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Moving guns to California.

popgun
Hi,

I would appreciate any info or advice anyone can provide on the following:

I may be moving to Escondido California (from Arizona) sometime this year (I may be inheriting a nice home there.) I legally own two handguns, one Remington 700 rifle, and three shotguns.

A friend has told me that if I just pack the guns in the back of a locked moving truck along with my other possessions, that I will be breaking the law if I drive over the AZ/CA border. He says they have to be locked in a gun safe for their transport to be legal.

Is this true? I know Cali has gone crazy, politically, since I left it over 20 years ago, but this seems insane.

I've tried to do some checking, but can't find a definitive answer.

I would hate to have to buy an $800 gun safe just so I can legally move my legal firearms into nutball Cali.

So if my friend is correct, would there be another, cheaper way for me to ship the guns to my new home legally?

Thanks for any help/advice you can provide.

:)
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • ruger41
    Oh how UNfun it will be for you. Guns will be fine in the moving truck-unloaded and separate from ammo--put the ammo up front if you want. You are not breaking the law by taking the guns into CA. If your handguns are semi auto's there is a 10 round magazine limit. LEGALLY any person who moves into CA has to "register" their handguns--for a fee of course[xx(] Thousands probably never do though. Legally you have 60 days from the time you set foot there to file a New Resident Handgun Ownership Report at the sum of $19 per gun. Here is all the info you need directly from the CA DOJ http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/ab991 Why on Earth would you move from such a gun owner friendly state back to CA with the crappy laws??[:0] I left in '07 and never goin back.
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  • popgun
    Thanks for that info, ruger; it appears my friend got it wrong, I'm glad to hear.

    quote:Why on Earth would you move from such a gun owner friendly state back to CA with the crappy laws?? I left in '07 and never goin back.

    As I mentioned, I might be inheriting a nice home there soon. It's not big and fancy, but is worth about $250K even in today's Depression market, and is in a decent area. Can't turn that down.

    Want to live there two years so I won't have to pay Federal taxes on the sale - assuming there will be a market to sell it in two years, (and Yo'mama hasn't eliminated that tax savings by then.)

    I was born and raised in El-Lay, so while I have no desire to live in Cali for the rest of my life (though the Escondido/San Diego area is about as nice as it gets in SoCal,) I'm willing to put up with it for a couple of years if it will save me some big bucks. Besides, I miss Disneyland and Knott's. :)

    Anyway, am glad Cali isn't "quite" (yet) the "Oceania"-like slave state I thought it was. It's moving that way - but not quite yet there.

    Thanks again for the info, and I'll check out that site carefully.

    :)
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  • Herschel
    I suggest you check with a tax expert on the federal tax on inherited property. I believe your basis in the property will be the value of the property when you inherited it. If so, if you sell it you will only owe tax on the difference between the basis and the sale price. That is assuming you can get more for it than the basis. If you sell it for less than the basis I believe you would have a capital loss.
    I am not a tax but strongly urge you to consult one.
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  • popgun
    Hersch,

    Thank you for that advice!

    I admit this will all be "undiscovered country" for me, so I know I have things to learn.

    I will talk with a tax attorney in the near future.

    Again, thanks for the advice.

    :)
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    IF IT IS ONLY FOR 2 YEARS YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER PUTTING YOUR HANDGUNS IN STORAGE IN THE FREE STATE OF AZ.
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  • competentone
    What Herschel said.

    If you've inherited an item, your "cost basis" is the market value at the time of inheritance. Assuming you sell it at roughly the time you've inherited it, there would be no difference between your cost-basis and your selling price, so you'd have no capital gains taxes owed on the sale.

    The requirement I think you are thinking about is when you buy a home as your primary residence. The situation you are describing is different.

    You really shouldn't need a full tax "attorney" to review your potential tax liabilities on property; just an accountant, or good tax preparer.

    Just a thought too: If the market is depressed, it might actually make sense to hold the house for a few years (if you want the hassles/headaches of owning, and possibly renting, the home). It might take a few years, but with all the money the world's central bankers are printing, I think eventually we'll be seeing some very extreme price inflation in the economy. Homes could become "valuable" investments again as people seek hedges against inflation.
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  • gruntled
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    IF IT IS ONLY FOR 2 YEARS YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER PUTTING YOUR HANDGUNS IN STORAGE IN THE FREE STATE OF AZ.


    Better to stock up on handguns that we can't buy here. Then sell them for a nice profit in legal private party sales. I can think of a few I would like to have & Escondido isn't all that far from me.[:D]
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  • bpost
    Sell the house, stay out of Commiefornia if you are a firearm owner. The California Legislature might do something next month that makes you a criminal with a BB gun.
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  • popgun
    Fellas,

    Thanks so much for all the info/advice. I'll definitely check with a good taxman if/when I get the home, then go from there.

    If I do move it will only be temporary, and I will be coming back to AZ often for visits; so I might consider leaving my short guns (Sig P226 and S&W Model 29 8/38) here with a trusted friend.

    I agree that in a few years (but only with a new leader) home prices might begin to balloon again, so I'd hate to miss out on something like that.

    Anyway, there are several variables, but you've given me a lot to think about and check on, and I appreciate it.

    Thanks again.

    :)
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  • yoshmyster
    Too bad you'll land so far South otherwise I'd ask you to get me a Caspian frame [:D].

    Moving guns on the road to CA. A hard lockable case is best in the trunk while keeping ammo separately in the same ride. Keeping ammo and guns is the key if you get pulled over. The other thing is a locked trunk is considered a okay way to move guns so a cardboard box with the guns is do-able. Me I got ICC aluminum cases because if I roll my car the guns will be fine [:D].
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