Fed Judge Overturns California Ban on "Assault" Weapons

[K.Mooneyham]

Ammo ban? So what keeps people in Commie Cali from going to a neighboring State and buying Ammo?

Oh, didn't you know, it's illegal to "import" ammo into California without be authorized to do so. All ammo must be purchased there through an authorized reseller. No internet sales, either. And yes, technically California resident going to Nevada or Arizona, buying ammo, and bringing it into California is considered "importing" ammo. And yes, that sort of stuff is why pretty much every other state makes fun of them now.

[Jeff B.]

Ammo ban? So what keeps people in Commie Cali from going to a neighboring State and buying Ammo?

Shhhh…

You’ll give away the secret!



Jeff B.

[crazy2medic]

So they have check points at the border?

[philip964]

So they have check points at the border?

They used to.

[ScottDLS]

So does this mean somebody in California can go out TODAY and buy an AR?

Not yet. His ban on enforcing the law is on hold for 30 days to allow for an appeal. And I hope they do appeal. I am confident the 9th circuit will overturn him (when they rule en banc, if not with the three judge panel - Trump got enough judges appointed there that a three judge panel might uphold it). The question is if the SCOTUS would take it. They might wait for a split between circuits to see if anyone else gets a ban thrown out. That probably would be in one of three places, New York, Massachusetts, or Chicago. Not too many places have a similar ban to question.

On the slim chance that the 9th is smart enough not to appeal, the ban would be reversed on.....drumroll......July 4th. Can you think of a better way to celebrate Independence Day?

Here's how it's going to go. California will appeal. The District Court decision will be stayed while the Circuit panel reviews it. The panel will take their time then overturn the District Court. Then it will be appealed to the full circuit court. They will uphold the panel's decision. In a year or two SCOTUS will deny certiorari (decline to hear the case). Standing or laches or some other excuse. 32 years will become 35 years...

[The Annoyed Man]

So they have check points at the border?

No, they don’t. I’ve made that drive several times between Vegas and SoCal. The truth is, several tens of thousands of vehicles make the trip up or down I-15 between Nevada and points south/southeast in California EVERY. SINGLE. DAY……and remember, I’m just talking about Southern California. There are LOTS of ways to enter the state.

On the way down, motorists cross with I-40 at Barstow, connecting the central Mojave desert to the Arizona border outside of Topock, Arizona, just across the Colorado River—yet another route for non compliant ammo imports into California. Further south, and just northeast of San Bernardino, drivers cross the interstate spur 210, leading into the San Gabriel Valley and points west—and literally millions of people. South of that, they’ll cross I-10, which connects the SoCal coastline at Los Angeles to the Arizona border across from Blythe, California (again, on the Colorado River). South of I-10, the 15 crosses the rest of San Bernardino county (the LARGEST county in the United States.

Further South, it crosses Riverside County all the way through, and on into San Diego county, where it intersects Interstate 8 in San Diego. I-8 connects San Diego to El Centro in Imperial County, before crossing into Arizona in Yuma.

So, between I-15, I-40, the 210, I-10, and I-8, we have four busy major access points into four of the largest counties in the state, home to more than half of California’s population of 39,613,493 people. Although I don’t know the actual number, it would be reasonable to assume that as many as 150,000-200,000 vehicles enter California by these entry points alone, every single day. And, once into the state, there are dozens of "rat lines" off the interstates into which the enterprising ammo transporter can disappear. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE entry by less-well-travelled means either—for instance Highway 62 from Twentynine Palms or 177 from Desert Center into Parker, Arizona; nor does it include all of the entry points further north, above Las Vegas either….from the Death Valley for instance, or Reno, or a dozen other places.

There is literally no way for Californian authorities to interdict non compliant ammo imports. It just can’t be done. They might occasionally serendipitously bust someone while searching a vehicle for human or agricultural contraband at an CBP or USBP inspection station, but that would represent a tiny fraction of the potentially thousands of people running ammo into the state, whether for personal use or non compliant distribution……and the authorities KNOW this, which is why they make so much noise about "illegal" ammo. Noise is all they’ve got.

And please note my repeated use of "non compliant" here. The law itself is unconstitutional, and therefore illegal. People who violate it are patriots for giving the state the finger.

The biggest risk to California's non compliant ammo buyers isn’t buying or possessing it. It might come from using it—whether for range use or personal defense. Spent brass at the scene might possibly betray its provenance if examined by law enforcement for some reason or other, having witnessed or being able to prove that that individual user had fired it, and being able to however dubiously "prove" that it came from out of state after the import ban took effect. For the shooter who could prove that he’d bought in bulk before the import ban went into effect, there shouldn’t be any problem. Shouldn’t be. But this is commifornia, so you never know.

[ajwakeboarder]

So they have check points at the border?

Yes, but not really. They have "agricultural checkpoints". These are really just an annoyance for most people and isn't designed to stop anything other than people bringing in unauthorized plants, wood, or any other material that might host some kind of invasive insects that would be a danger to California's agriculture.

However, members of the California DOJ routinely drive through parking lots of sporting goods stores on the Nevada side and note California license plates to be pulled over and checked later when that vehicle is back in California. I ran into one of them at the Cabela's on 80 just outside Reno. He was parked behind my jeep and got real interested when he saw the boxes of ammo I was loading in the back. Unfortunately for him, I wasn't going back into California just yet.

They do the same thing for "illegal" fireworks. The only fireworks allowed in California are know as "safe and sane". Nothing airborne or exploding is allowed. Basically the just allow fountains and confetti cannons. There is a major pyrotechnic wholesale shop in Pahrump, NV. All this week, my local pyro page has been blowing up about plainclothes officers staking out the place and radioing license plate numbers to CHP officers waiting on 178. Ironically, Californian's like fireworks more than anybody else I've ever seen. The 1 year I spend here on the 4th, it was really like a warzone. Every other house had an assortment and hearing the explosion's echoing off the townhomes and apartments was unreal. The only downside is, people here don't reserve this activity for holidays. You'll hear them once a week throughout the year and this time of year, they'll start shooting them off every night starting around the end of may when the High Schoolers graduate.