I was online and pondering about purchasing a fine ar 15 kit from the reputable Palmetto state aRmory.
now…
I have a question. …
see, I live in sunny souther CAlifornia and good ol newsom aint 2 big on rights…
and the Ar15 kit from Palmetto comes with a pistol gripm, adjustable stock, and a flash hider all of which are a no no for a featureless rifle in this state, but legal with a dum ol maglock.
so, if i Wanted to do a featureless build and had the kit shipped to my abode, but i dont use the non-ca compliant parts, and i’d buy ca compliant parts for my featureless build, is that alright?
will i get In trouble with the cops? and be thrown in jail to the mercy of the prison showers?
Welcome Daniel. In looking at the website you refer to they will not ship non-compliant items to the people’s republic of Kaliforna. It may require it to go to an FFL, so in that regard if they will ship, and the FFL will receive and complete the necessary paperwork, you should be in the clear. I lived in So Cal for 66 years. At one time it was a great place, but with all the negative changes, had to get out. If you’re stuck there as I was, I’d make sure you do everything by the book. I wish you good luck, and welcome.
You’re a brave man for wanting to attempt a build with the constantly changing laws here. Once upon a time I’d have said you are correct. The lower receiver was the only part considered a “firearm” and what you attach to it determines whether it’s legal or not. But I’ve lost track on laws for obtaining the parts for the build. It’s difficult enough trying to keep up with the ever changing laws on the finished build. If I was going to do it, I’d probably go to a major retailer like Turner’s, Sportsman’s, Cabela’s, etc., and see what they have available to grab off the shelves vs what’s in or behind a cabinet, requiring a sales associate’s assistance to purchase. And then have a chat with someone behind the counter. They’ll know the laws pretty well because they’re selling featureless ARs, receivers, and parts and have to stay current on what they can or can’t do. The smaller firearms dealers won’t necessarily be up to date because they don’t have the corporate legal teams who keep track of the ever changing laws. The same is true of Palmetto because most CA laws can only impact the CA resident, not the out of state seller. Some out of state merchants get it right and others don’t. Some are overly conservative and some just flat out won’t sell anything to CA.
Good luck. Maybe we’ll get a favorable outcome on Duncan v Becerra by next March
…and then they can resume with Miller at some point next year
…which will eventually make its way to en banc panel in the 9th Circuit however many years later at which point you might be able to build it any way you want to.
