With the passage of AB 962, anybody purchasing handgun ammunition in California will have to register with the state starting on February 1, 2011. What this means to gun owners in California, and the rest of America, will have repercussions for years to come.
California consumers will have to provide their name, address, date of birth, and right thumbprint to the seller in order to complete the transaction. The seller must maintain these records for at least five years and make them available to inspection for any law enforcement official conducting an investigation where ammunition records may be relevant.
All transactions must be conducted in person, so mail order sales will be banned.
According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), California consumers buy about 1.2 billion rounds of ammunition annually, about 12% of the total U.S. market. While some of this is rifle ammunition, there’s some vagary in the new law which may result in rifle ammunition purchasers being included under the new law:
Where ammunition or reloaded ammunition may be used in both a rifle and a handgun, it may be sold to a person who is at least 18 years of age, but less than 21 years of age, if the vendor reasonably believes that the ammunition is being acquired for use in a rifle and not a handgun.
This reasonability test creates a gray area, and considering California’s anti-rights history, any doubts will likely side towards the seller requiring your personal information. For example, people with .22 rifles may have to register, because of all the .22 target pistols that fire the same rounds.
Bottom line: If rifle owners believe they have somehow escaped unscathed, they are only fooling themselves. Also, there is nothing stopping the legislature from revising this law to include all ammunition in the future.
Impact on ammunition availability
Cabela’s is already on record that they will discontinue California ammunition sales when AB 962 goes live. Between high demand, and the hassles created by the new law, Cabela’s has no motive to continue selling there. This drop in supply will raise prices for California consumers, but supply redistribution will benefit ammunition buyers elsewhere, possibly resulting in price decreases.
The NSSF predicts that California ammunition costs will “dramatically increase” under the new law, but they see no negative impact on prices elsewhere.
AB 962 may also result in ammunition inventory issues nationwide through next June. The NSSF says that ammunition manufacturers are already working at full capacity. As far as manufacturer’s deciding whether the last year’s increased demand is an aberration or trend, NSSF says “the jury is still out.” This means that there are no planned increases in production in the foreseeable future.
Page 2: Interviews of two of the largest online vendors, and impact of this bill on all gun owners.
Comments
reason number 1,487 to LEAVE CALIFORNIA!!!
That'll be 1.2 billion rounds more for the rest of us, and for those who leave California to buy ammo in Oregon, Nevada and Arizona.
The next step is a wholesale embargo on all firearms, ammunition and repair parts to California by manufacturers and sellers - when the various police agencies have to pay black-market prices for ammo, and are having to cannibalize half their Glocks for parts, maybe then the legislature will see the light.
Think the manufacturers have that kind of discipline?
Well Constantine, we know they don't have that kind of principle. The arms manufacturers were some of the main supporters of GCA '68. They thought it would be a boon to their bottom line if they didn't have to compete with foreign manufacturers, etc.
So, I suspect some will halt sales and the majority will look at it as an opportunity to gain market share. Suicidal? Yep, but in keeping with their past performance.
Cinstantine: maintaining weapons owned by the police won't be a big deal most of larger departments have personnel already to do that. The little ones will farm it out to them. As to ammo there will be some manufacturers that will sell to the police because they will not have to purchase in person. It never hurts the government only the law abiding citizens. Though maybe Mexico will start sending guns and ammo to CA. in a reversale of the usual lies.
Winchester and Remington announced that they will no longer sell to any destinations in CA including PD and National Guard Located in CA. I love it!! How do you like that Arnie?!?
Woohoo: Do you have a reliable source? I have found no verification that Winchester and Remington plan to stop selling ammo in California. Please produce a source.
Oh, how I hope it is true that Winchester and Remington have taken that step, but I really need to see some proof, especially since the sale of Winchester.
The Gov has shown his true colors a anti-gun liberal. I say impeach him and fire the rest of the anti-gun liberals. Constantine I hope you are correct and I sure hope the manufacturers stick it to them with above black-market prices.
I unfortunatley live in california but I'm relocating in the spring as I have had enough of the corporate criminal politicians of california. I'm surprised these guys can balance there own check books let alone balance the california budget.
Arnie rates a ZERO in my book not only for signing the anti-gun ammo bill but for raising the DMV fees.
I sure hope they have some good machinists that are gun smiths. I hope the ammo and parts manufacturers raise there prices especially for any aspect of state law enforcement and national guard. Just maybe the firearms manufacturers have seen the light since there is a socialist liberal in the white house and just as bad as clinton. They should remember who supported them it sure wasn't the dems.
with any luck california will slide into the ocean and take boxer; feinstein;pelosi and all of other anti 2nd ammendment pukes with them.
Feinstein born in 1933, Pelosi born in 1940, Boxer born in 1940. Maybe they will just fade away soon by natural causes.
straightarrow,
Ronnie Barrett does, I remeber an issue where he refused to repair or ship back one of LAPD's .50BMG rifles after the ban on those was passed by the RINOnator!
Woohoo- I heard the same thing from a Marin LEO. A letter was mailed when it was to be voted on. There is also a lot of disabled vets and amputees filing a $100M lawsuit because of discrimination in the bill. I am going to join just to get a piece of the pie too. How do you like that Shootabooger!?!
I talked to my contact at the National Shooting Sports Foundation. They have no notice of any boycott by Remington or Winchester. I have been googling regularly for any news report or press release. Nothing yet. Let's not start another SB 2099 waste of resources. There's plenty of happening stuff already on our plate. The only possible boycott by Remington is in response to bullet serialization and microstamping.
March 17, 2008: www.nssf.org/news/PR_idx.cfm?PRloc=common/PR/&PR=031708.cfm
Do you see what happens when people eat too much Granola and drink too much latte?
arnold is not born in the usa,he became a movie star and then gov. of calif.Im very mad that he signed off on the ammo finger print law. he just lost any suporrt from gun people, what the hell were you thinking....
Arnold is from Austria, you know the Marxism must have rubbed off on him as child.
Sorry for a double post. I should know better, but I ran across a group of Veteran's and groups that have physical disabilities I.E. amputations etc are preparing for suit against CA to the tune of $100M because of the thumb printing requirement, Real American is right on the money for that one.
I want this to go through just for the pure publicity nationwide and biatch slap the socialists.
Would you please all stop using the word socialist, I'm so sick of hearing it as I'm spending my medicare and going to visit
the national parks. As far as the new California ammo law is
concern its just a stupid law which will have no effect on the
bad guys and just make the good guys have to drive to Arizona.
I will not give my thumb print to anybody and be treated like a
criminal just cause I'd like to go shot a few old cans off a fence post just like my dad use to do --- of course my dad's
generation would have marched on the capital if anyone had even
suggested a law like this.
It's not socialist, it's far worse. People like Kevin DeLeon the author of this legislation believe in much larger government intrusion than garden variety Socialism. They and others were apparently asleep when their history professors mentioned totalitarianism, or were they? The firearms owners in the state are taking aim at removing DeLeon from office, but his damage is done, and his example can and will be used in other states by the "Progressives" They are the sworn enemies of America seeking to make it an Amerika instead. Lest you doubt it, consider the backdoor Lead ammo ban they have been trying to get in California for several years now that has spread to Arizona and Colorado in the name of Environmentalism even though there is no scientific evidence to support their claim. It's not about the environment, it's about banning r shooting sports. It's about banning hunting, plinking, target shooting and all shooting sports. It's about absolute power and control in our lives.
I am 100% with you , I like your way of thinking I am a vet , and I don't know where all this is going
And yeah we will be making runs to Vegas, Reno, or Arizona for the weekend to buy ammo. Interstates 10,15, and 80 will be busy. Wanna bet there will be ammo stores setup just across the state lines like the old dry county laws? I wonder how the prices will be?
But to people like me that hobby target shoot,that shoot a few hundred rounds a day when I shoot, this is a real problem and I fear (hell I know) it is a cornerstone of the "Progressives" agenda. We all need to unify and become a force even though we are all independent type people. The other side uses that against us.
So in the meantime, while we in California are leading an effort to repeal DeLeon from office and reverse his damn law, i guess we will be staging BUYcotts in Arizona and Vegas weekends.
And there is coming a time where I can retire out of CA. I can't wait.
California needs to go broke and then rethink there stupidity!!
What we need to do is start a political action group and use the other sides tricks against them
They keep electing these idiots. Its very hard to fight mass stupidity!
The NRA and CRPA are suing to have this absurd law tossed out.
It's a no-brainer since it directly conflicts with the interstate commerce clause, the FAAAA and has already been ruled (unamimously) by the USSC in 2008 in an identical case in Mass.
In short, don't worry...this law will never take effect.
I don't think everyone is seeing the big picture. This crap starts in california, like the ammo law and stupid prop 19 to legalize pot; if the state doesn't implode or explode then the same thing will start happening in neighboring states. I live in california and I have all my life and it makes me sick to watch a once great state go down the crapper due to piss poor management and stupid ideas. This state is already bankrupt and is in so much debt they can't see the top any more so they keep raising taxes and calling them fees and screwing the people who are working and trying to make a living; meanwhile the state lets in illegals who are not working and having 6 kids and sucking the system that the rest of us working American's are paying for dry.
I agree the government of this state needs to go and stricter laws need to go into affect regarding the amount of time you are allowed to be on welfair, disability, unemployment and the hiring of illegals. Every company that has illegals working for them instead of some one who is legal should be fined $25,000.00 per illegal and forced to pay for the deportation of thoes illegals they employ. If it makes them go out of business due to the infraction tuff shit.
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