California Legal Guns

How California Gun Laws Affect Your Purchase

California has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country, and they change frequently. The good news: plenty of excellent firearms are still legal to buy and own in California. The key is knowing which rules apply to which types of firearms. Here’s a plain-language breakdown of the major requirements that affect most buyers.

Handguns: The California Roster

California maintains a “Handgun Roster” — an approved list of handgun models that have passed state-mandated safety testing and are legal for retail sale. If a handgun isn’t on the Roster, a California dealer cannot sell it to you as a new firearm. The Roster has shrunk significantly over the years as manufacturers have been unable or unwilling to recertify models under updated microstamping requirements.

What this means practically: many of the most popular handguns in America — including recent Glock, Sig Sauer, and Smith & Wesson models — are not available for standard retail sale in California. Roster-compliant handguns include older certified models that have maintained their listing. Every handgun in this category is Roster-compliant and legal for standard retail purchase in California.

Rifles: Assault Weapon Laws and Fixed Magazines

California’s assault weapon restrictions prohibit semi-automatic centerfire rifles with detachable magazines that also have any of the following features: pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, grenade or flare launcher, flash suppressor, or forward pistol grip. The most common compliance solution is a fixed magazine — a magazine that cannot be removed without disassembling the action. California-legal AR-15s and AK-pattern rifles typically use a bullet button or similar device to create a fixed magazine configuration.

Featureless rifles are another option — a standard detachable magazine is permitted if the rifle has none of the prohibited features (no pistol grip, no thumbhole stock, no flash suppressor, etc.). Many buyers find featureless configurations with fin grips or similar compliant furniture to be a practical solution.

Magazine Capacity

California prohibits the sale and transfer of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. All magazines shipped to California buyers must be 10-round capacity or less. This applies to both handgun and rifle magazines.

The Transfer Process

All firearms purchased online must be transferred through a California-licensed FFL dealer. California also requires a 10-day waiting period on all firearm transfers regardless of whether the buyer holds a CCW permit. Your local FFL will handle the transfer paperwork, DROS (Dealer Record of Sale) submission, and background check. Budget approximately $35–$75 for transfer fees depending on your dealer.

What to Look For When Buying

• Handguns must be on the current California Handgun Roster — all handguns in this category qualify.
• Semi-automatic rifles must be either featureless or fixed-magazine configuration.
• Magazines must be 10 rounds or less — we ship California-compliant magazines only to CA addresses.
• California law changes regularly — when in doubt, call us before ordering and we’ll confirm current compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions: California-Legal Firearms

What makes a rifle California-legal?
California defines an "assault weapon" by feature — a centerfire semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine may not have more than one of: pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding/telescoping stock, grenade/flare launcher, flash suppressor, or forward pistol grip. California-legal configurations use fixed magazines (requiring a tool to remove), featureless stocks (no pistol grip, no thumbhole), or are registered as assault weapons under prior law. The "featureless" configuration is the most popular approach for AR-15 and AK-pattern rifles.

Are Glock pistols legal in California?
Only Glocks on California’s Handgun Roster — the approved handgun list maintained by the California DOJ. California requires all handguns sold through dealers to be on the Roster, which certifies specific model variants meet drop safety and other requirements. New models from Glock with the required features may not appear on the Roster; single-stack models and older variants with fired case indicators may be available. Private party transfers of off-roster handguns between California residents are allowed in some circumstances. Verify current Roster status before purchasing.

What magazine capacity is legal in California?
California limits detachable magazines to 10 rounds. Magazines over 10 rounds manufactured before January 1, 2000 were grandfathered under certain prior rulings, but magazine laws in California have been subject to ongoing litigation. Current law prohibits purchase, import, or transfer of magazines over 10 rounds — verify current California law before purchasing any magazine.

Can I buy a suppressor in California?
No — California prohibits civilian ownership of suppressors regardless of federal NFA registration status. Suppressors are illegal for civilian possession in California.

See Also: State-Legal Guns • AR-15 Rifles • Handguns • What Is an FFL? • Magazines