 as scheduled, anybody want to look at a business plan to open a chain of small, store-front ammo stores along the Nevada and Arizona borders? [/quote]

I think thats a great idea,,, im in!!!

[williamkevin]

Gov. Schwarzenegger (R) sure doesn't follow party lines.

....More like "In-Law" lines!!!

[LostInAustin]

I'm in too skipprr!!

[The Annoyed Man]

When I lived in Pasadena, California, the city council passed an ordinance pretty much like this one, with the exception that the PPD was given the responsibility of collecting the purchase records from the dealers, and then maintaining those records. It only lasted a few months. Then the chief of the PPD told the city council that he just wasn't going to enforce their stupid ordinance anymore because it required enough manpower that it was reducing the force's ability to effectively patrol the streets. He said they had a choice of adding X number of new officers to the payroll, or rescinding the law. They caved and rescinded it.

But I made a number of ammo purchases during those months. There was a clipboard with a stack of forms next to each register, and you had to give your ID to the checkout clerk, who then recorded your name, address, CDL number, and then each and every box of cartridges by caliber, quantity, and lot number.

It made every ammo purchase take about 3 times longer than it should have too. Man was I glad when that one went away.

As a number of my friends who still live in California have pointed out, pretty much anywhere you live in California, either Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon is not that far of a drive away. People will simply combine their ammo purchases with other out of state business. And since you've got to go the Arizona/Nevada/Oregon for ammo, you might as well stop at their Walmarts/Costcos/Sam's Clubs and buy your groceries, bed sheets, sporting goods, and tires. And while you're there, you might as well eat in their restaurants, take in their movies, and enjoy their tourist attractions. Oh, and don't forget to stop and gas up your vehicles before driving back into California where the gas costs are higher.

Stupid Sacramento democrats and rinos never think beyond their immediate feel good buzz.

[Skiprr]

As a number of my friends who still live in California have pointed out, pretty much anywhere you live in California, either Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon is not that far of a drive away. People will simply combine their ammo purchases with other out of state business. And since you've got to go the Arizona/Nevada/Oregon for ammo, you might as well stop at their Walmarts/Costcos/Sam's Clubs and buy your groceries, bed sheets, sporting goods, and tires. And while you're there, you might as well eat in their restaurants, take in their movies, and enjoy their tourist attractions. Oh, and don't forget to stop and gas up your vehicles before driving back into California where the gas costs are higher.

Yep; and don't forget that California already has the highest state sales tax in the country.

Take a Burger King, slap an ammo store onto it, put some gas pumps out front, and voila! "Bullhead Burgers & Bullets." Make the drive to AZ or NV or Oregon (no state sales tax at all), make your household purchases, and on the way back out of town stop at Bullhead's for a case of .223, a case of 9mm, fill-up the tank for the drive home, and get bacon cheeseburgers and large Coke's for everyone.

[The Annoyed Man]

Most California politicians are addicts as sure as any junkie. They can see no further than their next power grab or policy "fix," and they never consider the unintended consequences.

...which explains the state of the California economy.

So if the price of a tank of gas can be recouped in 3 times that amount in savings on merchandise you're going to buy anyway and taxes, plus you get to spend a day doing something interesting out of state, it becomes a no-brainer to go and do it. And a certain number of those folks who do so are going to eventually twig to the notion that perhaps they would be better off living outside of California. What amazes me is that people aren't leaving the state at a higher rate than they already are.

[Mithras61]

Text from an email I received from Holsterama.com

Gov. Schwarzenegger signs CA ammo-regulation bill

People buying ammunition in California will soon have to be thumbprinted and dealers will have to keep records of sales. After vetoing similar bills three times since 2004, Schwarzenegger signed AB962 into law, saying he now believes it will promote public safety.

I must be stupid, 'cause I sure can't see how this will promote public safety.

Is there some secret code on bullets somewhere that will allow them to be traced to a particular buyer or something? Is this somehow related to the retarded and nonfunctional idea of micro-stamping?

I mean, sure I can see if they recover the brass they might be able to narrow it down to manufacturer, and caliber isn't even a real issue, but how will this help in any way to reduce crime or promote public safety?

Sort of reminds me of the north-eastern state (Maryland, maybe?) where the state police "register" a bullet fired from a gun when it is purchased and that is somehow supposed to help them figure out who owns/owned the gun used in a crime. The law that created a database that in the half-dozen years or so its been around has cost the state millions of dollars to maintain, and helped solve exactly zero crimes.

[Zee]

You'd think a state that has trouble meeting payroll wouldn't be creating silly jobs.

[Pete92FS]

As a number of my friends who still live in California have pointed out, pretty much anywhere you live in California, either Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon is not that far of a drive away. People will simply combine their ammo purchases with other out of state business. And since you've got to go the Arizona/Nevada/Oregon for ammo, you might as well stop at their Walmarts/Costcos/Sam's Clubs and buy your groceries, bed sheets, sporting goods, and tires. And while you're there, you might as well eat in their restaurants, take in their movies, and enjoy their tourist attractions. Oh, and don't forget to stop and gas up your vehicles before driving back into California where the gas costs are higher.

Stupid Sacramento democrats and rinos never think beyond their immediate feel good buzz.

That will work until Kalifornia sets up their own Customs stations and charges duty on all the contraband coming across state lines. (sarcasm intended).

[pdubyoo]

You'd think a state that has trouble meeting payroll wouldn't be creating silly jobs.

I doubt they plan on adding head-count to enforce the new law, but you can rest assured that the Obama administration will point to it as the next 500,000 jobs created.

[Oldgringo]

Most California politicians are addicts as sure as any junkie. They can see no further than their next power grab or policy "fix," and they never consider the unintended consequences.

...which explains the state of the California economy.

So if the price of a tank of gas can be recouped in 3 times that amount in savings on merchandise you're going to buy anyway and taxes, plus you get to spend a day doing something interesting out of state, it becomes a no-brainer to go and do it. And a certain number of those folks who do so are going to eventually twig to the notion that perhaps they would be better off living outside of California. What amazes me is that people aren't leaving the state at a higher rate than they already are.

When we entered California this past August on our way out of Reno upwards through Susanville toward the Redwoods and the Oregon coast, we were treated most rudely by a female "fruit guard". Her demeanor was much like that of a police state. Inasmuch as I had disarmed but had several handguns in the truck and our the little RV, we didn't want a "fruit" search of our vehicles in this police state so we put up with her arrogance.

in summary: as far as California is concerned - we've been there and done that.