If you don`t mind giving up some of that AR look, then your options open up. Finally, we`ll also discuss a few pre-built, feature-free ARs that you can buy if you want an AR, but also need to make sure it`s legal in California. No! There is another option that allows you to keep your features (pistol grip, folding/telescopic shaft, front handle and flash removal) while remaining completely legal. This is the Fixed or Magazine Lock option. To have a rifle without function, you must, well, remove the features! Let`s address each point and discuss the options. But first, a warning: although the information discussed here is of a legal nature, this is not legal advice. We are not lawyers. Talk to one of them if you`re not sure if your gun is legal or not. Luckily for you, we`ve recommended a few ambidextrous security options in the “Useful Supplements” section below. The Thordsen FRS stick is an incredibly popular choice for many California shooters. What you essentially get with a Thordsen is a conventional rifle shaft for your AR-15. The main advantage over most other non-functional options is ergonomics.
It allows for a much more natural feel as your thumb can wrap around the handle of the gun, providing more comfort and a sense of control. If you`ve gotten used to shooting an AR-15 with features in the past, the handle and shaft setup is the most radical change when switching to a rifle without functionality. After spending a lot of time with the assortment, you will eventually adapt. Everyone has a preference for what seems “best,” but the top picks below are all great work options. Since our employee frequently travels to Arizona and other parts of Free America, he equipped the rifle so that it could be easily reconfigured for out-of-state use. It replaced the foldable shaft with VLTOR`s fixed ARM rifle shaft, a fully equipped shaft with excellent cheek welding, storage compartments and QD rings. It also fits a standard carabiner receiver extension and can be replaced by releasing the locking latch if you want to upgrade to a foldable shaft. To get rid of the pistol grip – as defined by state law – he attached a Solar Tactical Kydex handle that wrapped around the original handle to prevent the user from wrapping his thumb around the handle. He did this instead of installing a specially designed Californian functionless handle, as it`s easier to remove and reinstall the envelope for out-of-state travel than the entire handle. Finally, he installed a standard charger from Strike Industries and upgraded the trigger with a flat one-stage SSTAT unit from AIM Surplus, which broke at 3.75 pounds. They`re all high-quality, and with so many options available, the hardest part will be limiting your selection to the one you prefer.
These kits are available in a few different colors and a few generations, both of which are completely Californian legal. A semi-automatic center-fire rifle with any of these characteristics and a removable magazine is considered an “offensive weapon” under California law and is illegal. There are tons of options, but our favorite is the Juggernaut Tactical Hellfighter kit. Looking at the list above, this can definitely be confusing at first glance. But just as California is determined to make ridiculous laws, the gun community is determined to find workarounds. My advice when designing your 80% construction is to find a California compliance kit to make sure your construction is 100% California compliant without a doubt. These kits come with everything you need (or rather nothing you don`t need) and give you complete peace of mind in the legality of your firearms, without the guesswork. Check with your manufacturer that`s 80% lower to see if they offer California-compliant options. Some of the above gripping and stock-buying options keep your trigger hand thumb in an unusual position and can make it difficult to choose safety.
There are two points that I recommend to address these issues. The first is a thumb rest from Juggernaut Tactical. It replaces the back disassembly pen and offers a comfortable position to rest your thumb. For now, inoperability seems to be the best legal setup to keep an eye on the rifle`s functionality. We are already seeing that several companies continue to innovate, offering new products that look decent and work well within the limits of the law. So even if you only have one of these features on your semi-automatic center-fire rifle, you own what California considers an “assault weapon” unless your magazine is repaired. The only way for Californians to legally possess these characteristics on a semi-automatic center-fire rifle is either A) to register the weapon as an “assault weapon” or B) to have a fixed magazine, which we`ll talk about later. There are many Maglock options, and the best options will be discussed in a future blog post, but for now, I advise you to choose a reputable company with an 80% market history and take advantage of the circumvention of a law that only violates law-abiding citizens like you. While California`s unconstitutional restrictions certainly shouldn`t even exist, this Californian legal construct is still abundantly capable. Ideally, we don`t want to be criminals, but the state certainly makes things difficult.
Still, Calguns.net has created an informative flowchart to help gun owners determine if their gun is legal. Start at the top left of the diagram and answer the questions accordingly. Some people who criticize the option without functionality complain about the aesthetics of the available options. While this may be true for some, the overall function of the rifle is largely maintained. Another possible drawback of the no-function facility is that the authorities could eventually change the laws again to force law-abiding citizens to adapt again and again. There are a lot of options out there, but as always, we have a few favorites. And if you want to buy a legal AR in California without having to deal with the hassle of a stationary magazine, a rifle without features is the only way. The Maglock option is essentially the exact opposite of the Californian option without functionality. When exercising the Maglock option, the consumer may have a pistol grip, a foldable tree, a flash hiding place and even the front pistol grip (the grenade launcher, unfortunately, is still illegal). However, with this option, standard 30-shot chargers cannot be used (unless they are stuck at a capacity of 10 shots), and the Mag shutter release may not work. hence the term “Maglock”. One of the employees of THE RECOIL lives behind the Iron Curtain under the California sun.
You`ll be surprised at the number of shooters who live in the state, despite his political leadership aggressively seeking freedom. Years ago, he bought a SIG Sauer M400 rifle that had been sterilized for California with a device called Bullet Button, which would release a 10-shot magazine with just a tool or bullet tip. When California politicians passed another law requiring guns to be registered with bullet buttons instead of registering them, he dismantled them to remain legal and placed them in the back of his safe. One of the best options is the California-compliant SAINT AR-15 from Springfield Armory. It gives you the performance and reliability of any Springfield rifle, but it also does a very good job of maintaining that AR aesthetic — and all within the confines of California law. California considers a rifle without features to be a no-frills rifle that makes the gun more “deadly,” but that doesn`t include standard capability magazines. To repeat it again, with a rifle without function; The consumer can legally operate any capacity magazine. The following list is what your rifle may not have to be considered unusable: Given the above information when building an AR15 in California, you have two options: Featureless or Maglock. Both options are equally ridiculous, but I`m going to break down those options for you so you can choose the least ridiculous choice for your needs. It`s important to note that with every option you choose, and even with an 80% lower receiver, you MUST register your firearm in California, which requires your 80% lower firearm to be issued by the state and then engraved in your lower receiver. If you live in California and missed the registration deadline for your “assault weapon,” inoperability is the only way to keep your rifle legal, functional, and in the state. However, the use of legally acquired 30-shot magazines in your non-functional rifle is allowed.
That being said, you could still be harassed if you do, the choice is yours. California has added many laws in recent years, and it can be difficult to keep up with what`s legal and what`s not. To summarize your options, you can use a standard 30-shot magazine with a rifle without features or a 10-shot locked magazine on a rifle with your favorite accessories. As with most decisions involving firearms, it all comes down to your personal preferences and intentions for the firearm. Some may choose the convenience of features and sacrifice fast refills, but others may want the exact opposite. We`re not lawyers, but according to the NRA, if you haven`t registered your gun on time, you have a few options: This option allows you to use the features of your AR-15 by attaching or locking the magazine of 10 shots (or less) into your rifle while the lower magazine is attached to the top receiver.