Took a trip to Cali near Disneyland with a drive into downtown LA, flew out there, first time in 26yrs, toenail clipper no problems thru TSA, didn’t care for the feeling of no EDC, cane user and i attract pan handlers, stayed with crowds except 1 night about 1am going to the rental car in a parking garage, couple of young men maybe early 20’s were ahead of me and slowed, i slowed, it was something, they stopped and were typing on their cells and eyes on the one guy shifted over his shoulder then they both hid behind a column and i had 50ft to the rental, hit the lock button until it blew its horn, once there i had my stuff put in and only had my cane then in my hands, went in front of the suv instead of turning my back on them, lol stupid suv wouldn’t let me drive off without seatbelt engaged, wouldn’t release parking brake!
Got right out of there, if a carjack or mugging everything could have been replaced, i just didn’t like being unarmed, didn’t want to get hurt, no humans at the pay gate either, everything is plastic and machines
USCCA head on a swivel & situational awareness topics were remembered
Glad you were able to avoid any confrontations!
Last week one of the construction guys on the project in CA that I work on was attacked coming out of a casino in the nearby town. He was hit from behind by someone with an unknown object. The hit broke his jaw. Haven’t been able to get any other details since his jaw is wrapped shut.
I’m traveling and staying in Monterey area for several months later this year. I’m pretty nervous about the endeavor. I’m planning on bringing a plain-old revolver as a house gun (assuming I get the squib cleared from my Model 66. grrrr) to avoid CA’s paranoia about magazine capacity limits. No semi-auto rifles. As a non-CA resident, I understand that cannot buy ammo in CA, so if I want to shoot anywhere while visiting, I’ll have to haul my own ammo stock. I also understand/believe that I must keep the firearm in a locked container while in a vehicle separate from the ammo.
Other than “Don’t travel to CA, you’ll be sorry if you do” do any CA residents have any suggestions/advice about traveling to CA with firearms?
I used to live in southern calf but now you couldn’t pay me to go there or even visit my safety isn’t worth going there .just my personal oppion.
The Monterey aquarium is worth the visit. The Bay is very pretty as well. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there but that area seemed less sketchy than SoCal or much of the Bay Area.
Last I checked (haven’t looked into the 23 new anti self defense bills signed into law last week) There were no laws against having an unloaded firearm in a vehicle in a locked container. There was also no law against having unloaded ammo or ammo in a loaded magazine (10 or less round capacity) not inserted in the pistol in the same container, though I have seen and read of cases where people were charged for having a “loaded” weapon when doing this though have not read of any cinvictions. To be safer many people lock the ammo in a separate container and keep it all out of reach in the vehicle. CA has a law stating that people can’t bring more than 50 rounds across the border from another State but this might only apply to CA residents to keep them from getting around the background check for ammo law.
You can carry that locked container from a place you are allowed to have it (ie your vehicle not parked in a prohibited area) to another place you are allowed to have it.
The primary goal of CA gun laws is to make sure if you ever need one to defend yourself you will be dead before you can get to it.
CA knife laws are also very wonky with many people being arrested and tried for carrying perfectly legal knives. They also have laws against batons and other self defense tools.
All this information is subject to change at any moment and may have already changed.
Enjoy CA. It is a beautiful place despite the incompetent and corrupt politicians. The most dangerous thing you will do while there is drive on the highways. There are a lot of incredibly bad drivers there though the worst ones are in SoCal.
Monterey isn’t a bad place to visit. Nearby Carmel and Pacific Grove too.
A little further south, Big Sur and Hearst Castle are worth a drive.
Just remember:
“Locked gun in a locked container”
makes leftists feel safe.
…and surveillance cameras don’t work where crimes most likely happen.
Welcome Robert-14-41 to the Hotel ‘Avoid Cali’ Continental’!
We hope you enjoy your stay Mr. Robert.
Thanks for the info. My wife went to high school in Pacific Grove. The area is beautiful, but utterly unaffordable.
I had not heard of the 50 round ammo import rule/law. I had hoped to use the public range at Laguna Seca during the stay and planned to bring 500+ rounds with me for that purpose since non-residents cannot buy ammo at all.
You should be able to purchase ammo at the range for shooting at that range on the same day.
It would be worth a call to find out.
Try the French toast for breakfast at Em-lys(Carmel)
Seafood at the Fish Wife(Pacific Grove)
likewise Phil’s Fish Shack((Moss Landing)
This. 
I stocked up prior to the implementation of oppressive laws so not really that familiar with them other than purchasing a box or two of self defense rounds to keep my inventory fresh.
It was part of the need a background check to purchase ammo in CA law to keep residents from crossing State lines to get ammo. Last I looked I could not find a definitive answer if it applied to non CA residents since we can’t purchase ammo in CA except maybe at a formal range.
It could be that it just applies to CA residents. The handgun roster only applies to residents. Out of state folks can take none roaster firearms into the state as long as they don’t have “high capacity” mags or any other features that might break CAs other countless anti self defense laws. Might be as with other CA laws that it is open to the interpretation of LEOs and prosecutors. If anyone has found a more definitive answer I’d be interested in hearing it.
I read through several sections of the California Penal Code and the FAQs on the AG’s website.
I did find an exception for sales of ammo at a range where all the ammo is used at the range. So, if a range sells ammo (which may not be true for the state Laguna Seca range that is near where I will be in Monterey), I may be able to buy small quantities of ammo without going through the registration/permitting process envisioned by California’s ammo laws.
The import of ammo rules/laws start with a reference to CA residents, but visitors seem to have not been considered. So, I still don’t know whether a visitor can bring ammo into the state for personal use.
The firearms and ammo laws in CA are truly a mess.
Semiauto with 10 rounds max capacity, plus one in the chamber, is ok.
Don’t get caught with a “high capacity” mag even if you only loaded it with 10. I didn’t bother to get it but you could own a hi-cap but had to manually restrict so it won’t accept more than 10.
Not planning to take anything with a magazine. Still looking for the laws/rules pertaining to ammo brought into the state by a non-CA resident. I’ve found lots of baffling stuff about residents who buy ammo and/or bring it into the state, but nada on ammo possessed by visitors.
By design, of course.
I once planned on going to Laguna Seca and until you mentioned it, I didn’t know the County runs it.
Are you flying like the OP?