Have to go to California

[elwood blooz]

It seems I have to go to California for work. I"ll be there 9 or 10 days. I have to drive so I'm taking my weapon with me. My XD is my normal carry but all my mags hold 13 rounds. My 1911 would be a good choice but I would hate to have it confiscated over something stupid. Guess I"ll have to buy a smaller magazine tomorrow. This stay will feel very long it seems.

Anything other silly laws I should know about? I have read on the lock it up in a case, ammo separated, etc

As of right now I'm headed out on Friday. Ill be taking my laptop so at least I can visit here and get the feelings of home!

[BigBlueDodge]

The only thing I would add is to make sure you are 100% knowledgeable of the laws. You didn't saw what you plan to do with your weapons once you get that, but California doesn't offer reciprocity with Texas so you will not be allowed to carry. Additionally, I don't *think* California has vehicle carry laws either, so you won't be able to carry in your car. Best you could do is just keep in your hotel room. Just be aware of you legal limitations and you maybe fine. Personally, I would take the cheapest gun with me. If I can't carry, then that means I have to leave it in my hotel room, which means it could get stolen very easily. I'd rather loose my cheapest gun if it came down to it.

[iratollah]

Before you go to Californistan, you should hope for an earthquake that starts a landslide that extinguishes the wildfires.

[The Annoyed Man]

The laws may have changed since I moved from California in 2006, but the laws in effect at the time required:

1. The pistol to be stored in a locked carrying case, unloaded.

2. Any ammunition to be stored in a locked carrying case, separately from the pistol.

3. Both pistol and ammunition cases to be stored out of reach of the driver (or passengers). In a sedan, that means in the trunk. In an SUV, that means in the back.

4. There must be a good reason for transporting the pistol in the first place - like to and from a range, dealer, or gunsmith.

5. CCW permits are issued by the county sheriffs. There is no statewide permit. As a practical matter, none of the sheriffs issue permits anyway.

Typically, I didn't worry about locking up my ammo as I often had made a stop to purchase ammo on the way to the range and it was in a plastic bag, but I did make sure that it was stored out of my reach, and I did carry the pistol legally locked away (most of the time). Also, if the pistols had been loaded at home, I stored the pistols unloaded when transporting them, but I stored the loaded magazines (and/or speedloaders) in the same cases as the pistol.

In various conversations with different LEOs that I knew, it was indicated to me that many LEOs exercise a fair amount of personal discretion when they find a pistol and ammunition in a vehicle they have stopped. They make a lot of judgment calls on the spot about the character of the person they've stopped, and they are not very likely to make life hard on a person who is complying with the spirit of the law, even if they haven't complied with the letter of it. I did have one friend's husband who was an investigator with California's equivalent of the DEA tell me that he didn't much care how you carried your weapon - even if it was on your person - as long as you were not an obvious dirt bag. That being said, I wouldn't rely on it.

If I had to go somewhere dangerous, or at night, I put a pistol under my seat and made sure to drive legally. During the Rodney King rioting, my office was in downtown L.A., and I carried a 1911 around in a fanny pack and didn't worry about it. I wouldn't rely on running into a reasonable LEO if I were from out of state. I've been back to L.A. twice for business since I moved here to Texas. Both times, I just left my guns at home. I didn't want to, but business isn't worth going to jail for. Also, a lot depends on whether or not you're flying or driving there. I had to fly, so it was just easier to leave my gun at home.

[anygunanywhere]

Your hotel room is considered your residence.

If you must use your handgun in self defense, you had better be able to show hard proof. A kicked in door would be proof.

Just calling 911 and saying you have a problem is not.

The attacker must be in your room. You might want to run face first into the wall to mess yourself up for good measure.

Anygunanywhere

[elwood blooz]

thanks for the news. things changed for me slightly, I have to fly instead of driving, so my weapon stays at home. This will feel real strange. Post up tonite when I get in my hotel.

[BigBlueDodge]

Flying versus driving doesn't change anything. You can fly with a pistol today as long as you follow the rules (declare it at the counter, keep it in a locked case, ammo in a box all in checked luggage). Flying shouldn't be a reason to not carry your pistol with you.

[Skipper5]

Flying versus driving doesn't change anything. You can fly with a pistol today as long as you follow the rules (declare it at the counter, keep it in a locked case, ammo in a box all in checked luggage). Flying shouldn't be a reason to not carry your pistol with you.

I normally just lock up my SA in the blue purchase case in the trunk with lock...with no clips in...and have ammo and clips in a separate bag in the trunk as well...but I only am traveling between my home there and the range and back home.

I went over that with the owner of the range in San Diego and he said that was sufficient.

In order for me to make a speedy reply to any hostile action; I would as Chief Justice Roberts spoke in DC vs Heller Oral Arguments...."[]so you mean, that I have to turn on the light, put on my reading glasses...take off the trigger lock..., etc" It would be the same...find the key to the lock...fumble hoping to open the case within an hour or so...meanwhile grabbing a clip while slicing my finger while rapidly opening a box of UMC 9mm....by the time I was prepared to return fire....the BG would have already been able to make it to another County.

Oh, by the way... did I mention?; that it was the other County Sheriff was the one who approved the BG's CCW.

'nuf from me

[SRizz21]

Comi-fornia...Sorry you have to travel there...

[RodL]

5. CCW permits are issued by the county sheriffs. There is no statewide permit. As a practical matter, none of the sheriffs issue permits anyway.

The California CCW is a statewide permit, good anywhere in the state (I had one for 24 years). They are issued by the County Sheriff, and in most urban counties are practically impossible to get. However, in rural counties which make up most of the area of California, there are many permit holders. In fact, in rural counties such as Kern County (Buck Owens and Myrle Haggard country), one only needs to apply and not be a dirt bag.

[austin]

This is where a good folder can come in handy.

It goes in your checked luggage and can come out when you get it off the carousel.

Its a lot easier to conceal in your pocket and you can control the level of force when you use it.

[WildBill]

In fact, in rural counties such as Kern County (Buck Owens and Myrle Haggard country), one only needs to apply and not be a dirt bag.

Here's a story about another rural county in California. San Benito county is just 30 miles south of Silicon Valley. The percentage of residents with concealed weapon permits in San Benito [population 56,000] is 0.00035 percent. According to this story they only get around two new applications per year. As RodL pointed out, Kern County has a much higher number of CCWs, but the number of permits in most rural areas is still extremely low.

[Sheriff] Hill does not believe more permits mean a safer community. "Probably not. It's a state-of-mind kind of thing," Hill said. "But in reality, no."

It's a state-of-mind-thing."


Concealed Weapons Not Popular in SB County

Saturday, November 11, 2006
By Michael Van Cassell

Hollister - Few locals are packing heat. In fact, fewer San Benito County residents have permits to carry concealed weapons than in just about every other county in California.

With 20 to 25 active concealed weapon permits, according to San Benito County Undersheriff Pat Turturici, San Benito has one of the lowest permit counts of any county in California. San Francisco County has 10 active concealed weapon permits, the lowest number in the state, according to the California Attorney General's office. The percentage of residents with concealed weapon permits in San Benito is 0.00035 percent, second lowest to San Francisco County, with 0.00013 percent.

"We don't get aproached a lot about concealed weapons," Turturici said.

Sheriff Curtis Hill estimated the department gets a renewal request every other month and a new applicant every six months.

"There's always a lot of press and concern about concealed weapon permits," Hill said. "In this county it's almost a non-factor."

The interest in concealed weapon permits is just not there, Hill said.

"We probably have maybe 10 more than we had a dozen years ago," Hill said.

According to the Sheriff's Department Web site, applicants will not be considered if they do not reside in San Benito County, with a business exception; are not United States citizens; have any criminal history, including substance or alcohol abuse; have a dishonorable discharge from military service; have a history of mental illness; were previously denied a license to carry a concealed weapon; have had a concealed weapon permit revoked; have a history of violence or unstable personality; are not physically able to handle the weapon; or if they lie in any portion of the background packet.

"To get a concealed weapon permit we have an extensive background packet," Turturici said.

The application must also include a letter of intent, explaining the reasons a permit should be granted, Turturici said.

If the applicant resides within the Hollister city limits, Hill first directs the request to the Hollister Police Department, he said. Hill said police departments typically do not issue permits throughout the state.

Most applicants are either self-employed and carry large sums of cash or are ex-law enforcement personnel, Hill said.

The Sheriff's Department Web site states that the Sheriff "may consider issuing a (concealed weapon permit) to retired local or Federal law enforcement personnel or to U.S. citizens who can articulate a specific, compelling and overwhelming need which can be verified."

Each applicant is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. San Benito's policy is not too restrictive, but not too lenient, Hill said.

"Once your background is approved we take you out to the range to make sure you know how to shoot the thing," Turturici.

Each county in California has its own set of issuance policies and permit counts. Kern County, which includes the City of Bakersfield, has 4,077 permits, the most in the state, according to the California Attorney General's office. The county with the highest percentage of residents with concealed weapon permits is Sierra County, with 3.2 percent.

Some gun advocate groups say issuing concealed weapon permits to law-abiding citizens makes for safer streets.

But Hill does not believe more permits mean a safer community.

"Probably not. It's a state-of-mind kind of thing," Hill said. "But in reality, no."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 or mvancassell@freelancenews.com.

[Weg]

You may want to consider a compact long arm. When I lived there I kept a 30. Carbine on my back seat all the time, the ammo was in clip pouches on the stock.